Note:
For a camping and picnic guide to Gallatin National Forest along the Gallatin
River, call (406) 587-6920 or write Bozeman Ranger District, 3710 Fallon
Street, Suite C, Bozeman, MT 59718.
Float
fishing is prohibited on the Gallatin inside the park boundaries to the East
Gallatin River. The only section open to float fishing is from the East
Gallatin River down to Logan Bridge on Highway 205 or further down to Missouri
Headwaters State Park. The Gallatin during spring run-off challenges floaters
with Class III and IV whitewater. If you are going to float even during the
summer, I would recommend buying the Gallatin River, Montana Afloat map which
may be purchased in any fly shop throughout western and southwestern Montana.
It would also be prudent to stop by one of the local fly shops in Bozeman or
the Gallatin Valley for up to date river information.
About
fifty years ago, I picked up my father's South Bend fly rod. I had no use for a
tapered leader. Four feet of stout monofilament attached to an Eagle Claw hook
with garden hackle or a salmon egg was all I needed. Carrying an old set of
rusty pliers and a pill box of split-shot, I was ready to meet the challenges
of the day. Steep timbered mountains, towering crags and the fluttering silver
dollars on aspen trees imprinted my boyhood with a transcendentalist view of
nature. The Gallatin is equally inspiring.
Unlike
the Madison River, which is surrounded by bench land sage brush, the Gallatin,
as it flows through the canyon section, inspires that same boyhood sense of
wonderment. The Gallatin River from the Park boundary to Taylor Creek primarily
holds small rainbows. Still resembling a creek, the water is easily waded and
easily assessable with many pull-outs along the highway.
Taylor Creek is renown
for mudding up the river. Spring run-off "generally" subsides the
last week of June. From
Taylor Creek to the West Fork of the Gallatin, and the junction with Big Sky
Resort, harbors an astounding number of 10 to 12 inch rainbows with estimates from
3,000 to 5,000 per mile! This section can only be described as just fun
fishing. Drive along the river and pick the type of water you enjoy fishing.
Riffles, pockets, pools and boulder-strewn sections provide a diversity of
habitat for both dry fly fishermen, nymph fishermen and spin fishermen.
The
best part of this fun fishing is the fact that the fish readily rise to
attractor patterns in the fast waters. Leaving the red sandstone cliffs and the
canyon behind, the Gallatin enters agricultural bottomland. Heavily
agriculture use leaves a scarcity of water in some parts of the braided
bottomland. Access is difficult with the exception of public bridge crossings
which are numerous above and below Four Corners. Be sure to stay under the
high-water mark, and you are perfectly legal. During the heat of summer, this
section is difficult to fish with the exception of pools and banks which often
hold good size browns. If you are visitor with a limited time to fish, skip
this section of water. From the Logan Bridge on Highway 205 at the junction
with Logan-Trident Road to Missouri Headwaters State Park, the river is open to
float fishing. This is an especially popular section during the fall for
spawning runs from the Missouri River.
For
the next 15 miles, the Gibbon rushes to meet the Firehole. For the most part
the road parallels the river through a series of meadows before dropping down
into the Gibbon Canyon to Gibbon Falls. During the heat of summer the meadow
sections can present some challenging fishing. In lieu of a good hatch, the
best bet here is if the sky is overcast, the wind is blowing and the hoppers
are popping. Below the meadows the river picks up speed and flows over small
cascades. Pocket water and some pools are available as the river narrows and
picks up speed before plunging over Gibbon Falls. Just below the falls is the
Gibbon Falls Picnic Area. Anglers may hike upriver a few hundred yards to
access Canyon Creek, which joins the Gibbon River on the east bank.
Canyon
Creek offers good fishing for small brook trout in the 6- to 8-inch range, as
well as a few resident grayling. Below the falls is a popular gathering spot
for anglers fishing the fall brown trout spawning run. During the heat of
summer, this section of the Gibbon River draws savvy anglers. The river offers
riffles and long runs, and the road is high up on the mountain, which provides
some sense of solitude. This last section flows through carved bench land until
it meets the meadow section at Madison Junction.
Madison Junction to Yellowstone Lake
Madison Campground, Madison River
Centrally
located, the campground borders the confluence of the Gibbon River and the
Firehole. West Yellowstone is 14 miles. This 14-mile section of the Madison
River offers numerous access points, but during the heat of summer it only
offers fair fishing.
Firehole River
Offering
a mix of geological wonders, the Firehole offers a classic mixture of brook
trout, brown trout and rainbow trout in this nutrient-rich stream that draws
anglers from around the world to match their skills with some picky and
educated trout. From its headwaters at Madison Lake, the Firehole resembles a
mountain creek as it courses downward to Old Faithful and the Geyser Basin. The
river is closed to fishing starting at the bridge a mile and a half east of Old
Faithful to the bridge at Biscuit Basin. With the discharge of water in the
Geyser Basin and the infusion of water from the Little Firehole, the Firehole
reaches its maturity. Above Old Faithful the Firehole runs cooler throughout
the summer and provides anglers with good opportunities for catching smaller
brook trout.
With
the discharge of thermally-heated water from the closed section, fishing in the
Little Firehole provides cooler water and larger fish in the lower reaches and
smaller fish in the canyon pocket water.
From
Biscuit Basin to Cascades, a distance of approximately 12 miles, the Firehole
glides through a classic meadow with spring creek-type water. Here dry fly
fishermen present their match-the-hatch offerings in early summer and fall. The
Cascades change the nature of the river as the water spills and tumbles. The
Firehole, joining with the Gibbon River, begins the Madison River. Shallow
wading water in an idyllic setting promise more than what the river will
produce during the summer months, when thermal heating drives the fish to cooler
sanctuaries. The best time to fish the Firehole is during the spring and again
in the fall. The season opens on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Many
sections of the Firehole are easily accessed along the road from the Madison
Campground to Old Faithful and beyond.
Shoshone Lake
The
second largest lake in Yellowstone Park with over 8,000 acres, Shoshone Lake is
huge, remote and accessed only by trail. When I taught in Jackson, Wyoming, my
first fishing outfitter was Roberta Knapp. Roberta was one of the first woman
outfitters in Wyoming. A tall, strong woman, this lady could fish and row a
boat under any conditions. I learned a great deal from her, as she was a
generous person and a passionate fly fisher. Driving out of the Gros Ventre one
summer day, she shared with me all of her great fishing stories about fishing
big browns and lake trout on the channel between Shoshone Lake and Lewis Lake.
If you are fishing the Park during the fall, be sure to take the Lewis Channel
Trail, a seven-mile hike, or the trail just above it, which takes a straight
line through the woods directly to Shoshone Lake, a distance of 4.5 miles.
Fishing heavy fall streamer patterns for big browns and lake trout in the fall
has to be a wonderful experience, and I am sad to say I never made it.
Shoshone
Lake fishing is rated excellent during early summer with drys, nymphs, scuds
and leech patterns. Later in the summer the trout retreat to deeper waters,
which can be reached by canoe paddling from Lewis Lake, through the channel,
and into Shoshone Lake (with a one-mile portage at the end of the channel).
Lewis Lake
Lewis
Lake allows motorized boats. Boat fishermen both spin and troll for large lake
trout and browns. The lake's east shore parallels the road leading to the South
Entrance. Fly fishermen fare well at both the inlet and the outlet to Lewis
River.
From
its source waters, Grebe and Wolf Lakes, the Gibbon River flows through
timbered terrain until it crosses the Norris-Canyon Road and enters Virginia
Meadows on its way to the Norris Campground area. Anglers can expect to fish
for browns, rainbows and brook trout. Joining Solfatara Creek at Norris
Junction, the Gibbon gradually gains stature along with wary browns. Down
further lies the Gibbon Meadow followed by a nice fishing section before
Gibbons Falls. From Gibbon Falls, the Gibbon resembles more of a freestone
creek until it reaches the meadow section and the confluence with the Firehole
at Madison Campground. The best fishing period is the latter part of June and
fall, but the fish also respond to a well-placed hopper during the heat of
summer. The following information begins at Grebe Lake on the Canyon to Norris
section of the Grand Loop Road. The Gibbon River flows down to Norris
Campground, circles around Norris Geyser Basin, then follows a southerly course
to the point where the Gibbon joins the Firehole to form the Madison River.
Grebe Lake (headwaters of the Gibbon River)
The
trail is an easy three-mile hike on a level trail, which no doubt adds to this
lake's popularity for scenery and good fishing. The trailhead parking lot is
3.6 miles from Canyon Junction or 8.4 miles from Norris Junction. Grebe Lake is
good fishing for both rainbows and arctic gray-ling. The rainbows generally run
in the 10- to 12-inch range. Anglers also have the opportunity to catch native
arctic grayling. Generally the trail is passable by mid-June. A float tube is
recommended, although wading is best accomplished on the northern and eastern
shoreline.
Gibbon RiverLakes
Wolf
Lake is downstream from Grebe Lake. Wolf Lake is generally described as good
fishing for both rainbows and grayling. A small lake a little over 50 acres in
grizzly country, the lake may be accessed from Grebe Lake or from Ice Lake,
which is reached three and a half miles east of Norris Junction. Follow the trail
for a half-mile to its junction with the Howard Eaton Trail at Ice Lake
(fishless) and continue east. The trail continues on the Wolf Lake Trail, a
total of four miles from the trailhead.
Virginia Cascade Drive Access
The
access road is available for hikers who would like to get close to the Gibbon
River. This section of road is 1.7 miles east of the Norris Junction and
provides access to Virginia Meadows.
Norris Campground, Norris Meadow
The
meadow section around the campground is heavily fished, and during the heat of
summer with increased numbers of campers the trout learn to be wary after a
couple of months of bombardment.
Gardiner Entrance: Mammoth to Norris to Madison Junction
Mammoth
to Norris: 21 miles Norris to Madison Campground: 14 miles
Gardner River
From
the Gardiner Entrance to Mammoth, the road parallels the Gardner River and
offers a number of pull-outs, but this section is swift water and not for
neophytes. The Gardner River may also be accessed at the mouth from Park Street
in Gardiner. Take the trail past the pump house down to the river.
Boiling River
If
you want to take a break from fishing and soak in a hot-pool on the Gardiner
River, follow the Boiling River Trail one mile to this popular swimming hole.
Look for the trailhead 2.6 miles from the Gardiner Entrance.
Mammoth Campground and visitor center
The
Mammoth Campground is just below Mammoth. The campground is popular.
Joffe Lake
More
aptly described as a one and a half-acre pond, Joffe Lake is an old reservoir a
couple of miles south of Mammoth. Take the Mammoth-Norris Grand Loop Road. At
1.3 miles south of Mammoth, turn south onto a dirt road. The lake is great
fishing for youngsters, who will be thrilled catching 6- to 8-inch brook trout.
Swan Lake: The
lake is exceedingly shallow and fishless.
Indian Creek
Sitting
on a small rise eight miles south of Mammoth, Indian Creek Campground is
surrounded by verdurous meadows and winding streams. Indian Creek joins the
Gardner River near the campground and offers special bait fishing opportunities
for children fishing for small brookies. Obsidian Creek joins the Gardner River
in the vicinity of the campground and also offers good fishing for brookies
with special regulations for children. By following the Bighorn Pass Trail near
the campground, families may also fish Panther Creek, a small tributary of the
Gardner River. For children and novice anglers, this campground offers
wonderful fishing opportunities and good wildlife viewing prospects.
