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:

46

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Tip of the Week

The Bitterroot is our main attraction right now, but please proceed with caution! High flows can move riparian debris, and log jams are always a potential hazard on this river. Keep your head on a swivel, row conservatively, and scout your corners. Please give us a call for the most updated report on Bitterroot hazards.

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 4/3/26

The Bitterroot is setting up for a great weekend with sunny skies tomorrow and highs in the mid-50s persisting through Tuesday. You'll see a mix of sun and clouds early in the week with mostly light winds, though Tuesday afternoon might bring a 13 mph breeze. A late-week system will push in on Wednesday, dropping highs into the low 40s with a solid chance of snow.

Techniques & Tips as of 4/3/26

We are fully in Skwala season, and the dry fly fishing has been ranging from good to downright great! Start your day with a dry-dropper setup, and then switch over to a single dry fly in the afternoon when the bugs are most active. On cloudy days, look for fish keying in on BWOs in the foam lines, and potentially some March Browns too.

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

Image Not Found

Item #0836

Buy Now

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:

Skwalas, March Browns, and BWOs

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.