East Fork of the Bitterroot - Montana

Have been hearing good things about the salmonfly and golden stone hatches on the Forks of the Bitterroot. Access is better on the West Fork, from what I have seen and heard. And there are likely more folks on it for that reason. Not such easy access on the East Fork, but more my kind of water.

Got to the stretch of the East Fork I had in mind about 1:00. Very pleasant day. Partly cloudy, very little breeze, and temps in the upper 60's when I got there. Scouted for a while and then picked a place to start.

By the time I got to the water, it was about 1:30. Decided to start with JC's Salmonfly. First cast, saw a fish come to the fly, hit it, and take off. Second cast, saw a fish come to the fly, hit it, and eat it. A 7" cutthroat. Nice way to start my first day on a new piece of water. After that, it had nothing to do but slow down, which it did.

Stayed on the same stretch of water today, fishing likely spots. Second place I fished, got a couple good splashes, but no hook ups. Picked up a couple more cutthroat in another spot, small ones like the first fish. Fished several spots with no action.

Decided to cross the river at a bridge and fish the opposite side, which came at me in a big sweeping bend from my right around to the left. Lots of good looking water. Changed from the salmonfly to LF's Golden Stone. First place I tried - bingo. Another cutt. Then another one is short order. Moved on upstream and had a few hits that didn't hook up, several good looks ( aka refusals ), but no more fish eating the fly.

About that time, I noticed a couple fellows coming on downstream. Talked to them for a few minutes - long enough to get the scoop that it was great dry fly fishing yesterday. They were not doing well at all today. From that point on it was a matter of fishing water these local fellows had already fished. Not a good scene, but the water was warming up some and there were a few PMDs around. No fish up, but at least I was getting some action so I decided to just keep on moving upstream.

By this time I had had quite a bit of action ( takes, hits and refusals ) on both flies. Went back to the salmonfly. Picked up another couple cutts and saw several more fish refuse the fly. The action wasn't fast and furious, for sure, but it was steady enough to keep it interesting.

Came to a spot where there was a deep slot just a few feet off the bank. After several casts and good drifts, finally saw a fish coming to the fly. A beautiful 12" cutthroat finally got to it and ate it. Biggest fish of the day to that point.

Got a couple more good drifts over the same slot when another good sized fish started up from the bottom. Saw him all the way to the fly. A gorgeous 14" rainbow.

That was the end of the action. Not a bad way to wrap it up. I did fish a couple more places on my way to the easy route back to the truck, but I was so pleased with how my three hours had gone that it didn't really matter if I saw another fish. Got a few neat pics - wish I could show them now, but it will have to wait. Will add a slideshow to this thread when I get home.

John

John, That sounds interesting. I'm glad you are getting to know your new surroundings. Can't wait to see the slide show. Jim

Hi John,

It seems it didn't take you too long to find some new water to explore. Nice to hear that your new salmon and golden stonefly patterns are working well for you. Looking forward to seeing the photos of your new digs.

- Jeff

Click on the picture to see the slideshow.
http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/j...026_edited.jpg

Man that is a pretty bow, good job and nice pics!

Been there, done that? Remember you have access to all waters in Montana (sometimes a little skinny slot by a bridge) but if you can get there you can fish it. I hope to be in the neighborhood myself. Need to "go home."
Nicely done John.

I fished this river last year and really enjoyed it, but I forget which fork it was except it was very near ID. Great photos by the way.
Les

your killing me john! and i was thinking you might be sad leaving the other pretty places behind........good lord it just gets better and better. im happy for you and your wife.

I've fished there somewhere years and years ago John, your show makes me want to go back. Glad to see you out and about.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

John, thank you for the pics and the report, wow, very nice fish...:)

I think it is in your nature to see the glass half full; you are optimistic by nature...but I also think your cup is overflowing. I am glad that you are finding your way in this new place. Thank you for sharing.
OTS- I noticed that there was irrigation in yor pic of Trapper. Has it been dry there? The East Fork looks well watered.
mcsteff

John,

You just keep finding pretty places to fish. Oh wait, trout live there don't they. That's the key. Thanks for sharing those.

REE

mashtom - Thanks. Nice to hear from South Bend. I lived there for about ten years, the entire decade of the 60's.