Gardner River, Sheepeater Canyon
After
the Gardner River picks up the tributary creeks, the river takes a sweeping
turn and heads back north, where it is crossed by the Mammoth-Tower Road and
then joined by Lava Creek. Leaving the meadow section by the Indian Creek
Campground, the river plunges down Sheepeater Canyon and drops over the
100-foot Osprey Falls. Access is difficult above and below the falls, and the
fishing is considered to be not really worth the effort or the risk. One such
access, however, is from the Sheepeater Picnic site.
Grizzly Lake and Straight Creek
The
trailhead to Grizzly Lake is reached 15 miles from Mammoth or 6.5 miles north
of the Norris Junction. Look for the pullout and a trail sign for the Grizzly
Lake Trail. It is easy to miss. Grizzly Lake is a 1.8-mile hike up a series of
switchbacks to the lake. The 136-acre lake offers good fishing for 7- to
10-inch brook trout. Straight Creek both feeds and empties the lake. An
alternate route to the lake is to fish up Straight Creek from the meadow
section next to the road. Look for the parking area for the Mount Holmes Trail,
which is three miles south of Indian Creek Campground. The trail follows
Obsidian Creek for a mile, but do not waste your time fishing it. From Straight
Creek the trail gradually climbs another three miles up the canyon to meet the
lake.
Straight
Creek provides excellent fishing for small brook trout. However, for every
8-inch brook trout that you land, you will have to release 10 dinks from 4 to
6-inches. The canyon was burned badly in the 1988 fire, and the gray husks of
mature trees litter the creek bed and hillside. I do not disdain fishing small
creeks for small fish, but this creek seems to promise more than it de-livers.
This is another great creek for kids, as it provides lots of action from hungry
little brook trout that will hit any fly thrown their way.
Beaver Lake, Lake of the Woods
Beaver
Lake is located just over seven miles south of Mammoth. It is basically
fishless, as is Lake of the Woods.
Twin Lakes
Although
you will see people fishing these two shallow lakes, they are considered to be
almost barren.
Norris Campground, Solfatara Creek
Entering
the Gibbon River at Norris Junction and the campground, Solfatara offers fair
to good fishing for smaller trout.
A
special bait section for children provides excellent fishing for small brookies
above Osprey Falls close to the Indian Creek camp-ground. Below the falls, the
Gardner plunges down a canyon on its course to the Yellowstone River. The next
access is the Mammoth-Tower Bridge a few miles east of Mammoth. Up-stream from
the bridge the canyon impedes progress, but this short section holds numerous
6- to 10-inch rainbows and brookies. Below the bridge the Gardner River is
joined by Lava Creek. Standing on the Mammoth side of the bridge, you can look down
to where Lava Creek joins the river. Hiking down below this section provides
good fishing for cutthroats and brook trout, although be prepared, for some of
the choice waters do come up empty. Rather than turn the corner and head
upstream to the bridge again, take the time to fish the first half-mile of Lava
Creek. Lava Creek is strictly dabbing your fly in small pockets, but when I
last fished it during August of 1998, the rainbows were averaging 10 inches,
and they were fat. This section of the Gardner River, extending for three
miles, can be hot during August so tie on a bead-head Prince as a dropper.
Yellowstone River in the Black Canyon
Cross-country
trail access. The Black Canyon may be reached by hiking across sagebrush, bench
land and down to the river. From the bridge above Tower, near the confluence
with the Lamar River, down to Blacktail Deer Creek, the distance to the river
may vary from two to four miles. I especially enjoy fishing this rugged canyon
with its big water. Concentrated nymph fishing is so much easier than training
my trifocals on a size 18 dry at Buffalo Ford. But hiking in and out unnerves
me, even with my pepper spray, as I generally fish alone. Somehow I never
remember to make noise. I huff and puff up the slope, furtively glancing behind
me.
Mammoth to Tower
Mileage
is estimated beginning at the junction in Mammoth.
To Tower Junction: 18 miles To Canyon Village: 37 miles To the Northeast Entrance: 47 miles
M 1.7: Mammoth-Tower Bridge (High Bridge)
M 4.7: Lava Creek Picnic Site.The fishing is somewhat difficult both upstream and
down-stream of Undine Falls due to brush and downed trees, but the fishing is
good for small trout.
MM: 6.3: Blacktail Ponds.A small pond a short distance from the road, Blacktail Ponds
is void of shrubbery or brush, although it is very boggy for most of the
shoreline. It is rare to pass by this pond at dusk without seeing at least one
nymph fisherman working the pond for 10- to 14-inch cutthroats and brook trout.
M 6.9: Blacktail Deer Creek.Blacktail Deer Creek crosses the Mammoth-Tower Road above
Lava Creek crossing. The creek cascades down the mountain four miles to meet
the Yellowstone River. The creek offers good fishing for brook trout above and
below the road.
M 15.3: Floating Island Lake Fishless.
M 18.5: Conoco Gas Station, Roosevelt Lodge.Showers available. M 20.8: Tower Falls,
Hamilton Store and snack bar
Tower Creek
Tower
Creek may be reached from the Tower Creek Campground. Fishing is good for
small rainbows and brookies. From the Hamilton Store next to the falls, a trail
leads down the canyon to the Yellowstone River and a short section of Tower
Creek. This trail is the only easy access to the Grand Canyon of the
Yellowstone. Pack a lunch.
Tower Junction to Cooke City (Lamar River)
M .7: Yellowstone River above Tower
The
confluence with the Lamar River is a mile down-stream. Just as you cross the
bridge leaving Tower Junction, there is a picnic site and parking area.
A trail
leads down to the confluence of the Lamar River and the Yellowstone River. The
Lamar section consists of heavily silted pools and steep banks, but from the
Lamar upstream for a half-mile, the Yellowstone River offers rough and tumble
nymph water. It is too small of a section to share, but I have always been
pleased with the results.
M 5.1: Access to the Lamar River
M 5.9: Slough Creek
Years
ago when I lived and taught in Wyoming, I heard near-reverent praising of
Slough Creek. As I recall at that time, only trailers were allowed in the
campground so I passed it up for more favorable fishing in other areas of the
park. In finalizing the Park, I headed for Slough Creek as soon as I entered
the Park. Pulling a 15-foot 1984 Komfort camp trailer, I was prepared. I
arrived at a gala of colorful tents at the campground at 9 am and watched two
families depart. Slough Creek Campground is off the beaten track, actually only
2.3 miles of washboard road from the Cooke City Road, but it is a long ways
from the Interstate for travelers heading home. By 9:30 the three vacated sites
were full!
During
that first day, I returned to fish the Gardner again. Returning to the
campground, the sky clouded up and in no time at all, my windshield wipers were
on high, smearing and skipping across bug splats. The next day I fished the
Lamar for the first time. Because of a heat spell, it had been fishing very
slowly. When I arrived at a secluded spot, the water was somewhat roiled, but
the off color was not enough to concern me. I fished for an hour and a half, to
no avail. Having been skunked, I headed for the confluence of the Lamar and the
Yellowstone determined to catch a fish on the Lamar - nothing. Catching a few
hefty cutthroats on the Yellowstone River, I headed back to Slough Creek for an
early dinner. After dinner I hiked up the trail to the first meadow.
The
trail to the three meadows of Slough Creek does not begin in the campground, as
a narrow canyon impedes progress. The first meadow is notoriously difficult to
fish, from what I had read and from what I heard in camp. Everyone advised me
to pass up the first meadow and fish the second meadow, which is about five
miles up from the trailhead. By the time I had hiked in to the first meadow, I
realized that I had only about two hours to fish. I walked up to the first bank
and peered into the softly flowing creek. I put on my Polaroid glasses, and in
doing so I looked down to see a 16-inch cutthroat slurping midges, oblivious to
my presence.
I
crawled through the grass to the next run and spotted a 17- or 18-inch
cutthroat gently fanning his tail and sip-ping bugs right next to the bank less
than 10 feet in front of me. Ten offerings later, I stood up. The cutthroat
moved one foot over and two feet up and continued slurping size 22 white
midges. Slough Creek cutthroats are like the elk and buffalo. If you don't get
too close, they just ignore you and go on chewing their cud, or in this case
sipping midges. For the second time in one day I had been skunked!
Most
of the fishermen I spoke to that evening said they had poor to fair fishing at
the second meadow and excellent fishing for smaller trout at the third meadow,
which is eight miles from the trailhead. Next time I am going right back to
that first meadow with 7X tippet and an assortment of midge patterns.
Slough
Creek offers excellent fishing from the camp-ground to its meeting with the
Lamar River, but it is similar to a spring creek and requires skill and
patience. Surprisingly, few people actually fish this section, while upwards of
a hundred fishermen a day hike up to the meadow sections.
M 8: Lamar River
Another
day! Regardless of my dismal experiences on the Lamar, the river offers
excellent fishing for cutthroats and rainbows once the river has cleared (later
than most). Craig Mathew in his book The Yellowstone Fly-Fishing Guide mentions
the proclivity for Lamar cutthroats to migrate up and down the stream, which in
turn keeps anglers covering a lot of ground.
Gliding
through open meadows with towering mountain ranges in the background and sparse
clusters of cottonwoods, it is easy to visualize what the entire region looked
like prior to settlements. From its confluence with Soda Butte Creek to the
canyon, a distance of six or seven miles, the Lamar receives lots of fishing
attention. The expansive grassland, home to buffalo and antelope, hosts large
grasshoppers and other terrestrials, which find their way into the Lamar. The
canyon, although more difficult to fish, offers slightly larger trout in the pools
and pockets.
M 18.3: Trout Lake
How
could an angler pass up a body of water named Trout Lake? Nor should you, if
you have the time to fish this little gem nestled in the mountains a mere
half-mile from the unsigned pull-out. If you are coming from Cooke City, the
pullout is 1.3 miles from Pebble Creek Campground. What Trout Lake lacks in
fast action, it more than makes up for in the size of fat rainbows in the 14-
to 17-inch range. An excellent lake for a float tube, head for the left side of
the lake if the wind comes up.
M 19.3: Pebble Creek and Campground
Pebble
Creek has a small volume of water, but up in the canyon section the creek has
many pools which hold small cutthroats, although passage becomes difficult. The
upper section above the canyon may be reached by crossing the footbridge in the
campground and hiking a little over a mile.
Soda Butte Creek
Gliding
down a beautifully timbered canyon from Cooke City down to the Lamar flood
plain, Soda Butte Creek offers quiet solitude and good fishing for cutthroats.
Fishing
Fact: Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined, Yellowstone National Park
is immense at 3,472 square miles. Yellowstone Lake alone covers 136 square
miles. As the world's first national park, it no doubt vies for the title
"World's Greatest Trout Park". If you are limited to less than a week to both
explore and fish Yellowstone Park and you are mainly interested in driving to
your destination or taking a day hike, this section of the book will serve you
well. However, if you have planned an extensive vacation in the Park to fully
fish its riches, including the backcountry, then I would recommend purchasing Fishing Yellowstone National Park
by Richard Parks or The Yellowstone Fly-Fishing Guideby Craig Mathews and Clayton Molinero.
