Missoula Fly Fishing in June
The runoff winds down, bringing some of the best Montana fly fishing of the year on the Missoula rivers during June. High water conditions make for difficult wading, but the float fishing is prime and anglers have the water to themselves for a few weeks.
River obstructions are common and dangerous, so this is the time of year to watch the Missoula fly shop websites closely for daily updates as water levels recede.
June Highlights
- Salmonfly hatches take off in earnest throughout the watersheds of western Montana. The Blackfoot River is legendary in mid-June for the big bugs and surface-feeding trophy trout that are rarely seen the rest of the season.
- Dry fly fishing is the name of the game on Rock Creek and the Bitterroot rivers as golden stones, yellow sallies, and green drakes hatches closely follow the salmonfly hatch.
- Dropping river levels in early June are prime conditions for the experienced streamer fly anglers on the Clark Fork and lower Blackfoot rivers. Quick, accurate casts with heavy flies fished on sink tip lines can result in both good numbers and quality of rainbow and brown during the week before the salmonfly hatch erupts.
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