Bitterroot River MT

[JohnScott]

The weather around here is starting to cool down. But this afternoon, it was pretty hot on the Bitterroot.



Fished a PSC for one sweep down this run, and followed with a second, rather fast trip down it with a brown over yellow Double Bunny.



Things started happening pretty quickly as I landed two smaller rainbows in a matter of minutes. A short time later, I picked up this bow.


This pic was taken at 15:36.

After a couple hits and two fish that hooked up and fought very well before taking their long distance release, this brown ate the PSC and came in for a photo op.


This pic was taken at 15:45.

Rounded out a Bitterroot Triple with a cutthroat that ate the Double Bunny.


This pic was taken at 16:08.

The cutthroat was the last fish on for the day. I had a couple pretty solid hits on the Double Bunny before hooking up with the cutt.

That's the most action on the Bitterroot on streamers I've had since I started fishing it just over a year ago. Five in hand, two on and off, and several hits all in under an hour. One of the two LDRs was most likely a brown a bit smaller than the one landed, and the other LDR was probably a cutthroat about the same size as the one shown.

And here I was thinking that with the colder weather setting in it would slow down

John

[JeffHamm]

Very nice! Looks like a fun time was had by, well, you at least!

- Jeff

[KeatonsDad]

Nice to see you back over here on the reports board John! Great pics. Glad someone is getting out lately. Looks like you pulled off a quick triple play! Gotta love the variety of fishes in the stream.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

That settles it. I'm moving! Nice report as always, John. Great looking water. I am envious.

REE

[herefishy]

Beautiful fish, John, guess you figured out the Bitterroot. Do you know if that park at the junction of the east and west fork has ever reopened? I've never fished streamers before, because I thought they had to be these one pound things that would break my shoulder in 2 casts, but because of your PSC, I tied some and really did enjoy fishing them just like a nymph, only with a little more weight - did good! Now I'll have to try double bunnnies. What size hooks do you use for your PSC and DBs?

[JohnScott]

Beautiful fish, John, guess you figured out the Bitterroot.
Well, kind of anyway. Still have a lot of water to fish and a lot to learn before I would say I've got it figured out.

Do you know if that park at the junction of the east and west fork has ever reopened?
The drift boat / raft access is open, but I'm not aware of a park, as such, at that location.

I've never fished streamers before, because I thought they had to be these one pound things that would break my shoulder in 2 casts, but because of your PSC, I tied some and really did enjoy fishing them just like a nymph, only with a little more weight - did good!
Glad you've enjoyed some streamer fishing, Karen. I don't put any weight on the PSC and have only fished it dead drift a couple times, and with nothing to show for it. I much prefer fishing it off a Class II full sinking line on a down and across presentation with a steady, short strip during the swing.

Now I'll have to try double bunnnies. What size hooks do you use for your PSC and DBs?
Double Bunnies are cool flies and are pretty easy to tie, but I really don't like using epoxy so I tend to stay away from them. For the PSC I mostly use a size 8 Dai-Riki 2XL Hopper hook. For the Double Bunny I mostly use a size 6 Dai-Riki 4XL streamer hook. I use the same presentaion with the Double Bunny that I do with the PSC.

... your answers ??

Another streamer you might like is a Thunder Creek Minnow. Nothing but buck tail. If you can't find a recipe, let me know.

John

[JohnScott]

Nice to see you back over here on the reports board John! Great pics. Glad someone is getting out lately. Looks like you pulled off a quick triple play! Gotta love the variety of fishes in the stream.

... when you are having fun. Hard to believe it has been five months since I last posted a fishing report. But I did fish a LOT over the summer, mostly in Idaho, and I did have a lot of fun.

The Bitterroot in the stretch I was fishing could also give up cuttbows, mountain whitefish, and pike minnows to a PSC. Catching all those along with a bow / brown / cutt triple during one outing would be something worth reporting !!

John

[herefishy]

I think that park I'm thinking of is on the east side, called a fishermen's park - there was a fishing access there, but closed when we were there. The Thunder Creek is something that I've heard of quite a bit, gotta look into that. Should be cooling off pretty soon, we are having unseasonably warm weather due to the "La Nina". Hope that doesn't translate into drought again.

[vmabuck]

Awesomeness!

[Mike Thomas]

Nice fish John, as an aside I have often wondered where the name Bitteroot came from? Anyone know?
All the best.
Mike