Campground Information:
"Campsite
availability is first-come, first-served at the following campgrounds: Mammoth,
Norris, Indian Creek, Pebble Creek, Slough Creek and Tower Fall. During peak
camping season (late June to mid-August) all campgrounds may be filled by 11:00
am; arrive early to obtain a site. [Slough Creek often has vacated campsites
filled by 9 am.] Reservations can be made for Canyon, Bridge Bay, Madison,
Grant Village, and the Fishing Bridge RV Park by calling (307) 344-7311.
Overnight camping of any type (tent, vehicle, or RV) outside designated
campgrounds is not permitted.
"Hookups
are available at the concession-operated Fishing Bridge RV Park, which is open
from late May to early October. The RV Park provides water, sewer, and
electrical hookups. The RV Park is restricted to hard-sided camping units;
tents and trailers are not allowed. "Showers and laundry facilities are provided by a concession service for
an additional fee. They are located adjacent to the campgrounds at Canyon,
Grant Village, and Fishing Bridge RV Park (showers and laundry are located
within four miles of Bridge Bay campground)." -Park hand-out: Yell 361, 1998
The
park entrances are the South Entrance above Jackson, Wyoming, the West Entrance
in the town of West Yellowstone, the North Entrance below the town of Gardiner,
Montana, the northeast entrance a few miles from Cooke City, Montana, and the
East Entrance leading to Cody, Wyoming. All entrances lead to Yellowstone Lake,
and a loop connects all the entrances. In keeping with the spirit of this
fishing guide, I have included only those rivers, streams and lakes that can be
reached by vehicle or in a short day hike. Since the Park does not employ
mileage marker signs like the state of Montana, I have concentrated on the park
entrance roads and the Grand Loop Road.
Note:
Unlike the state of Montana, Yellowstone National Park does not use mileage
marker signposts (MM). Mileage estimates within the Park are based on an
odometer from a 1993 Chevy pickup truck with oversized tires. I was often in
conflict with the official signs so look upon these declarations of mileage
with a jaundiced eye (M=mileage estimate).
Note:
The information covering the Park section of the Gallatin River and its
tributaries along Highway 191 is covered in the Southwestern Montana section,
Highway 191. Highway 191 is the western border of the park to the Gallatin
Canyon, where the Park boundary ends.
On
my very first trip to Yellowstone Park in the early '70s, I stopped at Bud
Lilly's Fly Shop in West Yellowstone. My two fly boxes in those days held
mostly my own attractor abominations. I was eager to gain some good advice, as
I was camped at Madison Campground. My first day fishing produced pretty slim
pickings. As a young man in my 20s, I was mostly familiar with creek fishing
for rainbows and brookies on the eastern slopes of the Sierras. I had "novice"
written across my forehead.
Bud
Lilly assisted me and never gave me the bum's rush when he found out that I was
near broke and planned only to purchase three or four flies. He dropped three
huge Bitch Creek nymphs into the palm of my hand and told me how to fish them.
I had never seen such leviathan monsters. I was incredulous. I wasn't even sure
how well I could cast one. But oh, how sweet it was when I landed a 19-inch
brown out of a meadow pool on the Gibbon River, a short hike from the
campground. Later that evening I cast to the same trailing piece of grass, the
exact same spot, and pulled in an 18-inch rainbow.
One
of my sons was horrified a few years ago when he found the photographs of me
holding up those bloody corpses. I explained to him the mentality of those days
and quickly shared with him my conversion during that same year. I suppose as a
final act of contrition I should burn the photographs, but I have put off that
decision for lat-er. Ten years later I moved to Jackson, Wyoming, and I had
another great Yellowstone fishing experience, which I will always treasure. I
backpacked to the outlet of Heart Lake as a fishing guide and leader of five
teenage boys.
The
last trail hike I had made was as a Boy Scout. My pack was an old hand-me-down
from my father, and it didn't have a padded hip belt. We had reserved the last
campground at the outlet of Heart Lake. Getting a late start, we arrived at the
ranger station on the lake and made arrangements to sleep at a mid-way
campsite. One of my attendees had just leaned over the lake to scoop up a
handful of water, and his sleeping bag fell into the lake. It slowly expanded
with water like a graham cracker in milk.
It
was mid-June and cold. During the day I had already lightened the load of one
boy's pack, and I was exhausted. That night I lay in a small tent with nothing
to keep me warm but my clothes. I was shivering. Giving up my sleeping bag to
the youth was my responsibility, and I had no bitterness until early in the
morning when I was shaking terribly from the cold. This homophobic young man in
my warm sleeping bag wouldn't let me get near him!
The
next day four of the boys pulled off the trail a mile from the campsite to fish
the rising sippers on the lake. I was stuck with the frail young man who by
this time had passed on the remaining heavy items from his pack to mine.
Arriving at the camp we were so exhausted that all we could do was collapse to
the ground. The youth was so exhausted that he didn't bother extricating
himself from his nearly empty pack. We were just a few feet away from the
outlet creek. The boy turned to me and said, "I'll never do this again for the
rest of my life. I'm sorry you had to carry all my stuff."
"It's
ok," I said. "And just for the record, I've decided that I'll never backpack
again for the rest of my life! My feet are killing me, but I'm too pooped to
take off my boots."
Suddenly,
a cannonball dropped into the small creek beside us. Thinking the troop was
behind us up the slope, I yelled out, "Knock it off!" When the next rock
slammed the water, we waited, but there was no response.
The
young man, struggling out of his pack, looked up the slope and then gazed at
the water. "Dave, those aren't rocks. They're fish. They're huge fish. They're
feeding right in front of us, Dave."
"Go
ahead, sport. They're all yours," I said.
"Maybe
later," the lad replied. Within two seconds of this arcane conversation, we
were both energized and racing to present the first cast. Within the next hour
or two, we had both landed seven or eight spawners returning to the lake. All
of these fish ranged in size from 18 to 20 inches, and all of them were caught
on size 12 attractor patterns. At the outlet, I caught and measured a 24-inch
male that I landed on a small Muddler. All of the fish were caught along a
quarter-mile, flat stretch of water before the creek plummeted down the canyon.
The remaining young men boisterously appeared a few hours later bragging about
catching a ton of 16-inch cuts along the shoreline. We nonchalantly told our
tale, which earned nothing but hoots of derision.
For
the next two days we caught the same fish and more. Each time one of us stalked
the water's edge, we had to scale back our offerings until the last fish landed
was caught on a size 20 Adams. I will never forget those two days.
Few
co-ed sports or activities exist free of sexual tension. If social scientists
are correct in their assertion that humans dwell on sex, in some form, six to
10 times an hour, few co-educational activities escape this human tendency for
mischief, miscommunication and wanton reveries of the mind. Fly-fishing, on the
other hand, is as pure and tension-free as one can imagine. An increasing
number of women are joining the ranks of fishermen, creating such gender free
words as fly fishers and just plain fishers.
Any
fly fisherman worth his salt will confirm the intense concentration one must
possess with a well-presented fly on or under the water. This rapt attention
precludes any possibility of conjuring a sexual image or a dalliance of the
mind. If you have reached your 50s and wear trifocals like I do, you will
confirm my assertion that a day on the water casting precludes any chance for
the mind to wander, even if you are surrounded by a bevy of beauties from a famous
modeling agency in New York.
A
number of years ago I was hired to join about five other guides to guide a
number of models from a famous New York agency who were guests on a rather
exclusive ranch in western Montana.
We were told that only a couple of them had
ever fished, but all of them wanted a float fishing trip rather than a scenic
float trip. We chuckled and joked about the daunting challenge of instructing
the nuances of fly-fishing to pampered models, models who most likely had not
had an outdoor adventure in years. After checking over miscellaneous equipment,
we waited for our cover-girl clients. Leaning against the rafts and drift
boats, the guides started reminiscing about celebrities and movie stars they
had guided. I remember being quite surprised with the list. Finally, the models
arrived. We were shocked. In moments each of the guides had regained his
composure. We promptly went to work preparing our assigned beauty with both
equipment and advice.
Proclaimed
as some of the most beautiful women in the world, they presented themselves.
They were strikingly plain-looking. Perhaps it was a joke, I thought to myself.
Uncombed hair, no mascara, and zinc oxide in place of lipstick, these
cover-page women further disguised themselves in old shirts and pants that I
wouldn't have bothered to save for a fiberglass boat project. They joined us
for a day of float fishing on Montana's famous Rock Creek. Gender issues
slipped into the curling foam on the backwater eddy, as we slipped our crafts
into the current and began our search for sipping rainbows. Floppy hats, bulky
vests, ballooning waders and polarized sunglasses keep men and women focused on
life's second-greatest pleasure.
After huffing
and puffing up through a series of switchbacks and then hacking my way down a
steep canyon with downfall (an apt description), I was poised for my first cast
at what looked like my only opportunity after such an arduous descent. The
creek was raging, and I could see that it was still too early to wade up the
creek and avoid the brush and downed lodge pole. Stepping into the creek, I
made my first cast, and my faithful Labrador mistook the move for a crossing.
Later I recalled reading about Jack London's dog Buck in Call of the Wild. In a
demonstration of obedience, Buck almost plunges over a cliff.
Shadow is not
nearly so dutiful; she is more on the impetuous side. In she plunged at the
worst place. Shocked, I stood powerless to help as she tumbled and glided
through a series of falls and chutes. Swinging to the far side about 20 yards
down the creek, she reminded me of an Olympian kayaker. She didn't whine, but
her forlorn look and those droopy wet ears clearly communicated that we were
separated, and she wanted me on her side of the "Creek of No Return".
The far side
provided three or four separate pockets to fish. In a space of 40 yards I
caught six fish, the largest a 12-inch German brown. I also landed a 10-inch
rainbow and four very small cutthroats. Satisfied, I looked for a crossing,
knowing I would be back later in the month when I could stay in the creek and
have more freedom of movement. Shadow refused to cross at the spot I selected
and we subsequently lost considerable ground. Although it was less harrowing
than her first crossing, I was still concerned for her. She appeared to shake
both the water and the experience off as she lunged up the mountain with her
faithful master huffing and puffing behind her. Up the mountain she would run
and then back down to stop in front of me with tilted head. I couldn't tell if
she was giving me a look of kindness or pity as I groped for every lodgepole in
my reach.
When two
four-legged animals come face-to-face on a precipitous trail at a blind spot,
you have the makings of a high-country rodeo. Shadow, my black Lab, let out an
alarmed woof. The mounted rider in the rear yelled, "Bear!" The horse
reared, the rider grabbed the pommel with both hands, and I flashed forward to
a courtroom where the first question asked of me was, "Did you have your
dog on a leash and under control?"
"But your
honor, not all the blame should rest solely on my shoulders. Shouldn't there be
some shared responsibility with the wife who mistook my Labrador retriever who
weighs 80 pounds for a premature grizzly release? And what about the husband?
What's a pampered, citified horse doing on Bass Creek Trail? And what about
Shadow? Doesn't she have the right to let out a choked snort when confronted by
an alien sighting? Why, the man had on a huge white Stetson, a scarf and a John
Wayne shirt with a string of buttons in a figure seven configuration!"
