From the benchWith the overnight low dropping to 29°F, expect a slow morning start — fish will be sluggish until the air warms past 50°F, so sleep in and hit the water around 9:30 AM with nymphs in the deeper, slower runs. Once the sun gets on the water and temps climb toward the mid-60s, shift your attention to the flat tailouts and grassy banks where BWOs will start trickling off and hoppers become viable. Position yourself upstream and cast tight to the bank, giving your hopper a full, drag-free drift of at least 10-15 feet before picking up — the Bitterroot's browns are holding close to structure this time of year and won't chase far. As the afternoon light softens, transition to caddis dries or a soft-hackle swing through the lower ends of runs to capitalize on the evening activity.