August is almost half over and so far we've been dodging a bullet with the smoke filled skis that have been plaguing us over the last several years. Fingers crossed this continues through the next month or so. With very little precipitation in the forecast and almost no moisture since June everything around here is extremely dry. You can view the current active Montana fires by here.
What does all of this mean in terms of fishing? Well, the hopper fishing has been pretty darn good in the afternoons. And the dry landscape has surely been a contributing factor in the amount of hoppers around our area. Don't forget your small terrestrials as well, an ant or beetle can be dynamite on these hot summer days. Don't forget that the Bitterroot River, from the confluence of the West Fork and East Fork to the mouth, are currently closed to fishing of any kind from 2p-Midnight. You can view the current fishing restrictions on the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks website here.
Current Flows for the Bitterroot River are:
West Fork Gauge: 397 CFS
Darby Gauge: 509 CFS
Bell Crossing Gauge: 311 CFS
Missoula Gauge: 580 CFS