I wish I could
say I made it all up, but it happened. I was horrified as I watched the horse
spin on the up side of the trail with the rider holding on for dear life. I
walked to higher ground where the horse could see us and talked to the two
riders, but the horses were in a panic and would not come up the trail. I
quickly leashed Shadow and walked down the trail, and all was well. The husband
was apologetic for his horse, saying the horse had been trained around dogs and
shouldn't have reacted. I was feeling much relieved when he openly confessed to
his share of the responsibility. It seems that he had just looked down the
cliff and thought to himself, "Oh, please, God, don't let me run into
anyone on this spot." Suddenly Shadow appeared, his wife yelled,
"Bear!" and he spooked an already panicked horse that was suffering
from altitude sickness.
Bass Creek Lake
trail winds up the canyon for eight miles to the lake at an altitude rise of
over 3,000 feet, according to another middle-aged hiker I met. I planned a
one-night stay-over, and in retrospect I made the right decision. The lake was
not at all as accommodating as Big Creek Lakes, my previous summer trek. I was
too exhausted to hike to the back of the lake in search of a relatively flat
6X6 spot to pitch camp, so I joined the other two hikers and set up my camp on
the level top of the earthen dam.
On the way back
down I fished the creek in a beautiful park setting, but between the flies and
the mosquitoes, we were punished severely for my off-trail fishing adventure.
Sitting on a log in the middle of the tiny creek, I caught five small
cutthroats, about the same size and the same number I had caught on the lake
the previous evening. What Bass Creek lacks in fishing prospects, compared to
the other creeks in the area like Kootenai Creek, it makes up for in scenery.
One hour up the trail is a great picnic spot where the creek flattens out above
an old timbered dam. The water is shallow, and it makes for a great day's
outing for children. If you have never taken an evening stroll along one of
these creeks, do so and discover the Bitterroot wilderness.
Note: The following information was
taken from the Waterton Glacier Guide, which is given to each Park visitor. You
may request a copy by writing Glacier National Park, West Glacier, MT 59936 or
by calling (406) 888-7800. Visit their web site at www.nps.gov/glac for
up-to-date information.
"Campgrounds
in Glacier provide just over 1,000 camp-sites. Most are available on a
'first-come, first-served' basis. Fish Creek and St. Mary campgrounds may be
reserved ahead through the National Park Service Registration System by calling
800-365-CAMP.
"Campsites
are limited to 8 people and 2 vehicles per site. Most campgrounds have drinking
water, restrooms with flush toilets, and cold running water. Utility hookups
are not available."
Apgar: The campground opens
May 7 and closes October 18. There are a total of 196 sites; 25 sites are
set aside for RVs. The campground offers flush toilets and a disposal
station.
Avalanche: The campground
opens June 18 and closes September 7. There are a total of 87 sites; 50
sites have lengths of 26 feet. The campground offers flush toilets but no
disposal station.
Bowman Lake: The campground
opens May 14 and closes September 15. Bowman offers 48 camping sites, but
RVs are not recommended (primitive road).
Cut Bank: The campground
opens May 8 and closes September 13. Cut Bank has 19 sites, but RVs are
not recommended.
Fish Creek: The campground
opens June 1 and closes September 7. Offering 180 sites, three sites
provide a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station
are provided.
Kintla Lake: The campground
opens May 21 and closes September 15. The campground offers 13 sites, but
RVs are not recommended.
Logging Lake: The campground
opens July 1 and closes September 7. Logging Lake has eight campsites, but
RVs are not recommended.
Many Glacier: The campground
opens May 28 and closes September 22. Offering 110 campsites, 13 sites
have a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal are
provided.
Quartz Creek: The campground
opens July 1 and closes September 7. Quartz Creek has 7 camping sites, but
RVs are not recommended.
Rising Sun: The campground
opens May 28 and closes September 23. Offering 83 campsites, three sites
have a maximum length of 30 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are
provided.
Sprague Creek: The campground
opens May 21 and closes September 27. The campground offers 25 sites, but
no towing units are allowed. Flush toilets are pro-vided.
St. Mary: The campground
opens May 28 and closes September 13. Offering 148 campsites, 25 sites
have a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are
provided.
Two Medicine: The campground
opens May 28 and closes September 13. Offering 99 campsites, 13 sites have
a maximum length of 32 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are
provided.
Covering
1,584 square miles of majestic mountains and icy glaciers, the mountainous
wonders of Glacier National Park are viewed by over two million visitors a
year. Unlike Yellowstone National Park, which is a mecca for fly fishers from
all around the country, Glacier National Park does not host legendary Montana
trout fishing rivers and streams like the rivers draining out of Yellowstone
National Park.
Float fishers, however, will be delighted with the stunning
scenery and good fishing that the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead
River provides. These forks serve as the Park boundaries. Glacier does offer
good fishing opportunities in over 50 lakes for those fishers who are willing to
trek four to six miles or more into the interior lakes. Consider the added
pleasure of fishing a bonus to a scenic hike into the wilder-ness. When fishing
high mountain lakes, anglers should prepare themselves for the fickle variance
of weather and finicky trout. As with most day-hike fishing trips, the fishing
generally picks up towards evening when you are arriving back at your vehicle.
Since
the late 1960s, Glacier National Park has not stocked trout, preferring to
enhance and protect native species such as cutthroat, lake trout, bull trout
and Arctic grayling. Thirty years later, Park anglers enjoy the fruits of a
more natural ecology. With this opportunity comes the responsibility for
preserving and maintaining these wild trout populations. Please consider
adopting the practice of catch-and-release and using single, barbless hooks. A
secondary incentive for this conservation practice is that you further protect
yourself from curious bears and their incredible olfactory powers.
Although
I have included some backcountry trips with my donkey Buddy, my basic goal in
this guidebook is to cover backcountry lakes that may be reached in a day hike.
When I decided to expand this book, I resolved to person-ally fish most of the
waters covered in this book. However, sometimes goals are quickly modified with
a dose of reality. Glacier National Park has just too many lakes to cover in
two or three summers. Many of the lakes covered in this book I did not fish,
especially the larger lakes, which are fished best from a boat; some of the
lakes I fished for a short time before heading back down the trail. Hard hikes
of six or seven miles I passed up, preferring to gather information from other
fishing and hiking books on Glacier.
For those of you who prefer to backpack and
fish the backcountry lakes, I would recommend Russ Schneider's book, Fishing
Glacier National Park (ISBN: 1-56044-626-9). Another book that I recommend is
Hiker's Guide to Glacier National Park, which is published by the Glacier
Natural History Association in cooperation with the National Park Service
(ISBN: 0-915030-24-1).
Fishing Tips for Glacier National Park
Most
of the Park's smaller lakes are home to brook trout, cutthroat and bull trout.
Cutthroat will generally cruise along the shoreline during the day, providing
opportunities for the fly fisher. With the approach of dusk, however, the spin
fisher will have the advantage by tossing a water-filled bubble far out into
the lake and slowly reeling in a small nymph such as a Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear,
a Zug Bug, a bead-head Prince or a drowned Elk Hair Caddis. Backpackers with
belly boats and flippers will find greater opportunities for those trout
cruising just out of range from the shore. If you are a spin fisher, small
popular lures such as Mepps, Thomas Cyclone, Rappala and Daredevils are Park
standards, as they are for most trout lakes.
If
you are new to fly-fishing on a lake, I would suggest carrying an assortment of
size 16 and 18 dry fly standards such as a yellow Humpy, Parachute Adams, Royal
Wulffs, Renegades and Elk Hair Caddis. If you are fishing the outlet of a lake,
be sure to have some ant and beetle patterns for late in the summer. Finally,
be sure your fly box has a few Girdle Bugs and streamers. One of the best sources
for fly fishing high-elevation mountain lakes is Gary LaFontaine's book, Fly
Fishing the Mountain Lakes. Glacier National Park provides excellent cutthroat
fishing in the North Fork of the Flathead River and the Middle Fork of the
Flathead River.
Be
sure to read the fishing regulations carefully. Keep in mind that your best
source of fishing information is often the Park rangers, as Glacier has no
stocking pro-grams, and trout populations are adversely impacted by harsh
winters. Additionally, trails are often closed due to bear activity or snow
conditions. Many of the higher elevation lakes are not reached or fishable
until early to mid-July. Be sure to bring bug spray, and for some lakes a
mosquito net is essential early in the summer. Regarding the Park's policy on
stocking trout, "the National Park Service no longer plants fish in Park
waters... The reason is simple. The introduction of exotic game fishes was found
to be detrimental to Glacier's native fishes. Predation and competition for
space and food adversely affected several native species, and hybridization
between indigenous and non-native species of fish also occurred. The native
westslope cutthroat trout has been all but eliminated from several lakes, where
it was once the dominant species. Today the National Park Service is engaged in
fisheries research to determine the extent of damage to native fish
populations, and to explore possible means for re-establishing native fishes in
some waters where they have been eliminated or replaced by hybrid
populations...for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations." -Park
newsletter
Glacier National Park's Boundary Waters
Floating the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Flathead
River
The
combined area of Glacier National Park and the Flat-head National Forest will
keep any angler busy with over 2,000 miles of streams and more than 900 lakes,
most of which provide naturally-reproducing trout. The Flathead River has been
designated as a National Wild and Scenic River, which Congress declared "shall
be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate
environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and
future generations...."
The
three forks of the Flathead River testify to the raw force of nature and qualify
as part of the National Scenic River Act. Essentially a migratory fishery out
of Flathead Lake, the forks of the Flathead River offer unspoiled beauty. With
one look at the high water marks and the scrubbed riverbed, a fisher will know
immediately why he or she is sharing the river with white-water rafters and
kayakers.
Basically
the force of spring run-off in glaciated country dooms the forks to a
nutrient-deficient environment. This in turn impacts the insect hatches and
limits the opportunity for resident trout populations. For the wade angler, all
three forks have limited accessibility due to steep canyons and private
property on the North Fork and the Middle Fork.
Rafters
should have white-water experience before they attempt float fishing any one of
the three forks. Some of the coldest river water in the state is found on the
South Fork and the North Fork. Rafters need to be properly equipped,
experienced and prepared. Although low water levels appear by mid-August, each
of the forks offers class II and III spots that can sneak up on rafters intent
on catching fish.
The
International Scale for River Difficulty grades water based on the
characteristics and action of the water as well as how much maneuvering is
called for in a given passage. The North Fork, after high water, is generally a
Class II water, although some dangerous Class III water may be found between
Big Creek and Glacier Rim.
The Middle Fork offers Class IV and V whitewater in
certain stretches during high water. The South Fork below Spotted Bear is
generally rated Class II and III. I highly recommend the guide "Three Forks of
the Flathead River - Floating Guide", published by the Glacier Natural History
Association in cooperation with the Flathead National Forest and Glacier
National Park. I would also recommend the Montana Afloat river maps, which may
be purchased at most of the local fly shops.
At
this point I need to add a disclaimer. My descriptions of the forks of the
Flathead River are taken from numerous public sources and are not intended as a
reliable river guide. I have never floated any section that is rated over class
III.
Anyone attempting to float these rivers should contact local experts.
