Montana Fishing Reports ยท Western Region
The Blackfoot runs east of Missoula through the Blackfoot River Recreation Corridor, a freestone river with rainbows, browns and native westslope cutthroat and bull trout.
Looking for the latest Blackfoot River, Montana river report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Blackfoot River.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Blackfoot River fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The Bonner gauge reads around 630 cfs, clear and cold.
Nymph the deeper runs with stonefly and small mayfly nymphs. Streamers on darker days.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Blackfoot Corridor, bring: Pat', s Rubber Legs #8-10, Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-16, Zebra Midge #18-20, Woolly Bugger #6-8, Parachute Adams #16-18, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Blackfoot River details
| Access | The Blackfoot River Recreation Corridor along State Highway 200, with many access sites and campgrounds. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 3,300 to 4,000 ft |
| Nearest town | Bonner, Montana |
| Best season | Summer and fall |
| Fish | Rainbow, brown and westslope cutthroat trout, plus bull trout |
| Regulations | Bull trout must be released. Check Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regulations for the current rules. A Montana fishing license is required for anglers 12 and older. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 4X to 5X tippet |
| Camping | Campgrounds in the Blackfoot River Recreation Corridor |
| Kids | Partly. |
| Good to know | Bull trout are protected. Release them quickly. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Cold.
Spring
Runoff.
Summer
Salmonflies, golden stones and caddis.
Fall
Fall caddis and BWOs.
How to get there
From Missoula, take I-90 east to Bonner, then State Highway 200 east along the Blackfoot.