LadyFisher - Deanna, the flies I tied as tribute to JC and you have worked everywhere I have fished them. The salmonfly hatch / fishing will probably be over by the time I get back up to Missoula, but the golden stone should fish most of the summer.

keebranch - It was probably the East Fork you were on. It runs south ( upstream ) almost to Idaho. The West Fork runs west ( upstream ) just south of Trapper Peak toward Nez Perce Pass on the Continental Divide. Drop down the other side of Nez Perce and you are in Idaho on the Upper Selway about 70 miles upstream of its confluence with the Lochsa.

mnklagoon - Chris, what I've seen so far matches Idaho - but I will miss Idaho when we complete the move. Except when I come down here to fish.

MontanaMoose - George, you've probably fished a lot of places I've yet to find. Hope I can keep sending you happy memories from Western Montana.

Grubb - Tim, sorry you got washed out of your Father's Day outing. Hope the pics helped make up for it, at least a little.

mcsteff - I think they are having a pretty wet spring up there. The irrigating may just be a habit ?? Interesting that you noticed it. All the rivers are dropping, but some are still very high. Rock Creek and the East Fork of the Bitterroot are actually pretty high - they should be wadeable in a few weeks. I did most of my fishing from the bank or very close to it.

Ron Eagle Elk - Ron, just over the hill from the Fish-In. Consider that an invite.

John

John,

Man, you're my hero! When I grow up I want to be just like you. Terrific slide show, again. You really get to fish some special and spectacular places.

I just have to be content with the thought that I can retire in 4 1/2 years and maybe, just maybe, put a bit more fishing into my agenda. In the mean time, keep up the good work and keep those reports and pictures coming, you're THE man! :D :D :D

John,

Thanks for the great pictures, as always. I fished down there last August and had a blast; spent most of the day on the West Fork, caught a number of cutts and they all liked to look up. Fished the East Fork for a while before heading for the Madison; caught some but didn't get to spend nearly as much time as I probably should have. Water was a lot more boney than what you saw and I never found any fish like that beautiful 'bow and cutt you got. Congrats.

Regards,
Scott

Jeez John,

I keep having to put more and more places to fish on my list. Glad those new flies are working for you. Nice patterns. Looks like you are back in fishing heaven 2. I'm really happy for you. Thanks for the report. Congratulations and best wished to you and your wife on the move.

Beaver

Came up to Missoula from SE Idaho today via the Big Hole and across into the south end of the Bitterroot Valley. Thought I might get some time on the Big Hole, but my route didn't really take me to the area I had in mind so I opted for the East Fork of the Bitterroot. Stopped at the same place I fished 6-18.

Fished some of the water that I was on last time. The inside of the big bend coming around from the right to my left. But did fish a bit further upstream this time, and finished a bit further downstream.

When I got there, there were already two fellows on the water, one on each side of the river. I went on a way upstream, giving the guy on my side of the river plenty of water to fish. Never did see him again. By the time I started back downstream, he must have taken off.

Fished only the JC Salmonfly and the LF Golden Stone. Most of the time it was the salmonfly. Got a couple nice fish on the golden stone, but lost it in a streamside tangle and went back to the salmonfly. Started out on the slow side but finally started getting into some fish. Smaller cutthroats, for the most part, with a couple around 12-13" mixed in.

Things picked up after a while. While most of the fish were taken very close to the bank, in holes or close to instream cover, the fish of the day took the fly about 20' off the bank. I was throwing out that far in selected places just to see if anything would happen. The cutthroat was one of the larger ones on the day, and he made quite a move to take the fly. I could see him charging it the last five feet or so before he hit it. Pleasant surprise.

The last half hour or so things really picked up. Got two cutts in a hole right by a bridge abutment. Then three more fish just downstream where there was a nice outside corner pretty much cut off by a gravel bar but with a good flow over the bar into some soft water. Did I say cutts - every fish I caught today was a cutt, except the last one. That would be a 9-10" brown.

Only saw one salmonfly in the air today. But that was the ticket for dry fly fishing. Took about 13 cutts and the one brown, plus saw some refusals and had a number of hits that didn't hook up. Nothing very big, but a lot of action for less than three hours on the water.

I did get a few pics but won't be able to post them until I get back to Idaho early next week. Similar to the pics in the slideshow, except the water was down noticeably since then. A couple will be very different than those from my last outing here.

John

Here are a few pics from my last outing on the East Fork. The pics of the water show several of the places where I caught fishies.

http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/j...004_edited.jpg

John