Finally, float fishers should have a clear understanding of their own boating
capabilities and never attempt to float and fish waters beyond their
capabilities. Many float fishers have never practiced self-rescue, nor are they
trained in rescue skills, CPR or first aid. I am always amazed at how poorly
prepared many floaters are in pre-paring for a fishing trip. In truth, I, too,
have been careless in preparing for some outings. Knowing the responsibility
that I owe all of my passengers, it always makes me feel a little uneasy when I
find I have missed an item or two. Float fishers should always have the
following items in their raft or drift boat.
Any
family member who has lost a loved one from a boating accident will implore you
to insist that every passenger wear an approved life jacket. Keep a lifeline
handy at all times as well as a spare oar. Bring along plenty of rope and a
first aid kit. A dry bag for extra clothes is essential. Keep this bag where it
can be easily grabbed. Add to this bag the necessary provisions for starting a
fire, and be sure to throw in some extra batteries for the flashlight. For
years I carried a flare in my dry bag when I floated in the late fall or
winter. A flare is a quick fire starter. Beware of the vagaries of weather.
Hypothermia is always a present danger in Montana. Even water temperatures in
the high 50s can drain one's strength and rob the body of heat loss. A good
knife and a fold-up saw are essential. The biggest safety tip is the most
obvious and most often overlooked: the oarsman should be completely sober and
alert at all times. This means scanning the river ahead 100 yards at a time and
pulling over to scout any difficult passage. As the accompanying photograph
attests, taking your eyes of the river or helping a buddy land a fish is the
primary factor in many river accidents.
I
once watched a man excitedly fishing a pod of rising rainbows. He had turned
his gaze behind the boat and was attempting to catch one of the sippers behind
him. The sweeper, a tall cottonwood tree stretching out into the river, was
clearly visible for 200 yards. I yelled at the man, but I was too far back, and
my voice did not carry. The tree flipped him out of his small boat and dumped
him into the chilly waters in one quick motion. Although I can not claim to
have rescued him, he was extremely grateful when I came along and provided him
with warm clothes and helped him to aright his boat. I wish I could be smug and
arrogant, but I, too, was once a fool and flipped a raft with two anglers. The
following is a paraphrased American version of the International Scale for
River Difficulty.
International Scale for River Difficulty
Class I: Very easy - Class I water
provides small, regular waves with few obstacles. Very little maneuvering is
necessary.
Class II: Novice
- Class II water requires some maneuvering but medium-sized waves are
avoidable.
Class III: Intermediate
- Class III water offers numerous waves, narrow passages and precise
maneuvering to avoid large waves, rocks or sweepers. Scouting may be required.
Boat fishers with little river experience should not attempt Class III waters.
Class IV: Advanced
- Class IV challenges kayakers with in-tense rapids, abrupt bends, narrow
passages, and precise maneuvering. Precision maneuvers are required with no
options! Scouting is usually required, and self-rescue may be difficult. Class V: Expert
- Class V water clearly raises the level of risk for kayakers with long rapids,
wild turbulence and extremely congested routes. Complex maneuvering requires
scouting.
Class VI: Extreme-Limits of
Navigation - Nearly impossible and a definite hazard to life.
Note: A detailed, spiral-bound series of maps of all three forks may be
purchased at the following information centers:
Glacier View Ranger District 774 Railroad Street EN Columbia Falls, MT 59912 Information: (406) 892-4372
Fishing
in Glacier National Park presents some risks. Of serious concern is preparing
for the weather. Summer temperatures may range in the high 80s to low 90s. A
common axiom in the mountain communities of Montana is that if you don't like
the weather, stick around another 15 minutes! The summer rainfall averages two
inches per month. More importantly, daytime temperatures can plummet with the
arrival of storm clouds, regardless of how warm the day starts. The eastern
border of the Park along the Rocky Mountain Front is always subject to wind
blowing up through the canyons across the lakes. It is not uncommon for overnight
lows to drop below freezing anywhere in the Park. In August of 1992, a foot of
snow fell on the northeastern section of the Park. Dress in layers and always
carry raingear. Another safety concern is contact with bears. The risks of
coming in contact with a bear may be minimized with prudent and precautionary
behavior. BEAR in mind, of course, that the fickle finger of fate will
inevitably point to one of us sooner or later.
However, the statistics of bear
attacks per Park visitations should provide comfort. Unfortunately, just prior
to my first trek into bear country my neighbor kindly loaned me the book Mark
of the Grizzly. I had already incurred some trepidation when I met a coroner,
whose duties include deaths in Glacier National Park. I met the man at a Mule
and Donkey Show in Drummond, Montana. He told me he wouldn't think about taking
his family into the backcountry of Glacier, preferring instead to ride and hike
in the Mission Mountains. Take the time to read the Park literature on bears.
Your chances of being attacked by a bear are about one in a million. The odds
are greater that you will be struck by lightning while hiking in the Park. But
when there is lightning in the area, I don't stand around smelling the ozone.
Read all the Park advisories on avoiding bears. Here are some suggestions taken
from the Waterton-Glacier Guide that each Park visitor receives.
"If
you surprise a bear, here are a few guidelines to follow that may help:
Talk quietly or not at all;
the time to make loud noise is before you encounter a bear. Try to detour
around the bear if possible.
Do not run! Back away slowly,
but stop if it seems to agitate the bear.
Assume a non-threatening
posture. Turn sideways, or bend at the knees to appear smaller.
Use peripheral vision. Bears
appear to interpret direct eye contact as threatening.
Drop something (not food) to
distract the bear. Keep your pack on for protection in case of an attack.
If a bear attacks and you
have pepper spray, use it!
If the bear makes contact,
protect your chest and abdomen by falling to the ground on your stomach,
or assuming a fetal position to reduce the severity of the attack. Cover
the back of your neck with your hands. Do not move until you are certain
the bear has left....
If you are attacked at night,
or if you feel you have been stalked and attacked as prey, try to escape.
If you cannot escape, or if the bear follows, use pepper spray, or shout
and try to intimidate the bear with a branch or rock. Do whatever it takes
to let the bear know you are not easy prey."
Because
bears have an incredible sense of smell, Park guidelines remind fishers to use
garbage cans to dispose of entrails. "When cleaning fish in the backcountry,
puncture the air bladder, and throw entrails deep into water at least 200 feet
from the nearest campsite or trail. Do not bury or burn entrails, as they will
attract bears."
Finally,
be sure to bring along plenty of mosquito repellant, a face net and a raincoat
to protect yourself against pests and the elements. -Park newsletter
Campgrounds in Glacier National Park
Note: The following information was
taken from the Waterton Glacier Guide, which is given to each Park visitor. You
may request a copy by writing Glacier National Park, West Glacier, MT 59936 or
by calling (406) 888-7800. Visit their web site at www.nps.gov/glac for
up-to-date information.
"Campgrounds
in Glacier provide just over 1,000 camp-sites. Most are available on a
'first-come, first-served' basis. Fish Creek and St. Mary campgrounds may be
reserved ahead through the National Park Service Registration System by calling
800-365-CAMP.
"Campsites
are limited to 8 people and 2 vehicles per site. Most campgrounds have drinking
water, restrooms with flush toilets, and cold running water. Utility hookups
are not available."
Apgar: The campground opens
May 7 and closes October 18. There are a total of 196 sites; 25 sites are
set aside for RVs. The campground offers flush toilets and a disposal
station.
Avalanche: The campground
opens June 18 and closes September 7. There are a total of 87 sites; 50
sites have lengths of 26 feet. The campground offers flush toilets but no
disposal station.
Bowman Lake: The campground
opens May 14 and closes September 15. Bowman offers 48 camping sites, but
RVs are not recommended (primitive road).
Cut Bank: The campground
opens May 8 and closes September 13. Cut Bank has 19 sites, but RVs are
not recommended.
Fish Creek: The campground
opens June 1 and closes September 7. Offering 180 sites, three sites
provide a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station
are provided.
Kintla Lake: The campground
opens May 21 and closes September 15. The campground offers 13 sites, but
RVs are not recommended.
Logging Lake: The campground
opens July 1 and closes September 7. Logging Lake has eight campsites, but
RVs are not recommended.
Many Glacier: The campground
opens May 28 and closes September 22. Offering 110 campsites, 13 sites
have a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal are
provided.
Quartz Creek: The campground
opens July 1 and closes September 7. Quartz Creek has 7 camping sites, but
RVs are not recommended.
Rising Sun: The campground
opens May 28 and closes September 23. Offering 83 campsites, three sites
have a maximum length of 30 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are
provided.
Sprague Creek: The campground
opens May 21 and closes September 27. The campground offers 25 sites, but
no towing units are allowed. Flush toilets are pro-vided.
St. Mary: The campground
opens May 28 and closes September 13. Offering 148 campsites, 25 sites
have a maximum length of 35 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are
provided.
Two Medicine: The campground
opens May 28 and closes September 13. Offering 99 campsites, 13 sites have
a maximum length of 32 feet. Flush toilets and a disposal station are
provided.
General location: The North Fork of
the Flathead River serves as Glacier National Park's western boundary. The
North Fork is 22 miles north of Columbia Falls, Montana. Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 Fishing conditions and species:
bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish Special restrictions:
If you fish the west bank, you will need a Montana license. Within the Park you
must carry in your possession a copy of the regulations. Cutthroats are
protected and must be released. Regional Forest Service info: (406) 387-3800
The
North Fork originates in Canada, with the east shore being the border of
Glacier National Park. Access for the wade fisher is somewhat limited as the
road parallels the river high up the mountain sides in places. Wade fishers are
limited to six public access points on the North Fork Road: Canadian Border,
Ford, Polebridge, Big Creek, Glacier Rim and Blankenship Bridge. A few
undeveloped sites offer ac-cess to the river as well. One such access point is
at Moose Creek above Polebridge and at the bridge crossing for Coal Creek,
which is 5.8 miles north of the Camas Creek Entrance. The Coal Banks offers
primitive camping and a primitive boat launch.
Keep in mind, however, that
access points on the North Fork may also be reached from the Inside North Fork
Road inside the Park both above Polebridge and below it. Regardless of which
road you select, plan on a bumpy, dusty slow ride north of the Camas Creek
Entrance. Big Creek, a few miles from the Camas Creek Entrance, offers the only
developed campground on the North Fork. The campground is a fee campground and
includes a non-fee picnic site and a boat launch. The campground offers 22
campsites, toilets, water, an RV dump station and a swim-ming area. Inside the
Park, the campgrounds at Quartz Creek and Logging Creek are a distance from the
river.
Pick
up the North Fork Road inside the Park at the Fish Creek Campground, which is
2.5 miles from the T-intersection at the Apgar Entrance. The Park's North Fork
Road is "maintained in primitive condition" and the speed limit is 20 mph.
Trailers and large RVs are discouraged from using the road. From Fish Creek
Campground to Polebridge is 27 miles; Bowman Lake is 33 miles and Kintla Lake
is 43 miles.
Although
the North Fork is home to some huge bull trout on their spawning runs between
July and October, the majority of the trout will be migratory cutthroats from 8
to 10-inches moving up and down the river between April and August.
The North
Fork is heavily silted and appears more turquoise in color than the Middle Fork
and the South Fork. To reach the North Fork, turn onto Nucleus Street in
Columbia Falls. Follow the signs to Glacier National Park, a distance of 22
miles.
