Missoula Fly Fishing In July

Missoula Fly Fishing in July

Regardless of where you are in the Treasure State, July is the best time of year to fly fish in Montana. The Missoula rivers are typically at their best from late June through mid-July, as water levels recede after runoff.

Expect river levels to drop substantially throughout July, with navigation hazards becoming prominent by the end of the month. Recreational floaters become a part of the daily equation on the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, and Clark Fork rivers sections near Missoula in July.

Caddis and PMD mayfly hatches continue to keep trout looking to the surface as stonefly hatches wind down in late June.

As river levels stabilize to their summer lows and the summer heat settles in, anglers should expect Hoot Owl restrictions to be put into place throughout western Montana at some time in early to mid-July.

July Highlights

• PMD hatches on the Bitterroot River make for stellar mid-morning match-the-hatch dry-fly fishing.
• Hatches slow down with the summer heat, and fish turn their attention to terrestrial insects like hoppers, ants, and beetles.

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