Category: Beaverhead River Fishing Report

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Well, it’s opening day today on the upper Beaverhead River. The reservoir outflow is only 278cfs out of Clark Canyon Reservoir. Wade fishing is very easy right now on the upper Beaverhead. You will need your sow bug/scud box and midge larva box. You will not find much for dry fly fishing on the upper river. Midge patterns of choice have been #16 Zebra Midge in red or black. Clark canyon creek is dumping mud into the river just above High Bridge. If you have some clarity below High Bridge San Juan worms will work well. Small wooly buggers will take some fish below High Bridge. Our Beaverhead River guides will be on the river during the middle of the week.

Flies #16 Ray Charles Soft Hackle, #16 Tan Scud, #18 RS2, #16 Sow Bug Tan/Pink, #18 Olive Split Back, #10 San Juan Worm,

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March is here and it is time to get your 2015 fishing license.  Don’t get fooled just yet that spring is here. We have a winer storm warning tonight and sub zero temperatures are to follow the snow storm. The tailwater quality of the Beaverhead still makes it a great winter fishery.  Remember that the Beaverhead is closed from the Dam down to Pipe Organ Bridge. It remains closed until the 3rd Saturday of May. Wading below Pipe Organ Bridge has been good with Scuds, Sow Bugs, and Zebra Midges. Some days fish have been up eating midges on the surface.  Warmer weather awaits us at the end of the week and Beaverhead River Spring fishing is around the corner.

Spring Special Packages Check out our current offers

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The temperatures this winter have been up and down.  We have had bitter cold sub zero weather and then warm spells with unseasonable weather.  Currently, we are in a nice stretch of weather with air temperatures reaching 40 degrees in the afternoons.  It has been a good time to get out and wipe the dust off the fly rods and wade fish some runs on the Beaverhead. Your basic nymph box is all you need right now to have some success. For the most part the trout are in winter mode and they will be active only during the heat of the day for about 2 hours in the afternoon.  Things are looking up for the spring season on our Southwest Montana fly fishing waters.  Snowpack in the Beaverhead drainage could use a boost but we have plenty of drainages that feed the Beaverhead with snowpack in the 90% – 100% range. Even though we still have a lot of winter left here in Southwest Montana we are itching for spring fishing on the Beaverhead.  Check out our current Spring fishing packages.  

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Fishing has been tough on the Beaverhead.  The reservoir turned over and the river is off color.  The flows are also dropping since the reservoir is only 36% full.  We have had ok trico and PMD spinner fishing in the slick.  Once you get below high bridge the hatches are bleak.  If you are willing to wade fish the runs and keep changing flies you will get some nice fish to eat.  We are keeping a close eye on the river and once it clears up our guides will be on it.  Dave Shevokas caught this beautiful Beaverhead Rainbow the other day below High Bridge.

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The Beaverhead River continues to impress.  We have great hatches of PMD’s, Yellow Sallies and Caddis.  You will have pods of fish rising to PMD’s in the morning and Yellow Sallies throughout the afternoon.  The Caddis fishing in the evening is crazy good right now.  Nymphing has been very good throughout the day with Split Back PMD’s and Trigger nymphs.  Mustang Sally Nymphs and Kyle’s Sallies have been fishing well.  Flows remain excellent and the fish are healthy and putting up some serious tugs on our clients lines.

Happy Clients and big fish on the Beaverhead River right now

Flies: #18 Split Back PMD, #16 Soft Hackle Sow Bug, #18 Pink Ray Charles, #18 Mustang Sallie, #18 Kyle’s Sallie, #18 Larimer Sallie, #18 PMD Comparadun, #16 Stimulator  #18 Micro Mayfly, #4 Black Sculpzilla, #6 Sparkle Minnow

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Fishing has been wonderful on the Beaverhead.  We have Yellow Sallies, PMD’s and caddis hatching on the Beaverhead River.  Our Beaverhead River guides have been doing great on dry flies.  You can sit on pods of fish eating PMD’s in the slick or fish a single yellow Sallie dry fly below High Bridge and stay hooked up.  Nymphing has been solid on Split Back PMD’s and Mustang Sallies.  Flows remain at about 400cfs out of the dam.  The fish are chowing down and fattening up.

Flies: #18 Split Back PMD, #16 Soft Hackle Sow Bug, #18 Pink Ray Charles, #18 Mustang Sallie, #18 Kyle’s Sallie, #18 Larimer Sallie, #18 PMD Comparadun, #16 Stimulator  #18 Micro Mayfly, #4 Black Sculpzilla, #6 Sparkle Minnow

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The Beaverhead River fishing report has been pretty good.  The Beaverhead is a great wading option right now.  We have had good Blue Winged Olives hatching on the river.  You will find pods of fish rising to the Blue Wings in the afternoons on the overcast days.  Nymphing has remained good on the river with the usual Beaverhead flies. 

Remember that from the Dam down to Pipe Organ Bridge is closed to fishing until the 3rd Saturday of May.  This section of river is closed to protect the rainbows as they spawn. 

Flies: #18 Soft Hackle Ray Charles; #18 Split Back BWO; #16 Micro May Fly; #18 Pheasant Tail; #16 Tan Scud; #18 Bubble Back Emerger

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Not much of a change on the Beaverhead River fishing report.  Flows remain around 27 cfs out of Clark Canyon Reservoir and the flows at Barretts are around 120cfs.  You will have some dry fly midge activity on the overcast damp days.  Your basic midge nymph box will get it done sub surface.  We recommend Micro May flies, Zebra Midges, and sow bugs.

Remember that from the Dam to Pipe Organ Bridge remains closed to fishing until the 3rd Saturday of May.  This section of the Beaverhead River is closed to protect the rainbows during the spawn. Make sure you are fishing below Pipe Organ Bridge to stay legal.

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Winter flows remain low on the Beaverhead.  This Beaverhead River fishing report hasn’t changed much all winter.  The flow out of Clark Canyon Reservoir is 27 cfs.  The flow at the Barretts guage has an improved flow of 114cfs.  If you find a need to harass these fish during the extremely low winter flows you basic midge box will get it done.  Zebra midges, micro may flies and scuds will fill the nymph recipe.  On the overcast days midge activity on the surface will be seen.

Stay up to date with our Beaverhead River fly shop updates on our Blog.  Spring fishing is around the corner with warming trends happening soon.

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