Fly Fishing the Bitterroot: 2022, Part II

Part II of a multi-part video of my 2022 Montana Bitterroot fly fishing trip.
Some footage of fishing on the main stem of the Bitterroot as well as into the East Fork. Fish were bigger but less plentiful this year. @w.driftinflies ​
Watch Part I here: • Fly Fishing the Bitter...
Watch Part III here: • Fly Fishing the Bitter...

[@noelslater822]

Yep, beautiful water and weather for sure! Great conditions for flyfishing! 😁 Looks like a great time.

[@w.driftinflies]

Can’t get enough of it

[@troutntrails]

Sweet video, looks like a beautiful river. New subscriber here. Can't wait to check out more of your Montana videos!

[@w.driftinflies]

Thanks. I've got one last segment coming out from this trip.

[@chuckstranahan5600]

Hey DR! Nice visit to some of my home water. Remember, keep 'em wet and fish barbless! Time out of water can be fatal long after an apparently "safe" release.

[@w.driftinflies]

It's my favorite river to fish. Wish it was my home water too. All my hooks are barbless or de-barbed and I always strive to minimize "air time" for the fish. You may be referring to some of my compatriots featured in the video, who I try to coach on fish handling when I can. Thanks for watching.

[@chuckstranahan5600]

@@w.driftinflies On behalf of the trout, thanks for your efforts to take good care of them. This is especially important as we're actually losing westslope cutthroats on the West Fork and downriver into the main stem. Overfishing and barbed hooks (and subsequent mishandling) are among the causes of decline. Modeling and educating your viewers on careful fish handling will win you a lot of support - many casual anglers who want to take care of the resources but don't know how will appreciate what you can teach them.

[@w.driftinflies]

@@chuckstranahan5600 couldn’t agree more. Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll continue to do the best to demonstrate good fish handling skills. I’ve been coming to the Bitterroot every fall since 1999. We have noticed fluctuations in cutthroat populations for sure. I also think the mainstream practices of fish handling and the effects of it has changed in that time. Anglers were not as careful 20 years ago. I know I was guilty when I started.

[@garyrafferty7625]

Nice video ... looks like you guys had a great trip. What time of year? ... late-August / early-Sept?

[@w.driftinflies]

Always a great trip the the bitterroot. It was actually early October

[@garyrafferty7625]

@@w.driftinflies its now on my bucket list!