Blackfoot River Fishing Report: April 30, 2026
Spring is settling in on the four Missoula-area rivers. Flows have come off the early-week peak and are starting to drop and clear, but every river is still running high. The dry-fly window is opening up — Skwalas, March Browns, BWOs, and a few Gray Drakes are showing — though nymphs and streamers remain the most reliable producers. The Bitterroot River is the standout right now, with the cleanest water and the most consistent dry-fly action.
Water: High, off-color, dropping ~4,000 cfs at Bonner · Visibility: 2–3 ft · Temp: 43–45°F
The Blackfoot is trending in the right direction. Flows are easing, clarity is improving daily (especially upper and mid sections), and water temps are slowly nudging up. Cold water is still keeping the dry-fly bite limited, but the nymph and streamer programs are productive. Expect another bump if the forecast warm-up early next week melts more snow.
Hatches: Midges, BWOs, March Browns, Gray Drakes, straggler Skwalas, plus Nemoura and Capnia stoneflies on warmer afternoons.
Best techniques:
- Nymphing is the most consistent — heavy stonefly setups with mayfly or worm droppers, fished deep (4–6 ft) on inside seams, slow drop-offs, and back eddies.
- Streamer fishing has been productive in the off-color water — bigger and darker for now, lighter as clarity improves.
- Limited dry action; keep March Brown and BWO patterns ready for warmer afternoons.
Featured flies:
- Dries: Galloup's Goober Midge, Griffith's Gnat, Bucky's Klinkhammer-Zebra, Carlson's Olive Haze, On Point Para Wulff – BWO, Chubby Chernobyl, Ms. Tickle, D&D Cripple, DL Cripple.
- Nymphs: TB Rubberlegs, Solitude TJ Hooker, Double Bead Stones, MFC Trina's Squirm, Hot Bead Power Worm, San Juans, Tungsten Jig Pheasant Tail, Jig PT, Duracell, On-Point Mayfly.
- Streamers: MFC Chicago Overcoat, Coffey's Conehead Sparkle Minnow, Kreelex, Lil' Kim, MFC Beadhead Woolly Bugger, Dungeon, Shake & Bake, Slick Willy, Sculpzilla Streamer.
Outlook: Highs climbing into the 70s by Tuesday, then a midweek cold front with rain and snow back into the 50s on Wednesday. Watch the gauge — the warm-up could trigger another snowmelt push.
