Bitterroot Fishing Report - 3/26/2016

It's no secret. The Skwalas are out and the fish are looking up for them. Yesterday we fished a single dry in very much less than ideal conditions and did well enough to keep things interesting all day.

Depending on the weather, water temps, wind and boat traffic, the fishing can be okay to amazing. Everyday is a little different, that's spring fishing in the Rockies folks. Yesterday the fish were definitely prefering the small, low profile homebrew patterns to the big foamy stuff. Have a few different patterns in your boxes though because day-to-day the fish may prefer one fly to another. Generally however, I lean towards small, drab, darker, thin-bodied bugs early on in the hatch when the water is low and clear. Bullethead style flies are never a bad choice either.

This time of year your casting does matter, a lot. Being able to put that bug an inch off of woody debris can make the difference between a stellar day and just an okay one. The reach cast is an essential tool to master to get those tight shots to the bank. Being quiet and stingy on the oars ain't a bad thing either.

A few Baeits and March Browns are starting to show as well so carrying a few of these bugs in your bag is a good idea. As we progress into April these mayflies will become big players in the daily dry fly game. Somedays the March Brown will out fish the Skwala by far.

Hope everyone has a chance to get out in the next few weeks. It's only going to get better until the snow starts melting.