Montana Fish Report

Keno Dam Downstream to Highway 66

Flows have increased to 1030cfs. Turbidity has declined. Fishing will be improving as all Redband/Rainbow Trout have returned from spawning. Closed to fishing for salmon. No bait allowed. Only one redband-rainbow between 12-15 inches can be kept per day. Once you retain your limit of Redband-Rainbow you must cease fishing for this species. Water temperatures have decreased. Fish should be feeding heavily. Good hatches of mayflies and caddiflies have started early this year.

Fishing has been slow for redband-rainbow trout is this reach. The population is still recovering from three years of unprecedented drought from 2020 through 2022. In the spring the Redband-rainbows eat minnows such as fat head minnow, blue chub, tui chub and sculpin and many caddisflies and mayflies that are hatching. Flies and lures that mimic these items will work well. Leeches and scuds are also quite abundant. Lures that mimic crayfish can also work well.

Wading the river is treacherous. A wading staff, wading belt and excellent wading shoes with studs is a must when wading down here. Flies that are dead drifted near the bottom work better than swinging flies in most cases. Catch rates really start to improve in April with May being the best month. 

Hwy 66 Bridge downstream to Moonshine Falls Raft Launch

Closed to salmon fishing. No bait allowed. Open all year. Flows are fair for fishing. This section of river is open year-round. Fishing is not recommended in this section due to difficult access. Regulations changed Jan. 1, 2024, to a bag limit of one redband rainbow trout per day in the 12- to 15-inch size class. This is to protect large redband trout spawners, chinook, coho and steelhead smolts and Chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead adults.

Moonshine Falls Raft Launch to State Line with California

Salmonflies and golden stoneflies are hatching which will create great dry fly fishing oppurtunities. FIsh close to overhanging vegetation in back eddies.

Closed to salmon fishing. No bait fishing. Open all year for trout fishing.

Flows are at an okay level for fishing. Concentrate your efforts around the back eddies and foam lines.Patterns and lures that mimic crayfish, golden stonefly nymphs and adults, salmonfly nymphs and adults, small mayflies, caddisflies larva and adults, and leeches should work well. Panther Martin spinners can work well down there. Recent electrofishing upstream showed extreme density of leeches and an excellent population of scuds. These Redband-Rainbow are fish eaters as well therefore try patterns or lures that mimic forage fish. There are good mayfly and caddisfly hatches ongoing. Most rainbow redband trout are running 10 to 12 inches. All gates to access the river are open now. Access to the Klamath River is also available from the Topsy Grade Road or traveling through Dorris as well. Topsy Grade Road can have large potholes. Click here for Klamath River flow and turbidity.

Regulations changed on Jan. 1, 2024, to a bag limit of one redband-rainbow trout per day in the 12- to 15-inch size class. This is to protect large redband trout spawners, chinook, coho and steelhead smolts, and Chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead adults.