Fishing Season: Year round; some tributaries closed December 1-third week of May. Check regulations before fishing.

Bitterroot River - MT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

34

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Tip of the Week

Adding split shot to your indicator nymph rig is very important when wade fishing. The added weight of the split shot will get your flies in the strike zone faster, resulting in more opportunities for fish to eat on each drift. We like to use split shot even when fishing tungsten bead flies. Shot is less important when fishing from a drift boat or raft because you can achieve much longer drifts, but we still use it when fishing flies that are weightless or have small beads.

Directions open in app

Map of Bitterroot River

Water Flow Data

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Blackfoot River Outfitters
Blue Damsel Lodge
Montana Hunting and Fishing Adventures
Triple Creek Ranch

5-Day Outlook as of 1/28/26

It’s shaping up to be a solid week to be on the 'Root, with a mild warming trend pushing afternoon temps into the low-to-mid 40s and plenty of cloud cover to keep the fish happy. Water levels are holding steady at clear, winter lows, though you definitely need to watch your step for lingering shelf ice. With winds forecasted to stay light (under 6 mph) all week, it’s going to be surprisingly comfortable out there, so enjoy the open water while it lasts.

Techniques & Tips as of 1/28/26

Nymphs are going to be your best option for fishing the Bitterroot over the next week. With colder water temps you’ll want to focus your fishing on deep slow runs and pools. Avoid the faster water and riffles. Slowly swinging a streamer could prove effective as well. Streamers: Lil Kim, Wooly Bugger, Micro Dungeon, Kreelex, Sparkle Minnow Nymphs: San Juan Worm, TJ Hooker, Sili Leg Stone, Prince Nymph, Duracell, Jig PT, Zebra Midge Dries: Midges

Local Species Available Year round; some tributaries closed December 1-third week of May. Check regulations before fishing.

  • Fish Icon

    Trout - rainbows

  • Fish Icon

    browns and cutties - whitefish

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Midge N/A #18-22
Birchell's Hatching Midge N/A #18-20
Vernille San Juan Worm red/pink #8-12
Fly Formerly Known As Prince N/A #12-14
TJ Hooker N/A #08-12
Sparkle Minnow N/A #04-08
Bead Head Hare's Ear Nymph N/A #12-16
Tunghead Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail N/A #14-18
Zebra Midge N/A #18
Kreelex N/A #6

Midge

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Item #0836

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Blackfoot River Outfitters's Recommended Gear

Description: About Bitterroot River

The panoramic mountains of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness towering above this river make for an unforgettable setting. The Bitterroot affords anglers over 80 miles of varied freestone trout water ranging from riffles and runs to undercuts and deadfalls. This river's largest fish often rise to dry flies even in non-hatch conditions. One of our guides claims that "If you catch a fish on the Bitterroot, you could have caught it with a dry fly!" This probably isn't far from the truth in light of our fishing dries here 90% of the time (often with an additional bead head dropper). Renowned hatches of stone and may flies are in full force by March, providing the state's best early season surface action and Bitterroot river fish tend to look up for the rest of the season. Expect to catch native westslope cutthroat, rainbows and browns on any outing.

Nearest Airport:

Missoula International Airport (MSO)

Hatches:

Midges

Best Time to Fish:

The warmest hours of the day

Best Stretch:

Most of the river is looking good. Keep an eye out for potential jams and portages.

Best Access:

Multiple fishing access sites throughout the river.