The Rivers - premium flyfishing across Montana
Western Montana
The Clark Fork
Fish the upper stretch for great wade fishing, fish the lower for big fish, deep water and then there is the gorge... The Clark Fork River has earned its name in trout fishing from its consistent mayfly hatches and rising trout. The Clark Forks path leads it right through downtown Missoula on its eventual journey to the Columbia River. The Clark Fork offers nearly 200+ miles of fishable trout water from Missoula. All of western Montana flows to the fertile waters of the lower Clark Fork River and the home of the Clark Fork River Lodge. www.clarkforkriverlodge.com
The Blackfoot
The famed trout fishery with plenty of room for everyone and still a few remote corners with big fishing action. The Blackfoot River is another one of Missoula’s premier destination rivers. The Blackfoot is fed from the colder, higher-elevation Bob Marshall Wilderness and produces an immense stone-fly hatch. Its higher gradient streambed is boulder-lined and provides excellent big-bug habitat. The heavy presence of Bull Trout in the Blackfoot ensures this ecosystem is healthy. Late June and July are sure to bring incredible bug-life year after year.
The Bitterroot
A stately river with tons of wildlife and plenty of awesome fishing. Montana’s Bitterroot River meanders due north from the Idaho/Montana border until its confluence with the Clark Fork River in Missoula. Known for its remarkable dry fly fishing and eager trout, you’re always sure to find a rise. From Missoula, it allows us 80 miles of fishable trout water. Whether it’s the fast-action stone-fly packed west fork or the slow-meandering mayfly water near Missoula, there is sure to be a hatch somewhere.
Rock Creek
Catch a hatch on Rock Creek and talk about it for the rest of your life. Rock Creek is a blue-ribbon, limited-access, high gradient piece of water just east of Missoula. The prolific Salmon fly hatch each year, and bug variance within the ecosystem has helped to dub the drainage, “the perfect trout stream.” Very limited numbers of guided trips are allowed down Rock Creek in its short season. If this blue-ribbon fishery sounds appealing, let Tug Fishing take you there. Launch dates run late May-June 30th depending on water flows. Rock Creek trips run with John Perry's Montana Flyfishing, John Perry #931.
Central Montana
The Smith River
An uncomparable 60 mile journey through the heart of Montana. The Smith River is Montana’s only restricted access multi-day river trip. Five days camping, throwing flies, eating and relaxing along the Smith’s 60-mile meandering canyon have proven time and again that the Smith is Montana’s premier week-long destination experience. Enough said. Rates and dates are available at www.smithriverflyfishing.com.
Tug Fishing operates Smith River, Western Montana and Missouri river trips through The Montana Fly-Fishing Connection, MT Outfitter, Joe Sowerby #5157.
The Missouri
The mighty 'Mo - Lewis & Clark's main highway and still a great place to catch a few of the big ones. When anglers talk about the “Mo,” they are generally referring to the 30 miles of water between Holter dam and Cascade, Montana. The “Mo”, the biggest spring creek in the world, is famous due its enormous dry-fly hatches and the trout that eagerly eat them. The Missouri River drains half the state of Montana. The timeless thoughts of Lewis and Clark traveling the same water are evident everywhere. A day on the mighty “Mo” is forever remembered.
Eastern Montana
On the Bighorn I work with The Bighorn River Flyfisher Guide Service, Outfitter Eric Wilcox #4020.
There are plenty of accommodations at the Bighorn Angler (bighornangler.com) as well as boat rentals, package deals and a full service fly-shop that provides shuttles. Great food is available at Polly's Place, the Bighorn River's only full-service diner and eatery (pollysonthebighorn.com). If a house would better suit your larger group's needs than ask about the Bluff House on the Bighorn with lodging for groups of up to ten people.
Bighorn fishing report: bighornfishingreport.com
The Bighorn
Located near Fort Smith, MT - this is an amazing stretch of water. I first fell in love with the Bighorn River in 2002 - it was May and I was driving cross-country for the first time. I stopped on the Bighorn and hooked several fish - and broke them all off. I knew then it wouldn't take much to get me back. Since then many days have been spent fishing on the "Horn". The incredible trout population has thrived in recent years due to high water flows through the long summers of Eastern Montana. The Bighorn River is formed by water outflow below the Yellowtail Dam on the Crow Indian Reservation 42 Miles south of Hardin, Montana. The consistent water temperatures and food sources created by the Yellowtail Dam Afterbay produce fish numbers in the thousands per mile. Summertime in Montana is grasshopper season, and the "Horn" is no exception. The state of Montana has declared a grasshopper infestation the last two years and being on the Bighorn River during this time is sure to thrill the most experienced dry-fly fisherman. Think giant dry flies for big trout. This season is the tail-water equivalent to a 3 month stone-fly hatch. The fish tune into the hoppers, especially on those windy days.
June through September are the prime months to be on the Bighorn River.