Fishing Trip Report: Montana

A forum that'll feed your need for exploring the limitless adventure possibilities found in "other" places. Post trip reports or ask questions about outdoor adventures beyond the Sierra Nevada here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Fly Guy Dave
Topix Expert
Posts: 580
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:27 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Contact:

Fishing Trip Report: Montana

Post by Fly Guy Dave »

Since I am professionally unemployed during the summer, it gives me a lot of time to go on fishing trips, like the one I recently took to Montana. One place that I have always wanted to go there was the South Fork of the Flathead in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. I have heard really great things about it: great fishing, wonderful scenery and absolutely wild and pristine. However, the trouble is access. It is a HUGE wilderness area, 1.5 million acres and that doesn’t count the National Forest land to the north, around Hungry Horse Reservoir. The drive into the trailhead is 54 miles on a windy dirt road, THEN you start hiking! Remote with a capital “R.”

Image

I know of local packers that will take you in there, or other outfitters which will float you down the river, set up your tents, cook your food, etc. However, I don’t have the thousands of dollars it takes to do those kinds of trips, so I planned my own “poor man’s” trip to The Bob, which involved backpacking in from the Meadow Creek trailhead and getting as deep into the wilderness as possible and then fishing the river in any accessible spots. Well, it worked out for the most part, I was able to get deep into the wilderness, I did catch a lot of trout, but the access to the river can be pretty limited, especially in the first ten miles when coming in from the north.

Image

Yeah, that’s a portion of the trail and WAY down there on the bottom left, about a thousand feet straight down is the river.

The scenery couldn’t be beat

Image

There was plenty of wildlife

Image

And “calling cards” from larger wildlife, but I didn’t see in person

Image

How was the fishing? Outstanding! This was a typical Westslope Cutt that you could catch. Not huge, but a fish like that on every few casts using a big, bushy dry fly.

Image

Sometimes they were bigger too, like this nice 17 incher.

Image

The accommodations were fine. Spartan and not exactly spacious, but they kept the bugs and rain out.

Image

After Black Bear Creek, the river widened a bit, so access was easier.

Image

However, I was also there in hopes of getting a big bull trout, which reside in big emerald pools like this one.

Image

As much as I tried, I didn’t tie into a bull, but I didn’t feel too bad, as I talked to a couple of local guys that spent two weeks doing a slow and methodical float down the length of the river and they didn’t get one either.

After hanging out down there for almost a week, I went back to civilization, re-grouped and then went and fished some other well-known streams in Montana; places like Rock Creek, The NF of the Blackfoot and the Forks and main stem of the Bitterroot (before hoot owl kicked in).

What were they like? Here are a few samples:

Image

Image

In addition to fishing a lot, I went to Darby’s Logger Days and saw some timber sports competition. Interesting stuff! I had no idea some of that stuff even existed.

Additinally, there were some amazing sunsets…

Image

…that made me (and the trout) smile…at least it just looks like it…

Image

Anyhow, that’s an overview of the trip. I hope you enjoy.

Cheers,

--Fly Guy Dave
"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." --The Dude (Jeff Lebowski)

Some pics of native salmonids: http://flyguydave.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
TahoeJeff
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1223
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:03 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: South Lake Tahoe, NV

Re: Fishing Trip Report: Montana

Post by TahoeJeff »

Awesome report! Beautiful scenery and gorgeous fish!
"A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both."

Milton Friedman
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11821
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Fishing Trip Report: Montana

Post by maverick »

Very cool TR, and nice fish pic's! How far was this from the China Wall Dave?
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
Fly Guy Dave
Topix Expert
Posts: 580
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:27 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Contact:

Re: Fishing Trip Report: Montana

Post by Fly Guy Dave »

maverick wrote:Very cool TR, and nice fish pic's! How far was this from the China Wall Dave?
Thanks! The China Wall was about ten miles east of where I was. I didn't see it since there were other mountains in the way. It is so amazing how HUGE that whole area is and there is so much to see and places to explore.
"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." --The Dude (Jeff Lebowski)

Some pics of native salmonids: http://flyguydave.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
RooPhillip
Topix Regular
Posts: 160
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:44 am
Experience: N/A

Re: Fishing Trip Report: Montana

Post by RooPhillip »

Wow, outstanding! Thanks for sharing a stellar trip.
User avatar
venturefar
Topix Regular
Posts: 186
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2011 11:24 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Central Valley CA

Re: Fishing Trip Report: Montana

Post by venturefar »

Awesome. Thanks for Sharing!!!
@aguabonita
User avatar
hikerduane
Founding Member
Posts: 1268
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2005 9:58 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Meadow Valley, CA

Re: Fishing Trip Report: Montana

Post by hikerduane »

I was in Glacier NP from about 16-23. Fishing was good I suppose at Kootenai Lakes. Saw Swans, Loons on the exotic side and caught 8 Lake Trout the two nights I was there, broken up with a night at Janet Lake.
Glacier NP 2015 031_opt.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Piece of cake.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 27 guests