Access
above the Park entrance is limited due to private property. The first float
section is from the border to Ford Access, a distance of 14 miles with a Class
II rating. From the Ford Access to Polebridge is 11 river miles and is rated
Class II. From Polebridge to Big Creek is 18 miles and is rated as Class II.
The next float, from Big Creek to Glacier Rim, is probably the most popular
float among the local guides. It is 12 miles and is rated Class II and III. The
last float, a short four miles, is from Glacier Rim to Blankenship Bridge and
is Class I.
The Blankenship Bridge turn-off is before the Glacier Rim Access.
The bridge is located just below the confluence of the North Fork and the
Middle Fork. On one side of the bridge is a boat launch, and on the other side
is a county non-fee campground. Blankenship Bridge may also be reached from
Highway 2 above Coram. (Look for mileage marker 148. Take the second left after
the marker (148.3). When you reach a hairpin turn, bear left and head down the
mountain. From the highway to the bridge is 3.8 miles.)
General location: The Middle Fork of
the Flathead River serves as Glacier National Park's southwestern boundary. The
Middle Fork is south of the West Entrance on Highway 2. Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p
83-84 (ISBN 0-89933-226-9) Fishing conditions and species:
bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish Special restrictions:
If you fish the Montana side, you will need a Montana license. Within the Park
you must carry in your possession a copy of the regulations. Cutthroats are
protected and must be released.
The
only campground in the area is the non-fee camp-ground at Devil Creek. The
campground is 38 miles from the entrance to the Park.
The Middle Fork of the Flathead River By Steve Smith
When
was the last time you fished a river and a grizzly bear swam in front of your
boat? Or you came away from the day amazed that fish would live in such fast
water, let alone be able to see and rise to your fly as it sped by them? Or you
wondered whether you had fished during a whitewater trip or shot some rapids
while fishing? And maybe at the end of the day you exclaim, "Holy cow, it has
been such a great day, it wouldn't have mattered if we didn't catch a fish at
all" (even though you wouldn't re-ally mean that).
The
Middle Fork of the Flathead River punches its way through the mountains of
northwest Montana. From its beginnings in the Great Bear Wilderness area, the
Middle Fork offers a unique blend of scenery, wildlife and fishing in uncrowded
and pristine surroundings. From Bear Creek, where the river leaves the Great
Bear 45 miles downstream, to Blankenship Bridge, the river separates Glacier
National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (of which the Great Bear
is a component). Highway 2 and the Burlington Northern Railway run through the
canyon cut by the river, though they seldom impose on it.
The
Middle Fork is a freestone stream. Freestone streams are not overly rich in
nutrients, so the Middle Fork doesn't boast prolific insect hatches or even
predictable ones. What it lacks in numbers of insects, it makes up for by
supporting one of the most diverse arrays of aquatic insects in the lower 48
states. Understanding this is the key to success on the Middle Fork.
The
fish on the Middle Fork, primarily native westslope cutthroat trout and a
growing wild rainbow population, thrive in the cool, clear and fast water of
the river. They are accustomed to seeing all sorts of insects shooting by them
in the current at a high rate of speed.
Envision
a native cut-throat lying on the bottom just downstream of a fast riffle
waiting for the cur-rent to wash feed down to it. The trout snatches up a
stonefly nymph, scrambling along the bottom. Next, an emerging mayfly suspended
mid-depth floats by and is devoured. Then an adult caddis fly, bobbing along in
the choppy water on top, goes flashing by, and the cutthroat goes for it. What
the trout may not distinguish in its rush to swallow whatever feed the current
delivers is that the caddis fly is a number 12 Elk Hair Caddis on the end of
your tippet. The fish, forever famished, doesn't have the luxury of an in-depth
analysis on the Middle Fork. Chuck out a high-riding dry fly into choppy water,
mend like crazy and pay attention.
Westslope
cutthroat trout are indigenous to the river. The higher up the river, the more
you will find. The rainbow trout population is self-sustaining now and is
considered wild. The rainbows and cutthroats can inter-breed, resulting in the
"cuttbow"hybrid. Bull trout also are native to the river. Sadly, sediments from
logging roads have destroyed spawning habitats and heavy fishing pressure has
combined to dwindle the reserves of this fishery so that it is now illegal to
even fish for bull trout. Care must be exercised to properly identify fish
caught on the Middle Fork. Bull trout are often mistaken for brook and lake
trout which also inhabit these waters.
The
Middle Fork is included in the wild and scenic river system and so is looked
after by the U.S. Forest Service. Remember that the north bank of the river is
the boundary of Glacier National Park, which has a separate set of regulations
concerning camping and other activities.
Access
to the river is good, although a four-wheel drive vehicle is handy for some
boat launches. Bear Creek is the highest access point along Highway 2. Below
that is a rough, sandy access by the bridge at Walton. Paola Creek access is
downstream, followed by Cascadilla Creek access, Moccasin Creek access (the beginning
of the eight-mile Class III whitewater section and the most heavily used), then
the West Glacier access and finally, Blankenship Bridge, where the Middle Fork
joins the North Fork of the Flathead River. An excellent map of the entire
Flathead River system is available at the Forest Service station in Hungry
Horse.
Wade
fishing the Middle Fork, while possible, is limited by fast water and deep
pools between the runs. The best way to fish it is to cover some water, and for
this there is no finer boat than the McKenzie River boat. Whatever craft you
choose (don't even think about a canoe), be advised that even outside of the
white-water section, the Middle Fork is a fast, powerful, cold and remote
river. Blind bends, rock-choked chutes and numerous downed trees make the river
pilot's job a demanding and serious one.
The
river is frequented by a variety of big game animals, and some of them have
fangs and claws. Be aware that this is bear country, and mountain lions have
also been sighted along and in the river. Seeing them safely from a McKenzie
boat (remember, rafts can pop) is a memorable addition to any fishing trip.
The
Middle Fork is a great but relatively unknown river. The combination of the
Middle Fork's scenery, wildlife, fishing opportunities and uncrowded conditions
rarely is seen in one place all at once. Kindly give plenty of room to other
people fishing; there is plenty of it on the Middle Fork.
Seasons: The
Middle Fork can fish well in April and early May when spawning runs of cutthroat
enter the river from Flathead Lake. High water generally occurs mid-May through
late June. After July 1, the fishing continues on into October. Local inquiry
of river conditions or hazards is recommended.
Fly selections:
This is easy. Anything will catch fish on the Middle Fork as long as it is well
presented. If you are un-able to make a good presentation, try dragging a nymph
in front of the boat, or let your dry fly draw under the water at the end of
your drift. While anathema to the purist, these techniques are godsends to the
novice or flustered fishing guide. It ain't pretty, but it works.
About the Author:
Smith is an advocate of small tippets, large caliber rifles, V-8 engines, and
Labrador retrievers. He aspires to one day harpoon a jet ski. He spends the
summers rowing fly fishers on the Middle Fork near West Glacier, Montana. He
and the other fine fly fishing guides of Glacier Wilderness Guides may be
reached at:
General location: The extreme
northwest section of the Park. The lake is 15 miles from the Polebridge
Entrance on a dirt road. Plan on a 40-minute drive to the lake. Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83
(ISBN 0-89933-226-9) Fishing conditions and species:
bull trout, cutthroat, kokanee, lake trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish.
Special restrictions:
No motorized boats are allowed on Kintla Lake. (Bowman Lake allows motorized
boats with no more than 10 horsepower outboard motors.) Kintla Creek between
Kintla Lake and Upper Kintla Lake is closed to fishing, as is Upper Kintla
Lake.
Kintla
Lake fishes better than Bowman Lake, offering bull trout, westslope cutthroats,
lake trout and kokanee, as well as the ubiquitous mountain whitefish. The best
fishing is from June through September. Hiking away from the campground
provides better fishing. Upper Kintla Lake is closed to fishing, but hiking the
Boulder Pass Trail to the Kintla Lake backcountry campsite provides good
fishing for those hikers who want to get away from the vehicular hum and drum
found at the outlet campground. Bring a lightweight pair of waders. Temperature
readings can change quickly, and in most places you will need to wade out a
distance to reach the deeper water and allow yourself some back casting room.
Glacier
offers advanced reservations, if you want to make plans ahead of time. You may,
however, go to the Backcountry Office in Apgar Village at the West Glacier
Entrance and sign up for "first-come" walk-in permits, or you may reserve a
backcountry site 24 hours in ad-vance for $20. The problem of dropping in and
taking what is available is that it is almost impossible to plan a loop hike or
even a sequential hike to the next logical stay. I had called ahead and found
that the Bowman Campground at Bowman Lake rarely fills up, they had a corral
for my donkey, and there was a good chance of getting a backcountry campsite at
Lower Quartz Lake. Oh, the questions I should have asked while I had that Park
employee on the phone....
Both
lakes are reached following the North Fork Road out of Columbia Falls, or by
taking the North Fork Road in the Park beginning at Fish Creek Camp-ground. The
road outside the Park is considered the best choice, unless you are traveling
to Logging Lake or want better access to the North Fork of the Flat-head. The
road out of Columbia Falls is paved to the Camas Creek Entrance. From Camas
Creek to the next Park entrance, Polebridge, is approximately 35 miles of
potholes and washboard. Most of the land adjacent to the North Fork of the
Flathead is posted, so wade fishers must be content with bridge crossings and
the occasional National Forest access. One of the best primitive access points
to the river is the Goal Banks, which is 5.8 miles north of the Camas Creek
Park En-trance.
When I researched the North Fork area, I was pulling an old
four-horse trailer that I had converted into an RV Donkey Trailer. For the
first time in my life, I became concerned about driving on a bumpy road, as I
am sure Buddy did as he sucked in the dust and braced himself at each jarring
hole. When I pulled into Polebridge, a country store and a saloon, I stopped to
ask for directions. When I got out of the truck, the trailer was draining 20
gallons of water out the door. My 20-gallon water tank had shifted, snapping a
plastic water pipe. To add to the problem, I had part of Buddy's packsaddle on
the counter top, and all the jostling had flicked the pump switch. Needless to
say, I immediately remembered that I was going to brace and block the water
tank. Alas, haste makes waste!
Bowman Lake
General location: The extreme
northwest section of the Park Maps: USGS Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9);
Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 (ISBN 0-89933-226-9) Fishing conditions and species:
bull trout, cutthroat, kokanee, lake trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish Special restrictions:
Bowman Lake allows motorized boats with no more than 10 horsepower outboard
motors. Bowman Creek above Bowman Lake is closed to fishing.
Bowman Lake, Akokala Lake and Quartz Lakes
The
road from Polebridge to Bowman Lake Camp-ground is a six-mile, winding, narrow,
bumpy road. Later I would learn that the literature describes the road as
primitive. The Park's goal is to maintain a backcountry campground limited to
small trailers and tents. The real reason, one of the volunteer Park rangers
surmised, was budget restrictions. If you are pulling a small trailer, plan on
a 30-minute drive from Polebridge to the campground. The road from Polebridge
to Kintla Lake is 15 miles and it, too, is rough, particularly the last two
miles, although the driving time is only 45 minutes. The views, however, make
the driving worthwhile. A few years ago a bridge washed out on the Canadian
side of the border, so the road from Kintla Lake no longer serves as an entry
into Canada. Discussions about reconstruction and financing have yet to be
resolved by the Canadian government.
