Today
67°F
Partly Sunny
NNE 3 mph · 0% precip
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Today’s verdict
Current River Conditions
As of (17 days ago)
This intel is a couple of weeks old — conditions may have shifted.
As of ~2 weeks ago, conditions were fair.
The Blackfoot is in solid late-summer shape — water is low and clear, and the fish are there but they're not pushovers. Expect to work for them, especially on dries. Target deep pools, shaded runs, and fast seams early in the day, then shift to the shadiest water as afternoon heat builds.
Wade fishing shines on the upper river right now, and the whole river is in play for those willing to put in the effort.
It's prime terrestrial season — hoppers, ants, and beetles are the main event. Trico spinners are also showing up mid-morning, and nocturnal stonefly patterns have been productive early in the day before that bite fades. Pale Morning Duns and Spotted Sedge caddis are also in the mix.
Fish holding on dries are tight to structure, in quick riffles, and in tricky tailout water — they're not giving it away.
A dry-dropper setup is the most versatile approach — a large foam hopper or Chubby Chernobyl up top with a heavy attractor nymph like a Frenchie, Duracell, or Prince Nymph trailing a few feet below covers a lot of water. For tricos, go long leader and fine tippet (5x–6x) with dark perdigons as droppers or small spinner patterns on top. Streamers are worth a shot in deep, turbulent water — minnow-style patterns are getting chased, though the bite has been inconsistent.
712 CFS is right around its typical level for September — this stretch typically runs 533–734 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 53°F, the water is in the prime range for trout — cold enough to fish and to handle fish safely.
Weather
55°FClear
Wind NNW 6 mph
Sunrise 7:12 AM · Sunset 7:47 PM
Observed (1 hour ago)
NWS / weather.gov · fetched 13:00
Today
67°F
Partly Sunny
NNE 3 mph · 0% precip
Tonight
46°F
Mostly Cloudy
NE 3 mph · 4% precip
Tomorrow
71°F
Sunny
ENE 6 mph · 2% precip
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Size #18
Conditions are estimates from USGS data. Always assess on-site conditions and use your own judgment.
The gauge near Bonner sits at the lower end of the Blackfoot, just above the Clark Fork confluence outside Missoula — the freestone canyon water anglers fish on a run up from town. It carries both flow and water temperature, so the conditions here reflect the water you'll actually fish.
Location
© OpenStreetMap contributors · © Geoapify
Helpful Links
Montana fishing resources
Other Montana rivers with live conditions
Cold, boulder-strewn Montana freestone with fast pocket water, deep runs and forested canyon scenery. Target species include Rainbow, brown, cutthroat and bull trout, plus whitefish. Public sites are good, but floating is the preferred way to cover the river. Productive timing is Late June through October, with a useful pre-runoff spring window. Major hatches and foods include Salmonflies, golden stones, caddis, PMDs, spruce moths, hoppers and October caddis. Common approaches are Large attractor dries, dry-droppers, nymphs and streamers along banks and boulders. Regulations, access rules and water conditions vary by reach, so anglers should review current agency information and the linked local reports before fishing.
Hatches
Tactics
712 CFSFlow
53°F−2°Water temp
67° / 46°WeatherSize #12-20
Size #08-12
Size #4-6
Size #4-6