Great Falls, Montana Fishing Report 06.20.19
Dry fly season is here. Pmd mayflies and caddis are prevalent and there are some larger drakes and salmon flies on a couple nearby freestone streams. You won’t always find rising fish, but you better be ready.
Current Conditions
Missouri River below Holter Dam - Flows on the Mo have remained fairly stable near or below 6k for several weeks. Consistency is good for fishing. Morning sessions with pmds and sow bug nymphs have been solid. Pmds and caddis have been coming off midday and fish are rising very well on certain reaches -some are on the caddis and some are on pmds. You’ll want to have emerger, cripple, adult, and spent patterns ready to roll.
Creeks and Smaller Rivers, Belt Creek near Monarch, MT - Everything to the east of Great Falls is in great shape and everything to the west is fishable again. The Dearborn and Prickly Pear were pumping muddy water into the Mo recently. Now, they are in prime shape to go and fish.
Ponds and Reservoirs - Now that the rivers are in shape and the bugs are popping, we’re not getting a lot of reports from the stillwaters, but they are still productive. Get out early before the wind gets up and you will see lots of fish working chironomids. Some days, the callibaetis mayflies are popping.
Smith River near Eden, MT - The water is in excellent shape for floaters right now. If you have a permitted trip planned this spring, check out our Guide to floating the Smith River. Then stop in for your supplies. We’ve got you covered with camping gear, bear fence, and bear approved coolers. And flies. We’ve got lots of flies.
Pike - Summer is here, and the pike are often found in deeper water, but there are plenty of places to reach them on the fly. Look for an ambush along weedlines. We’ve got a fresh batch of pike flies in our bins. You probably need the dead duck fly if you are really serious about topwater fun.
Match the Hatch
The #16 Quigley film critic pmd and the #16 tan x-caddis have been hot sellers this week for the Missouri River. Also, there have been lots of elk hair caddis heading out the creeks. And, the cat vomit, Dornan’s water walker salmon, and larger chubbies have been heading to the Blackfoot River and a few select streams for salmon fly action too.
Tips & Techniques
It might be dry fly season, but you can still fish a streamer -especially in the morning if there is not enough surface activity to go dry. Try using a flash n’ grab, especially in the shadows.
Need to fill the box before you go? Order flies online here.
Did you know...
If you are floating the Missouri River and then heading north toward Great Falls, stop off at the Driftwood Bar and Grill in Cascade. You can grab a tasty burger and a Montana brew. It’s a friendly local’s spot and fly anglers are always welcome.
See past reports from the Great Falls region here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.