Quick answer: March is when the Missoula season wakes up. The rivers are low and clear before runoff, the trout are feeding again after a long winter, and once the water warms into the mid-40s the skwala stonefly brings big fish to the surface, usually from the third week of the month. The bugs move in the afternoon, so a March day starts late and fishes best from late morning on. Expect cold mornings, far fewer boats than summer, and a real chance at a heavy pre-runoff trout on a dry fly.

If you like the idea of a big trout on a dry fly before most anglers have even thought about their first trip of the year, this is your month. Here is what a March guided trip looks like.

What is the fishing like in March?

The rivers around Missoula are as low and clear as they get all year. Coming off the cold winter, the big fish are coming out of hibernation and looking to feed, and there are more grown nymphs in the river in March than at any other time. Early in the month that makes nymphing the best of the season, with the fish holding in their winter water and eating well below the surface. As the water warms, streamers start moving fish too.

What is hatching in March?

The bugs arrive in order:

Blue winged olives, the first mayfly to show, usually around the second week of the month on gray afternoons. They show on the Bitterroot first, then the Clark Fork.
Skwalas, the big dog of March. The hatch gets going around the third week and gets consistent once the water holds near 45 degrees.
Nemouras, a smaller black stonefly that sneaks in alongside the skwalas.
Western March browns, starting in the last ten days of the month and only getting stronger in April.

When does the skwala hatch start?

Usually the third week of March, and it depends on water temperature more than the calendar. Daytime air temperatures in the 40s to 60s warm the water, and when the river holds around 45 degrees the skwalas start coming off consistently. A warm week can bring them early. A cold snap can push them back. This is why we say March trips depend on conditions and why it pays to call us the week before your dates.

Skwalas are a big bug, and they pull big trout to the top. One trick your guide will teach you: consistent rises usually mean a mayfly, and sporadic, splashy rises usually mean a skwala or nemoura. Reading that tells you what to tie on.

Which river fishes best in March?

The Bitterroot traditionally turns on first, with the Clark Fork about a week behind. On the Clark Fork, the western March browns bring steady risers and are a reliable early season dry fly opportunity when the other rivers are still cold. The Blackfoot runs cold because of its elevation and needs a run of perfect conditions to fish well before runoff, so it is usually not the March pick.

You do not have to choose. You pick the dates, and your guide puts you on the river that is fishing best that day.

What time of day should you fish?

Later than you might think. The stoneflies do not start moving until the afternoon, and on warmer days they start earlier. A typical March day is nymphing or streamers in the late morning, then dry flies from early afternoon on, from late morning through the afternoon on the best days. This is not a dawn patrol month, which suits a lot of people just fine. One local quirk: when daylight saving time kicks in, the clock jumps but the bugs do not, so the good window simply moves an hour later on the clock.

What should you wear in March?

Dress for winter that turns into spring. Mornings are cold, afternoons can be pleasant, and the weather can swing in an hour. Warm layers, a waterproof shell, gloves and a warm hat for the morning, and waders if you own them. If you do not, tell us when you book and we can lend you a pair on the cold days, or rent a set from Rent Waders (rentwaders.com), a Missoula company that delivers to our shop. Our What to Wear post has the full list.

Why fish March with a guide?

March fishing rewards timing, and timing is local knowledge. The bugs move in the afternoon, the hatch comes on stronger on warmer days, the rivers come into shape on their own schedule, and one river can be a week ahead of another. Your guide is on these rivers all spring and knows where the fish are holding that day and what they are eating that afternoon. That is the difference between a slow day and a great one in a month where the margins are thin.

There are no special operational limits in March. We run our normal trips. The only variable is the weather.

Common questions about March in Missoula

Is March too early? Not for the right angler. If you want quiet water and a shot at big pre-runoff fish, and you can handle a cold morning, March is one of the best-kept windows of the year.

Will I catch fish on dry flies? Often, yes, once the skwalas are going in the afternoon. Early in the month and on cold days, nymphs do most of the work.

How cold is it? Mornings are often below freezing. Afternoons can reach the 40s and 50s, and sometimes warmer. The water is in the low 40s, warming toward 45 as the month goes on.

Can you float in March? Yes. Pre-runoff flows are low and clear, and float trips run normally.

When does runoff start? Usually in late April. March is safely ahead of it.

March trips are limited by conditions and how the spring is shaping up, so if a shoulder-season trip appeals to you, call early and we will talk through your dates. The Bitterroot’s spring is covered in our best time to fish the Bitterroot post.