Arriving
at Bowman Lake, pulling my monstrous RV conversion, I met the Bowman Lake
ranger. She walked me down to the corrals and told me I could camp at the
corrals with Buddy, if I thought I could make the turns. Looking down at this
cute, 23-year-old ranger with her blonde braids dangling down from her
Smokey-the-Bear hat, I said, "No problem, Little Lady," in my best John Wayne
drawl. "Why, there's no trail or road that I can't maneuver this rig."
Sacrificing
two little fir trees, the first two sharp turns down the rutted and overgrown
road were less than perfect. When I got to the corrals, I knew I was in
trouble. The corrals were straight ahead. To the left a few feet away was the
outlet creek. The "turn-around" had a stock ramp to the right. It was not a
place for a 21-foot trailer. How could I have miscalculated? Backing out
through two turns was a nightmare. Later, the pungent smell of a burned clutch
lingered as I crawled into my bed, exhausted and shaken.
Bowman Lake
Although
it provides a spectacular backdrop of glacial mountains, Bowman Lake offers
only fair fishing at best. The best fishing opportunity is trolling from a boat
or searching out deeper spots on the sides of the lake. Fishing is said to be
good if you are willing to hike to the head of the lake, or camp at the
designated backcountry campsite, Bowman Lake HD, a distance of 7.1 miles. The
foot of the lake is very shallow. The outlet, Bowman Creek, offers decent
fishing for 7- to 12-inch cutthroats.
Akokala Lake
Akokala
Lake provides an-other fishing option and backcountry camping site. The
trailhead begins right in the Bowman Lake Camp-ground. The steep 5.8-mile hike
is often plagued with blow-downs, but the rang-ers clear them as soon as they
can. The 23-acre lake provides good fishing for small cutthroats. The best
fishing, however, may be found in the three Quartz Lakes above Bowman Lake.
Lower Quartz Lake
The
next day Buddy and I headed up the trail to Lower Quartz Lake. The loop to all
three lakes covers 12.7 miles. The trailhead begins just east of the picnic
site on Bow-man Lake. Looking up the lake at the imposing Numa Peak to the west
and Rainbow Peak to the east, Cerulean Ridge appears much less intimidating to
hike. Crossing over the outlet bridge, the trail passes a ranger cabin about a
half-mile from the campground. Shortly after the cabin, the trail forks. The
trail to the right leads to Lower Quartz Lake, a distance of 3.6 miles. Taking
the left fork leads the hiker up Cerulean Ridge through a heavily-forested
trail towards the crest.
From the crest hikers may observe the natural
reforestation after the 1988 Red Bench Fire. From the fork to Quartz Lake
covers a distance of 6.6 miles, offering spectacular views. The backcountry
Quartz Lake Campground offers glacial beauty and a small beach. From Quartz
Lake Campground to Lower Quartz Campground is approximately three miles,
passing by the smaller Middle Quartz Lake.
Taking
the right fork to Lower Quartz Lake, a popular day hike, the trail climbs
steadily up many switchbacks to Quartz Ridge, where hikers can see Quartz Lake,
nestled at the base of Vulture Peak and Square Peak. The trail is quite steep,
but it is shaded almost the entire length. Huffing and puffing up the
mountainside, I was forced to take a breather when Buddy's pack slowly worked
itself off to the side and then plopped on the ground.
While I was struggling
to re-adjust everything, I heard the rhythmic synchronization of two hikers in
locomotion. "Hey, bear!" the engineer shouted out. "Hey, bear," the fireman
repeated three steps later. Two college girls steamed up the switchbacks with
full packs, while Buddy and I marveled at their progress. When they were two
switchbacks below me, I yelled out, "Just give me a second and I'll get out of
your way. I'm almost finished," as I adjusted the sleeping bag riding on top of
Buddy's sawbuck.
Not
a wheel slipped in this locomotive, nor was there the slightest pause as the
engineer's forearms shot out in a piston-like motion and the train steamed up
the trail from one switchback to another. "Hey, bear," said the engineer, and
exactly three paces later the fireman answered, "Hey, bear!" If someone above
us looked down upon Buddy's twitching ears, they could have marked the
locomotive's ascent. Rounding the switchback near us, the engineer frowned as
she broke her cadence.
"Does
he kick?" yelled out the engineer.
"No,"
I replied, and before I knew it, they had passed, forfeiting any opportunity to
say hello, or where are you heading?
"Hey,
bear!" shouted the engineer as they disappeared around the bend. I took hold of
the lead rope, clicked my tongue (the command for go), looked at the
switchbacks in front of me, and, like the little steam engine, said, "I think I
can. I think I can. I think I can."
If
you bring in stock, be sure to pack in your animal's food, as there are no
spots to graze. Be cautious in crossing the small bridges over spring seepage;
some of them are quite rotten. The area is thick with underbrush and trees
right down to the water's edge. All of the backcountry sites have a hanging
pole and an outhouse. Lower Quartz pro-vided a three-week-old sports section
and the classifieds of the Missoulian for those whose daily constitution
requires a more sedate regimen.
I
fished the outlet creek first, which flushes a surprising volume of water from
the lake down to the North Fork. Every fly fisher regales with nostalgia those
stories of fish caught on every cast. I have added another such story to my 45
years of trout fishing. Unfortunately, nary a single fish measured over 5 inches!
I fished 300 yards in beautiful water. If I didn't catch a fish on each cast, I
flipped one across the riffle or missed one, sometimes two. It reminded me of
my personal best day with a client, Sam Laurence, the founder of Budget Rental
Cars. Sam caught 97 trout in one day floating the Bitterroot River with me as
his guide. In those days my outfitter required his guides to keep a mechanical
counter.
Of the 97 trout Sam caught that day, not one exceeded 9 inches, and
most measured 5 to 7 inches. Guinness should have a record for most dinks in a
day! That evening, however, I caught a number of fat cutthroats wading out in
the lake. Although none of them were big, a number of them were around 12
inches.
After
sipping hot chocolate the following morning, and watching the steam slowly rise
and dissipate above the emerald reflection of Quartz Ridge, I re-adjusted my
attitude after a night of painfully swollen knees. Buddy minded his manners and
proudly crossed the outlet with nary a prodding, swearing or cajoling. With
just a few months training, he packed like a veteran.
Inside North Fork Road
The
road is primitive and poorly maintained. Pick up the road at Fish Creek
Campground, which is just a couple of miles from the West Glacier Entrance.
From Fish Creek Campground, Polebridge is 27 miles, Bowman Lake is 33 miles,
and Kintla Lake is 43 miles. The speed limit is 20 mph, and you will find
yourself rarely over that limit. It took me a full hour to reach Logging Lake
Campground.
Camas Creek: 6.7 miles
Crossing:
Camas Creek holds small cutthroats; however, one of the rangers I spoke with
said that a half-mile upstream there are some large beaver ponds, which provide
good fishing for larger cutthroats. From Anaconda Creek to Logging Lake is
closed to hiking or entry as some gray wolves have set up a den and need
isolation to raise their young.
Logging Lake: 18.6 miles
General location: Above the West
Glacier Entrance on the Inside North Fork Road Access: From the Logging Creek Ranger Station, take the Logging Lake
trail 4.4 miles to the lake. Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 Fish species:
bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, and whitefish Special restrictions:
Logging Creek between Logging Lake and Grace Lake is closed to fishing.
Logging
Lake offers fair fishing for cutthroats, but like most of the lakes in the
North Fork drainage, fishing from the shore is difficult. Serious fly fishers
will pack in a float tube to reach the deeper waters. From the trailhead to the
lake is 4.4 miles. The first backcountry campsite is five miles. The hike is
rated easy.
19.3 miles: Access to the North Fork
of the Flathead River
20.5 miles: Quartz Creek Campground
21.1 miles: Winona Lake (Mud Lake) The lake offers fair fishing for small cutthroats in a
mos-quito-infested haven.
27 miles: Polebridge, Montana Be sure to stop at the Polebridge Mercantile for freshly baked goodies!
One
of the most famous roads in the Rocky Mountains is the Going-to-the-Sun Road in
Glacier National Park. The road is reached shortly after entering the Park at
the West Glacier Entrance. Above Lake McDonald, you will drive past McDonald
Creek. It is beautiful, but it is generally bereft of trout with the exception
of a few migratory fish. Lake McDonald Lodge and the trailhead to Snyder Lake
is a distance of nine miles; the Avalanche Lake Trailhead is 14.7 miles;
Packer's Roost (Mineral Creek) is 20.8 miles, and St. Mary's Park Entrance is
48 miles.
McDonald Creek
General location: Just inside the
West Glacier Entrance from Lake McDonald to the Middle Fork of the Flathead
River Access: The
creek, as the outlet of Lake McDonald, may be easily accessed at Apgar, or just
after entering the Park, turn left at the Glacier Institute sign, and then turn
right towards the horse rentals and follow the signs to the Quarter-Circle
Bridge. Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83
(ISBN 0-89933-226-9) Fishing species:
brook trout, bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, rainbow trout, whitefish Special restrictions:
"Catch-and-release fishing only with single hooks: Fish caught in Lower
McDonald Creek (from the Quarter Circle Bridge and upstream, extending into
Lake McDonald for a radius of 300 feet) must be handled carefully and released
immediately to the stream or lake. No fish of any species may be in possession
at any time along this stream/lake." -Park handout
McDonald
Creek, draining McDonald Lake and entering the Middle Fork of the Flathead
River, receives a great deal of fishing pressure because of its accessibility
and scenic allure. To protect the cutthroat populations, the Park established
catch-and-release fishing restrictions using single hooks between Lake McDonald
and the Quarter-Circle Bridge. Slow, clear water provides a challenge for those
fly fishers who enjoy delicate casting with long leaders and small tippets.
McDonald
Creek above the lake, with the exception of the inlet, holds few fish and is a
waste of time fishing unless you take the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the Packer's
Roost area, which is approximately 20.8 miles. Even in this area the fishing is
rated fair to poor.
Lake McDonald
General location: McDonald Lake is
just inside the West Glacier Entrance and first viewed from the Apgar Village
Center. The Going-to-the-Sun Road follows the southern shoreline, while the
northern shoreline is traversed by trail from the Fish Creek Campground for 6.5
miles on the Lake McDonald Trail, where it meets the northern end of the lake
at the end of the North Lake McDonald Road. Camp-ers who wish to camp at a
backcountry site along this trail may camp 4.5 miles from Fish Creek Campground
at the McDonald Lake site, which offers two camping sites close to the lake. Boat access: Apgar
Visitor Center and Lake McDonald Lodge Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 Fishing conditions and species:
According to all the published reports, Lake McDonald offers poor fishing,
which is due in part to a nutrient-deficient offering from McDonald Creek. The
lake is deep, and it requires trolling from a boat with standard hardware for
brook trout, bull trout, cut-throat, lake trout and whitefish.
Going-to-the-Sun Road
One
of the most famous roads in the Rocky Mountains is the Going-to-the-Sun Road in
Glacier National Park. The road is reached shortly after entering the Park at
the West Glacier Entrance. Above Lake McDonald, you will drive past McDonald
Creek. It is beautiful, but it is generally bereft of trout with the exception
of a few migratory fish. Lake McDonald Lodge and the trailhead to Snyder Lake
is a distance of nine miles; the Avalanche Lake Trailhead is 14.7 miles;
Packer's Roost (Mineral Creek) is 20.8 miles, and St. Mary's Park Entrance is
48 miles.
