Clark Fork River Fishing Report, June 9, 2026
All four rivers are dropping out of last week's rain-driven blowout and the trend is positive everywhere. Rock Creek is the headline: salmonflies are on the water and Grizzly Hackle rates it 5/5. The Bitterroot is the best big-river option with salmonflies starting on the upper river and both forks. The Blackfoot is shaping up ahead of its famous hatch, and the Clark Fork remains the slowest to clear. Lightweight's best fishing window for the week is 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
At a glance: High and off color, very big below town | Upper river cleared nicely, lower poor clarity | Water temp 51-56°F | ~7,370 CFS above Missoula, ~13,900 CFS below | Grizzly Hackle: 1/5 | Missoulian Angler: 2/5 | Best window: 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Two different stories. The upper Clark Fork has cleared up nicely and is fishing, while through Missoula and downstream the river is still pumping a lot of water with marginal clarity. It is the last river in the area to clean up after runoff, and the slowest to come back from last week's blowout. Focus entirely on soft water: eddies, inside seams, walking-speed current, and side channels. Kingfisher notes that just about everything that can hatch is coming off right now, so it is fishing better than the gauge suggests where you can find clean, soft water.
Best techniques
- Go big or go home with nymph rigs: massive stonefly patterns (Pat's RLs, TJ Hooker, Double Bead Stone, Front St. Stone), bright red or pink San Juan Worms, heavy Zirdle Bugs, and Wire Worms, trailed by a Blow Torch, Duracell, Prince Nymph, Pheasant Tail, or Frenchie.
- Swing or strip large streamers on fast-sinking tips; make sure the fly gets down. Grizzly Hackle favorites: Mini Dungeons, Goldies, Butchers, and Foxy Cleopatras in yellow, black, and white. Also producing: Sparkle Minnow, Sculpzilla, Kreelex, Peanut Envy, Thin Mint, Woolly Bugger, Barely Legal, and Double Gonga.
- Dry-dropper where the edges are calm: Chubby (including the Hi-Vis Micro Chubby) or Water Walker over a nymph. Dries for risers: Purple Haze, Parachute Adams, Corn Fed Caddis, Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis, plus Blackfoot River Outfitters' featured Stranahan's Brindle Chute and Plan B (Black/Purple).
Hatches
Salmonflies and Golden Stones were showing before the cooldown and should resume this week. Yellow Sallies and PMDs are showing in town, with Green Drakes and caddis (evenings) building.
The Fly Box
Nymphs: TJ Hooker, Double Bead Stone, San Juan, Zirdle, Wire Worms, Blow Torch, Duracell, Prince Nymph, Pheasant Tail, Frenchie
Dries: Chubby, Water Walker, Purple Haze, Parachute Adams, Corn Fed Caddis, Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis, Brindle Chute, Plan B
Streamers: Mini Dungeons, Foxy Cleopatras, Sparkle Minnow, Sculpzilla, Kreelex, Peanut Envy, Thin Mint, Woolly Bugger, Barely Legal, Double Gonga
Outlook. Fishable in the next week or two as flows drop; Grizzly Hackle says great fishing on the CF is right around the corner, and Missoulian Angler expects good dry fly fishing toward the end of next week, weather depending. June should be good.
