Salmonflies are here and the fish are eating them! This is the time where Rock Creek really shines. Get out and fish! Rock creek is one of the better options in SW Montana right now.
Flows on the upper section are high and off color after a rain event a couple days ago, but they're on the drop. The water clarity gets worse the further downstream you go. That said, floating and fishing has been the best way to get at the fish while side channels and bank fishing has been good. We are expecting some rain which *could* dump a little mud into the river, but the beauty of the salmonfly hatch is that the fish will still be looking up. Fish gotta eat!
Streamers have been picking up a good amount of fish, too. See below for fly suggestions.
If you're floating, be safe. If in doubt, scout it out. Wear a life jacket.
Here are a few tips for fly fishing Rock Creek:
1. Fish the side channels, slow inside deeper bends, runs with a couple feet of walking speed water and structure, riffles, and undercut banks.
2. Try swinging or stripping a copper/gold kreelex minnow in any walking speed water you can find along the banks, and at these flows even up along the grassy drop-offs if the water is in the grass.
3. Try a salmonfly or golden stone dry, a black and purple or peach chubby with a medium length dropper of a hot bead worm or pink pearl core worm.
Here are a few fly suggestions:
1. Salmonfly dries
2. Purple Haze size 12-20
3. Elk hair caddis size 14
4. Kreelex Minnow size 6, in copper/gold
5. TJ Hooker size 10-12, in coffee/black
6. Pheasant Tail Nymph size 12-20
7. Hot Bead San Juan Worm size 10, red with a hot orange bead
8. Zebra midge size 16
9. Pink pearl core worm size 10
10. Peach chubby size 10-12
11. Black and purple chubby size 10-12
Flows and looking ahead:
1860 cfs at the time of publishing this report.
Here is a link to the Rock Creek USGS Water Information.
Stop by the shop for the latest report, a coffee from our coffee shop, Jackalope Java, and for everything else you need for your trip. We're open 7a-4p daily!