BY CHRIS MADSEN
The air is crisp in the morning, the leaves are falling and every time some weather moves in there is a chance for snow in the mountains. I think fall has finally arrived in the Missoula area, knock on wood. This is always the time of year it gets harder to not play hooky from work and head to the river. I suppose if I can manage to stay employed until November I’ll consider it a victory. I know that many of you will be too preoccupied with the bow, shotgun or rifle to get much fishing in, but that will just leave more great fishing for the rest of us. Expect most of Montana’s rivers and lakes to fish very well in October, but here are a few that you should be able to count on to put a bend in your rod.
FLATHEAD LAKE: October is the month that lake trout will start to move into shallower flats looking to spawn, and they can be readily caught on Country Miles, Krocodiles or other heavy spoons from shore or boat, or vertical jig fishing with Bucktail jigs, Lead-a-gators or Crippled Herring. By the end of the month, Lake Whitefish should start to gather in Polson Bay, where they can be taken jigging Rattle D’Zastors, Buckshot Spoons, Kastmasters and Ready-to-Go whitefish rigs.
BLACKFOOT RIVER: The Blackfoot comes into its own in the fall. The autumn scenery is unmatched and the bugling of elk in the valley almost makes you wish you had a bow in your hand. When the days shorten and the weather cools it’s big streamer time on the Blackfoot. As spawning time nears the rivers population of browns get territorial and aggressive, making them susceptible to the nastiest flies your mind can come up with at the vise. Along with browns, the chances of catching a trophy rainbow, cutthroat or bull trout are high also. Remember that the bull trout is a protected species so if you are lucky enough to hook into one of these monsters play them quickly and let them go immediately.
BITTERROOT RIVER: The ‘Root is a great choice for Missoula area anglers in October. In addition to good dependable hatches of BWO’s, Mahogany Duns and Hecubas, the streamer fishing can be dynamite on overcast, nasty days. Strip double bunnies and big lead eyed leeches back in the logjams and hang on tight. If you aren’t above putting a strike indicator and a split shot on your leader this is a good month to start nymphing with glow bugs. These colorful balls of yarn can produce trout through out the winter and into spring.
ROCK CREEK: Not to be over looked Rock Creek offers up some excellent fall fishing and is a good place for a day trip cast and blast. Blue Winged Olives and Mahoganies are present and can offer some excellent dry fly fishing. The lower section also gets a run of spawning browns from the Clark Fork. Nymphing or fishing streamers are both effective tactics. A San Juan worm and an egg pattern is a good combination under your strike indicator in the fall.
BEAVERHEAD: If you’re into cast-and-blasts, a weekend in the Dillon area is a trip worth taking for both the casting and the blasting. The Beaverhead will see excellent BWO hatches all month, and this river is also known for its population of big brown trout, and in October big brown trout and big yellow streamers are synonymous. While you’re in the area take a side trip to the Big hole. It also has good fall hatches and feisty resident browns that love to chow on streamers. Both rivers are in low flow and will wade fish very well this time of year.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: If you love to fly fish, October is the month to be in the park. I say “love” because the weather in Yellowstone during the fall is usually enough to keep those who only “like” to fly fish sitting at home or fishing rivers closer to home where they can call it a day if the weather gets bad. Cold toes, iced guides and frozen reels are all part of the package when you fish here in October. The reward for all this suffering are browns you can measure by the pound instead of the inch and hot rainbows that peel line from your reel and leave your knuckles sore. By October, the Madison will have fish all the way to the junction pool, and they are commonly taken either swinging soft hackles or streamers, or nymphing with bead headed nymphs and egg patterns. Don’t overlook the upper Firehole either, where resident trout sip BWO duns predictably every afternoon. The fishing is often challenging, and most of the good water is crowded by other anglers making the pilgrimage, but fishing in Yellowstone can’t be judged by numbers or size of the fish caught, but by the whole of the experience. By these standards, every trip is a great one.
Wherever you fish this month, weather can be a huge factor. If you go out in the worst of it, be cautious and dress for the occasion. Hypothermia sets in quickly when you go for a swim in the fall. Good luck out there and I hope you don’t play hooky too much this month.