Remember the Streamers! July 28 2021

Yesterday was a guide holiday and I fished with a friend on her new NRS raft. It was fun to be in the front and focusing on where to put the fly. She just enjoyed rowing her new ‘baby’ and adjusting the oar rights. When we found a spot to stop and get out we separated and worked the water. I was using a sink tip and a few soft hackle beadhead nymphs, didn’t know what she had on. Then I heard a ‘whoop’ and looked over to see her playing a ginormous rainbow. After netting and pictures and such I looked at her fly. She was throwing a sculpin pattern and stripping it back over a ledge. I have to say... I’ve never tried that on the Kootenai.

Guess we can never know a river too much, right? I’m adding that to my toolbox.

So, try sculpin patters. We also found purple chubbies to work, caddis emerging patterns and regular old adams. The river flow is holding at 7500 cfs at the state line. Water temps are holding at 60 and 61 during the day, dropping as low as 57 at night. We are seeing light smoke from the wildland fires, mostly in the morning hours.