Fishing Reports

Flint Creek has been iced up all winter and flows will fluctuate over the next month or so. However, fish gotta eat! See below for our tips on fishing Flint Creek near Philipsburg.

Here are a few tips for fly fishing Flint Creek:

1. Cast streamers at the undercut banks and let them swing out into the current
2. Try swinging a march brown emerger soft hackle behind a streamer
3. Try a black and purple chubby with a short dropper of a hot bead worm or zebra midge along the undercut banks

Here are a few fly suggestions:

1. Kreelex Minnow size 6, in copper/gold

2. Micro-chubby size 14, in black and purple

3. March Brown Soft Hackle Emerger size 12-14

4. Pheasant Tail Nymph size 16-20

5. Zebra Midge size 18, in red

Flows and looking ahead:

Flow: 134 cfs at the time of publishing this report

Here is a link to the Flint Creek USGS Water Information.

Flint Creek may bump a little over the next week but should remain clear and fishable. 

Stop by the shop in Philipsburg for the latest report and for everything you need for your trip. We're open 7a-4p daily!

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We have had excellent dry fly fishing on the creek lately with winter stones, march browns, blue wing olives, midges, and a few skwalas hatching daily.

Here are a few tips for fly fishing Rock Creek:

1. Think slow inside deeper bends, runs with a couple feet of walking speed water and structure, riffles, and undercut banks.
2. Try swinging a march brown emerger soft hackle behind a streamer in the long, walking speed runs.
3. Try a black and purple chubby with a medium length dropper of a hot bead worm or zebra midge. The fish have been looking up!

Here are a few fly suggestions:

1. Micro-chubby size 14, in black and purple

2. Purple Haze size 12-20

3. March Brown Soft Hackle Emerger size 12-14

4. Kreelex Minnow size 6, in copper/gold

5. TJ Hooker size 12-14, in coffee/black

6. Pheasant Tail Nymph size 16-20

7. Hot Bead San Juan Worm size 10, red with a hot orange bead

Flows and looking ahead:

Flow: 590 cfs at the time of publishing this report

Here is a link to the Rock Creek USGS Water Information.

Rock Creek should bump quite a bit over the next week but should remain clear and fishable. Whether you're wading or floating, be safe.

Stop by the shop for the latest report and for everything you need for your trip. We're open 7a-4p daily!

Tight lines!

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Here's a report for our local and regional waters:

Flint Creek: Flint has been iced up all winter and that is still the case as we have had very cold overnight temperatures. We're watching closely to keep you up to date when there is enough open water to fish.

Rock Creek: Rock Creek is fishing well and probably is one of the better options in our area. Think double or single nymph rigs, soft hackles, or a dry dropper. Our go-to rig right now is a black and purple micro-chubby with a mid-length hares ear nymph. Try just the Hare's Ear for a single nymph or a TJ Hooker, and a TJ Hooker and Hare's Ear nymph for a double nymph rig.

Georgetown Lake: Georgetown lake is iced up and ice fishing has been just ok. The lake closes from April 1 to the third Saturday in May. Check the FWP regulations for more information.

Clark Fork River: The Clark fork is in good shape right now. Zebra midges, scuds, sow-bugs, hot-bead worms, and hare's ear nymphs are the ticket. Also try a Kreelex minnow for a streamer option.

Missouri River: Flows aren't the best for wading right now, but its not impossible. The other side of the divide can be quite warmer than here this time of year. We enjoy the 'Mo on the swing. Trout spey set-ups in the 3wt-4wt variety are a lot of fun. Try swinging a leech pattern or a kreelex minnow. If you're nymphing try a scud and sow-bug, or zebra midges.

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Montana winters can be...brutal.

The silver lining for us fly anglers is two-fold. For starters, the summer crowds we've grown accustom to have dwindled down to virtually no one. Secondly, we experience many days around 32 degrees during the winter months. And doubly so in our area specifically. Philipsburg, Montana, sees a lot more sun than most valleys in our slice of the Rocky Mountains. We can think the Bitterroot and Pintler mountains for this, as they tend to scoop up and redirect cloud and weather systems around our valley. 

In fact, nearby Rock Creek is possibly the best dry fly river in Montana. Maybe even the entire western United States, and that goes for the winter as well. If the sun hits the water you will see rising fish, and they will eat. See below for what is working right now on Rock Creek and Flint Creek.

As an alternative, Philipsburg is a quick 2 hour drive to the Missouri River, where we frequent because we like swinging flies on trout spey rods. Ask us about this fun way to target trout!

This all said, Philipsburg, Montana is an excellent winter fly fishing destination.

Here is what is working right now:

Rock Creek: TJ Hooker in sizes 8-10; Hot Bead San Juan Worm in size 10; Griffith's Gnat in sizes 18-20; Purple Haze in sizes 16-20.

Flint Creek: Flint Creek is currently pretty frozen, however, if you find open water we're using the following: TJ Hooker in sizes 8-10; Hot Bead San Juan Worm in size 10; Zebra Midge in sizes 16-20; Perdigon in sizes 14-18; Kreelex Minnow in size 6.

Missouri River: Kreelex Minnow in size 6; black leech patterns with a 2-21/2" profile and a little flash.

If you're not a "fair weather" angler we encourage you to stop by our shop in Philipsburg and chat with us about winter fly fishing in our area. 

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