Upper Beaverhead

Updated 1h ago

Beaverhead · Clark Canyon Dam to Dillon

Fishing Report

Report conditions: 499 cfs · ▲ 1.0% 24h · ↓9% median

Flows at Barretts are holding near 499 cfs, just below median and ticking up slightly, with clear, cool tailwater conditions below the dam. PMDs and Tricos remain the go-to dries, especially on overcast stretches or during the morning spinner falls, while hoppers and ants are producing along the banks once the sun gets higher. Subsurface, sow bugs and split-back patterns are still the bread and butter through the upper river's classic nymph water. No restrictions on this section right now, and with stable clear water this is shaping up to be a solid August day on the Beaverhead.

Conditions	Clear, Stable
Nymphing	Sow Bug #16, Split Back PMD #16, San Juan Worm #14, Psycho Prince #14
Dry Fly	Pale Morning Dun #16, Trico Spinner #20, Yellow Sally #14, Caddis #14
Streamer	Sparkle Minnow, Sex Dungeon, Thin Mint, Daddy's Money

Based on current conditions and 3 local shop reports · 1h ago

What's Hatching Now

Seasonal Chart →

PMDs Ephemerella inermis

Hook: #14-16 Starts ~58°F

Extended hatch; tailwater consistency

Dries	Comparadun PMD #14-18 Parachute Adams #12-18 Purple Haze #14-18 Royal Wulff #10-18 Rusty Spinner #14-18
Emergers	PMD Sparkle Dun #14-18
Nymphs	Copper John #14-18 Hare's Ear Nymph #12-18 Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-20 Prince Nymph #12-16

Tricos Tricorythodes minutus

Peak

Hook: #18-22

Dawn spinner falls; trophy dry fly

Dries	CDC Trico #20-22 Hi-Vis Spinner #18-22 Trico Spinner #18-22
Nymphs	Pheasant Tail Nymph #14-20

Yellow Sallies Isoperla

Hook: #8-16

Dries	Yellow Stimulator #10-14
Nymphs	Montana Jig Sally #14-16 Yellow Sally Nymph #12-16

Caddis Trichoptera

Hook: #14-16 Starts ~54°F

Steady all summer

Dries	CDC Caddis #14-18 Corn Fed Caddis #14-18 Elk Hair Caddis #14-18 X-Caddis #14-18
Nymphs	Hare's Ear Nymph #12-18

Midges Chironomidae

Hook: #18-26

Year-round; dominant winter pattern

Dries	Griffith's Gnat #18-22
Nymphs	Mercury Midge #20-22 Spanish Bullet #16-18 Zebra Midge #18-22

Hoppers

Peak

Hook: #8-12

Excellent bank fishing with hoppers

Dries	Chubby Chernobyl #6-12
Terrestrials	Dave's Hopper #8-12

Ants

Peak

Hook: #14-18

Terrestrials

Foam Ant #14-16

Beetles

Peak

Hook: #14-18

Terrestrials

Foam Beetle #14-16

Conditions

At Barretts

1h ago

Partly Cloudy

Flow	499 cfs · 1.72 ft
Trend	↓9% med · ▲ 1.0% 24h
Wx	51° · 💨 5 S · 🌧️ 0% · H: 72° / L: 51°

7-Day Flow

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