Easing a trout back in the water
Photo by Merle Ann Loman
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Floating and fly fishing the Bitterroot in March is different every year. This year the weather has been mild but the river is lower than most years. The snowpack in the mountains is about 50% of average. Near the middle of the river at Florence, the historical average cubic feet per second (CFS) for the middle of March is 800. Currently, the river is hovering around 500 CFS.
Because of the nice weather, there are some bugs beginning to hatch and there is what we call a "boat hatch" or "people" hatch. Lots of people are enjoying the Bitterroot this spring. The fish are hungry and fishing and catching has been pretty good for the most part.
Fishing isn't the only activity on the Bitterroot. Birds and wildlife are becoming more active. Bring your binoculars and camera.
Herons are taking up residence in rookeries. A rookery is a cluster of nests or a colony of breeding pairs nesting in groves of trees. On the Bitterroot their stick nests are usually in the large cottonwood trees near the bank.
Geese and ducks are looking for nesting sites, too. With abundant bugs, robins are on the banks getting fat and happy. Kingfishers are hovering above the river looking for food. See the slideshow for photos of these birds and of fish.
For more info: click the links below
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks – Fishing information
Wapiti Waters Fly Fishing Montana – Seasonal hatch primer for western Montana and more fishing information
Fly fishing blog – in western Montana
Westfly Entomology – for the western fly fishing community
Merle’s SmugMug photo site – More river and fishing photos in their original format/resolution. Incudes photos of mayfly, fish, birds, river shots from the month of March.
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Comments
You are obviously passionate about what you write. I don't fish but I really like your articles about birds.
Thank you Nancy. There are so many birds to photograph and write about. Keeps me busy and inspired. Thanks for reading and commenting!
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