Today
50°F
Mostly Cloudy
SSE 2 mph · 5% precip
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Today’s verdict
Current River Conditions
As of (15 days ago)
This intel is a couple of weeks old — conditions may have shifted.
As of ~2 weeks ago, the river was fishing well.
The Bitterroot is in good shape right now — clear water and dropping, with the whole river in play. Overnight lows are dipping into the 30s, so sleeping in a bit and letting things warm up before you head out is a smart move. Warmer, sunnier days are on tap for the weekend, which should keep fish active through the afternoon.
Hatches
Tactics
934 CFS is right around its typical level for October — this stretch typically runs 727–1,230 CFS.
Wading tends to be more manageable at typical flows, but beds shift and cold water saps strength fast — read the water, stay within your limits, and check conditions on-site. You remain responsible for your own safety.
At 47°F, the water is in the prime range for trout — cold enough to fish and to handle fish safely.
Weather
43°FMostly Clear
Wind WNW 5 mph
Sunrise 8:15 AM · Sunset 6:23 PM
Observed (1 hour ago)
NWS / weather.gov · fetched 15:00
Today
50°F
Mostly Cloudy
SSE 2 mph · 5% precip
Tonight
31°F
Light Rain Likely then Patchy Fog
SSE 1 mph · 59% precip
Tomorrow
53°F
Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny
N 1 mph · 2% precip
Fly recommendations are paused — water-temperature reading is more than 12 hours old. Please check on-site before deciding. (current: 47°F)
Conditions are estimates from USGS data. Always assess on-site conditions and use your own judgment.
The gauge near Missoula on the lower Bitterroot is the verified station carrying both flow and water temperature. The classic upper float water around Darby and Hamilton is flow-only, so we read conditions from the lower-river gauge — the one that can actually flag water too warm to fish — and say so plainly instead of substituting a flow-only upstream gauge.
Location
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Helpful Links
Montana fishing resources
Other Montana rivers with live conditions
Broad western Montana freestone with braided channels, gentle gradients and famous spring dry-fly fishing. Target species include Rainbow, brown, cutthroat and cutbow trout. Many fishing-access sites; floating is ideal, while side channels offer good wading. Productive timing is March through May and July through October, depending on runoff and heat. Major hatches and foods include Skwalas, March Browns, caddis, PMDs, golden stones, hoppers and mahogany duns. Common approaches are Dry flies and dry-droppers are signatures; nymphs and streamers cover changing flows. Regulations, access rules and water conditions vary by reach, so anglers should review current agency information and the linked local reports before fishing.
934 CFSFlow
47°FWater temp
50° / 31°Weather