Fishing Locations

 During winter the river is usually a lot more open below Melrose. The two canyons don't get much sunlight and will have some ice from last week. It's probably best to wade unless you definately know that a section of water is fully open. Last thing you want to do is float up onto an ice shelf. Water temps are cold so you are going to need to put your fly, no matter how your fishing, right in front of them. Black, brown and golden colored Stonefly nymphs are great winter flies. Flashy droppers like the Purple Death can catch a lot of attention during the winter months. Since this is one of the colder areas of Montana during winter it's good to take advantage of warmer weeks like this one. We aren't going to see anoputher round of weather until next week. 

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Fly Pattern Suggestions

Dries| Renegade: 16-18-20, Purple Haze: 14-16-18, Bat Wing Emerger: 16-18-20, Film Critic: 16-18-20, Hackle Stacker BWO: 16-18-20, Hi-Vis Paraemerger Adams:16-18

Nymphs| BH Pheasant Tail: 14-16-18, Green Machine: 18-20, CDC Pheasant Tail: 12-14-16-18, Rubberlegs Olive, Olive/Brown: 6-8-10, Ugly Bug: 4-6-8, Red Belly Yuk Bug: 2-4 Coppertone Delektable: 6-8 Lightning Bug Pearl, Gold, Purple: 14-16 IED Worm: 10 Copper Johnson Yellow, Red, Blue: 12-14-16-18, Pats Rubber Legs: Olive, Black, Coffee, Tan: 8-12

Streamers| JJ Special: 4- 6 Sculpzilla's Tan, Olive, Black: size 4-6 Haymaker Sculpin Olive, Brown: 4 Bellyache Minnow Tan, Olive: 1/0-1 Micro Zonker Tan, Olive, Black: 8 Fatheads Yellow: 2 Sex Dungeon Yellow, Rust, Natural: 2 Home Invader Yellow, Olive Space Invader: 2 Flash Fry Brown & Yellow: 2 Space Invader Brown Yellow, Tan: 2-4-6; Brown/Copper Sparkle Minnow 4-6

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More USGS Water Data