The Bitterroot River is one of Montana’s most picturesque rivers with the dramatic Bitterroot mountain range always in sight along its lazy 80 mile journey from Connor to Missoula. The river is formed by the meeting of its East and the West Fork forks, which are fine fisheries in their own right. Along its journey it picks up numerous crystal clear tributaries. For this reason the Bitterroot is usually the first river in the area to clear after runoff. In fact in many years the Bitterroot is fishable right through the high water period.
The river begins its popular fishing season earlier than most rivers in Montana. In early March the Famous Skawala hatch begins, which brings anglers from everywhere. The chance to fish large dry flies makes this one of the more crowded times on the river even though it is so early in the season. These #8-10 stoneflies get all the press, but the March Brown mayfly is the real hero of the pre-runoff season. In April the hatch bursts out from about 1-4 pm. The dry fly fishing is great during the warmest part of the day. Temperatures are actually usually very comfortable in the Bitterroot Valley in the spring; locals call it the “Banana Belt” for that reason.
After runoff, floaters congregate to the upper river near Darby for the famous Salmonfly hatch. It only occurs on the upper part of the river, so it is quite short lived. The Golden Stoneflies seem to linger for longer, and Golden Stonefly patterns can continue to produce well into the summer.
As summer progresses, terrestrials mix with Caddis and various mayflies to make for some great attractor dry fly fishing. The Bitterroot is commonly fished with dry flies as searching patterns rather than nymphs. In low water years the fishing slows down a bit by August, but in years with good snow pack the hoppers pick up the slack between the hatches.
In September the mayfly hatches really get rolling. Mahogany Duns, Hecuba’s, and many other mayflies make for some of the best dry fly action of the year that lasts until the cold winter weather sets in.
The fish in the river are as varied as the hatches. The upper river has lots of eager West Slope Cutthroat and Rainbows that will eat dry flies even during non hatch periods. As you move down river, the Cutthroat become fewer and farther between, but the chance at big fish, especially brown trout, becomes more real. The lowest sections of the river have some large Northern Pike and Smallmouth Bass. For freestone fishing with variety the Bitterroot River is hard to beat.