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

Clark Fork River - MT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

50

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Tip of the Week

Clarity on the Clark Fork is fishable, but not optimal yet. Clarity should continue to improve as flows drop over the weekend. However, keep a close eye on the gauges early next week, as the forecasted spike in temperatures could easily trigger another push of water that could impact viz.

Directions open in app

Map of Clark Fork River

Water Flow Data

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Blue Damsel Lodge
Linehan Outfitting Company
Blackfoot River Outfitters
Bitterroot Fly Company

5-Day Outlook as of 4/22/26

In Missoula, we're looking at a serious warm-up. Expect highs to hit 57°F on Saturday and peak at a t-shirt-worthy 73°F by Tuesday under partly sunny skies. A midweek system will cool things back down into the 50s with rain and snow on Wednesday, accompanied by some breezy conditions.

Techniques & Tips as of 4/22/26

The dry fly fishing has been day-to-day, with Skwalas and March Browns fooling a few fish here and there. A dry-dropper setup is the go-to rig to cover water right now. Try a Chubby or Water Walker up top with a TJ, Prince, or Jig PT underneath. Don’t forget to bring a few San Juans in red and pink too.

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

  • Fish Icon

    Rainbows

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    cutthroats

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    cutbows

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    browns and white fish

Blackfoot River Outfitters's Recommended Fly Patterns

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

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Stimulator N/A #10-12
Parachute Pheasant Tail N/A #12-14
Sparkle Dun N/A #18
Bead Head Caddis Pupa N/A #12-14
TJ Hooker N/A #8-12
Rubberlegs N/A #8-12
Tunghead Pheasant Tail N/A #12-14
TH 20 Incher N/A #8-12
Spanish Bullet N/A #12-14
Duracell N/A #12-14

Stimulator

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Item #0928

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Blackfoot River Outfitters's Recommended Gear

Description: About Clark Fork River

This major fork of the Columbia River, named after Captain William Clark of the Corps of Discovery, is the mother of all our local rivers. In proving her maternal resolve, the Clark Fork today flows clean and vibrant despite the decades of mining abuses imposed upon her by a less than conservation-minded state. Often described locally as two distinct rivers, the Clark Fork provides decidedly different characteristics on its upper and lower reaches. In the snaking meanders upstream of Missoula, butter-bellied browns explode on baitfish darting from deadfall snags and hoppers haplessly bumping along grassy undercuts. Following her confluence of the Blackfoot and Bitterroot, the Clark Fork through and below town widens and slows. (A dam was recently removed from this location and the river should continue to get better for years to come!) This is the ultimate for anglers hunting line-ripping rainbows and cutthroats on light tippets. Here, the biggest fish sip little duns and chase swimming nymphs around over knee-deep gravel bars. No matter your passion – #20 trico spinners delicately placed in rise ring lanes, dangling a needle-thin phez tail under a big bushy hoppers, or chuck'n and duck'n streamers – the Clark Fork offers a season and section for you.

Nearest Airport:

Missoula

Hatches:

BWOs, March Browns and Skwalas.

Best Time to Fish:

The warmest hours of the day

Best Stretch:

The entire river is in play. Be wary of Beavertail-Kelly and the Alberton Gorge if floating.

Best Access:

Multiple access points all along the river