April Fishing Report | Bitterroot River Fly Fishing Trips

By late March, the Skwala hatch was in full swing, producing some impressive fish on our Bitterroot River fly fishing trips. Most days, we left the droppers in the box and stayed committed to fishing dries — exactly how we like it. There's nothing better than spending a day hunting big fish on the surface.

The warm weather also brought a welcome rise in flows, pushing the Bitterroot above 1,000 cfs — a refreshing change and a sure sign that spring guiding was back. As the river spiked, we stayed close to Missoula and stuck with our dry fly game plan, which paid off. Even with the bump in water, the bigger fish were still looking up.

Watching a big brown move five feet to inhale a Skwala in just six inches of water under a bright sun — that’s what it’s all about. The only real challenge with higher flows is that the holding water becomes narrower, making precision more important than ever. But if your fly is in the zone and you lead with a good “fly first” drift, your chances at a trophy fish are solid.

By the third week of April, the Skwala hatch began to taper off, making way for the emergence of March Browns — especially on those classic overcast spring days.

As the hatch shifted, so did the bite. Dropper rigs proved effective, confirming that fish are actively keying in on mayfly nymphs below the surface.

We’ve seen some impressive rainbows on the feed, including a few in the 21–22" range — strong, healthy fish putting up great fights. Brown trout have also been active, particularly in the tail outs during cloudy spells, hunting March Browns with intent. Dry fly fishing in the afternoons with the emergence of March Browns was solid.

Meanwhile, the Clark Fork has delivered some standout days of its own, with big rainbows willing to take a well-presented Skwala on top.

Looking Ahead to May on the Missouri

As April wraps up with warm days and mild nights, river flows are on the rise — a likely sign that runoff season is just around the corner. That means it's the perfect time for us to shift gears and kick off our Missouri River season for May.

If you’ve got a trip on the books for next month, we’re looking forward to seeing you out there soon.

Contact Us