Don’t Forget to stop by the shop and pick up a new season fishing license!
Everyone has Skwala fishin on their mind, and for good reason, we live near the Bitterroot River. which produces some of the best Skwala hatches year after year. The first week or two of March we start to see a few boats rolling around town and when the first 50 degree weekend hits you can bet there will be boat ramps filled with trailers and rod vaults. This is that weekend, this is the first 50 degree weekend. It’ll be busy out there. Make sure we all get along and play nice. We are all out there for the same reason, to enjoy the great outdoors.
I don’t think the fish know it’s getting close to spring yet the bugs have not started any sort of migration and everything seems to still be in “winter” type water. In other words find the slower deeper water, less than walking speed to find fish. It’s not always an easy game. The fish don’t tend to move very far to eat your bugs therefore you have to be methodical and persistent when drifting a run. Covering every square inch until you find em. Sometimes they have lockjaw or they moved down to the next run and you just spent 45 minutes practicing your drifts with no results, which is fine too. After all it is a skill set that you need to hone anyway. Keep after it, it’s not the destination but rather the journey that makes this sport so fun.
The entire river system is fishing very similar. Some midge fishing can be found in select spots on select days, but expect nymphing to be the most effective.
Have lots of San Juan’s, PTs, Perdigons, Rubberlegs and any of your other favorite Stonefly Nymphs. Keep your distance between 4’-6’ between indicator and flies.
Have fun and always be safe on the water!