McDonald Creek
General location: Just inside the
West Glacier Entrance from Lake McDonald to the Middle Fork of the Flathead
River Access: The
creek, as the outlet of Lake McDonald, may be easily accessed at Apgar, or just
after entering the Park, turn left at the Glacier Institute sign, and then turn
right towards the horse rentals and follow the signs to the Quarter-Circle
Bridge.
Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83
(ISBN 0-89933-226-9) Fishing species:
brook trout, bull trout, cutthroat, lake trout, rainbow trout, whitefish Special restrictions:
"Catch-and-release fishing only with single hooks: Fish caught in Lower
McDonald Creek (from the Quarter Circle Bridge and upstream, extending into
Lake McDonald for a radius of 300 feet) must be handled carefully and released
immediately to the stream or lake. No fish of any species may be in possession
at any time along this stream/lake." -Park handout
McDonald
Creek, draining McDonald Lake and entering the Middle Fork of the Flathead
River, receives a great deal of fishing pressure because of its accessibility
and scenic allure. To protect the cutthroat populations, the Park established
catch-and-release fishing restrictions using single hooks between Lake McDonald
and the Quarter-Circle Bridge. Slow, clear water provides a challenge for those
fly fishers who enjoy delicate casting with long leaders and small tippets.
McDonald
Creek above the lake, with the exception of the inlet, holds few fish and is a
waste of time fishing unless you take the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the Packer's
Roost area, which is approximately 20.8 miles. Even in this area the fishing is
rated fair to poor.
Lake McDonald
General location: McDonald Lake is
just inside the West Glacier Entrance and first viewed from the Apgar Village
Center. The Going-to-the-Sun Road follows the southern shoreline, while the
northern shoreline is traversed by trail from the Fish Creek Campground for 6.5
miles on the Lake McDonald Trail, where it meets the northern end of the lake
at the end of the North Lake McDonald Road. Camp-ers who wish to camp at a
backcountry site along this trail may camp 4.5 miles from Fish Creek Campground
at the McDonald Lake site, which offers two camping sites close to the lake.
Boat access: Apgar
Visitor Center and Lake McDonald Lodge Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park (ISBN 0-607-32671-9); Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 Fishing conditions and species:
According to all the published reports, Lake McDonald offers poor fishing,
which is due in part to a nutrient-deficient offering from McDonald Creek. The
lake is deep, and it requires trolling from a boat with standard hardware for
brook trout, bull trout, cut-throat, lake trout and whitefish.
Rogers Lake and Trout Lake
Directions: Turn left at the top end
of McDonald Lake one-and-a-half miles above the lodge. Once you pass some
private summer homes the road is quite primitive. The trailhead is a mile from
the highway, but it does not offer any parking, except along the side of the
road on a steep embankment above the lake. I had to drive another mile on a
dark and narrow road until I could find a place to turn my truck around. Trout
Lake is 3.7 miles from the trailhead.
The trail is difficult as it climbs straight
up two miles to the crest, and then it drops straight down 1.7 miles to Trout
Lake. Two hiking fanatics left an hour before me and met me at the crest on
their way back. They bragged about hiking to the lake in two hours and eight
minutes. It took me three hours, which included a long break at the top, as I
was exhausted and cursing the 90-degree heat. Both lakes have populations of
cutthroats, but Trout Lake is restricted to fly fishing only and is considered
the better of the two. A log jam blocks the lake outlet. If the fishing is slow
in the lake, fish the shallow water behind the log jam. Look for dark
depressions and fish those areas for easy-to-catch smaller cutthroats from 6 to
8-inches. I used small bead-head nymphs. (Back to the Going-to-the Sun
Highway.)
Snyder Creek and Snyder Lakes: 9 miles
General location: Across the
trailhead from Lake McDonald Lodge Trailhead access:
Snyder Creek is accessible from the Sperry Trailhead above Lake McDonald Lodge,
but it is an over-grown, brushy creek holding small cutthroats and brook trout.
The trail to Snyder Lake begins near the Going-to-the-Sun Road; follow the
trail past the riding stables. After about a mile and a half, the trail to
Snyder Lake continues past the Mt. Brown Lookout trail. Snyder Lake, nestled in
a small valley, offers three backcountry campsites.
Hiking conditions:
For the most part the 4.4 mile hike to Snyder Lake is a moderate hike through
heavy vegetation and forests of stately cedars, larch and Douglas fir. Early in
the season the trail can be wet and muddy. Fishing species:
Snyder Lake offers good fishing for small cutthroats in Lower Snyder Lake and
the stream between the two lakes. Upper Snyder Lake is fishless.
Fish Lake
Accessed
from the Snyder Creek Trail, Fish Lake is re-ally a small, shallow pond, which
offers poor fishing for small cutthroat trout. Fish Lake is a little more than
two miles from the trailhead.
Avalanche Lake: 14.7 miles
General location: Near Avalanche
Lake Campground on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Avalanche Lake attracts a large
number of day hikers to one of the Park's mountain jewels. The hike offers
spectacular forest green and a destination lake at only 2.9 miles.
Trailhead access:
The trail begins at Avalanche Camp-ground. Be sure to take the Avalanche Lake
Trail rather than Avalanche Trail. The Avalanche Lake Trail closely follows
Avalanche Creek, which provides photo opportunities of carved rock, moss and
moistened ferns from the mist and spray. At the head of the lake, Monument
Falls provides a picturesque backdrop. The lake's opaque color stems from the
glacial silt of Sperry Glacier.
Hiking conditions:
The hike is a fairly easy climb and then ascent to the lake. Fishing conditions and species: Day hikes of less than three miles tend
to bring about heavier fishing pressure. Avalanche Lake draws large groups of
both hikers and fishers. Nonetheless, the lake fishes well for small
cutthroats. The best fishing, naturally, is far from the maddening crowd, which
for some is out in the middle of the lake in a belly-boat.
Mineral Creek
General location: Off of the
Going-to-the-Sun Road on a spur road to Packer's Roost Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park; Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.83 Fishing species:
westslope cutthroat trout Easily accessed from the Going-to-the-Sun Road,
Mineral Creek will not make my list of favorite little creeks. The creek is not
prolific in its offerings of westslope cutthroats. Just looking at the carved
and sculpted rocks, it is a wonder the creek doesn't have a higher fish
mortality during spring run-off. Mineral Creek's cutthroats are found not in
the open pools but in the nooks and crannies where they remain protected year
round. It receives little fishing pressure, and nymphs seem to work best. But the
creek is worth visiting just for its scenic beauty. The hike is along level
ground, and it takes only an hour to reach the suspension bridge.
Directions:
Drive 5.9 miles past the Avalanche Creek bridge. Turn left onto an unmarked
dirt road. If you are coming from the Logan Pass Visitor Center, the access
road is 1.3 miles from the tunnel. Follow the dirt road to the Packer's Roost
Trailhead. Take the Flattop Mountain Trail about two miles to the suspension
bridge over Mineral Creek. You may also follow Mineral Creek a half-mile to
upper McDonald Creek, but the fishing there is said to be poor.
Hidden Lake
General location: Below the Logan
Pass Visitor Center on the Going-to-the-Sun Road
Maps: USGS
Glacier National Park; Montana Atlas and Gazetteer, p.84 Fishing species: Yellowstone cutthroat trout Special restrictions:
Fish caught in Hidden Lake and the outlet must be released. Hidden Lake is
closed to fishing during spawning season.
Driving
the Going-to-the-Sun Road to the Logan Pass Visitor Center is similar in
popularity to driving to Yellowstone's Old Faithful. In truth, I join the
masses each time on the boardwalk-guided tour, as it is breathtaking in beauty
and offers great photo opps for mountain goats and people. Be advised, however,
that the parking lot at Logan Pass Visitor Center often fills during July and
August. Plan on arriving early in the day if you want to take the three-mile
hike down to Hidden Lake, one of the highest lakes at 6,375 feet elevation. It
is a moderately difficult trail that receives a great number of visitors and
anglers each year. For that reason, the lake is restricted to
catch-and-release. The lake does provide some good opportunities for casting to
large Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Bear in mind that this is grizzly country.
Gunsight Lake: 6 miles
For
those hardy hikers looking for a high-elevation, wind-swept lake, Gunsight Lake
reportedly offers good fishing for nice-sized rainbows. The outlet creek also
offers fun fishing for smaller rainbows. The lake offers eight camping sites so
the fishing pressure late in the summer can be fairly heavy at the foot of the
lake. The trailhead begins at the Jackson Glacier Overlook below Logan Pass on
the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Follow the Piegan Pass Trail one mile down to
Deadwood Falls. Continue following the Piegan Pass Trail another mile to its
junction with the Gunsight Pass Trail. Take the Gunsight Pass Trail another
four miles to the lake.
Otokomi Lake
General location: On the
Going-to-the-Sun Road at the Rising Sun Motor Inn, 18 miles west of the Saint
Mary Visitor Center.
The
trailhead begins in the parking lot of the Rising Sun Motor Inn; follow Rose
Creek 5.1 miles to Otokomi Lake. If you do not have strong, youthful legs,
consider this hike difficult. The trail provides a strenuous hike up through
many switchbacks through stands of lodgepole pine and fir as well as meadows
and open areas, which provide a food source for bears. The lake is said to
provide fair to good fishing for cutthroats.
Like
most large lakes, Saint Mary Lake is best fished from a boat. Typically, the
best fishing is at the inlet, which is a boggy and difficult bushwhack from
Going-to-the-Sun Road. The Saint Mary River above the lake contains mostly
whitefish. Below the lake, the river is home to a variety of trout species as
well as the voracious pike. A short section of the river at the lake's outlet
to the bridge is popular.
Red Eagle Lake
Although
Red Eagle Creek is generally considered to be bereft of fish due the scouring
effects of spring run-off, Red Eagle Lake has a reputation for both scenic
beauty and big trout. The trail is basically an easy hike, but the one-way trip
is 7.8 miles. Four campsites are offered at both the head and the foot of the
lake. You will locate the trailhead just south of the Saint Mary Lake Entrance.
Just before the Entrance Station, turn south (left) on a paved road. Follow
this road for about a half-mile, and then bear right to the parking area near
an old ranger station. The trail offers spectacular scenery of snow-capped
mountains and surrounding meadows with little elevation gain. Considered to be
one of the more prolific lakes for large trout, Red Eagle Lake provides fishing
for rainbows, cutthroats and hybrids. These trout are educated trout. Belly
boats increase an angler's chance to land one of these beauties.
Eastern Entrance: Two Medicine
Take
Two Medicine Road from Highway 49 to the entrance station. If you plan on
fishing Lower Two Medicine Lake in the lower reaches, be sure to acquire a
Blackfoot Indian Reservation fishing permit.
Glacier Park Boat Company offers boat excursions at
Many Glacier, Rising Sun, Two Medicine Lake and Lake McDonald
Two Medicine Lake
Two
Medicine Lake and its adjacent lake, Pray
Lake, are less than 10 miles from the entrance station. The Two
Medicine Trail follows the northern shoreline to No Name Lake or Upper Two
Medicine Lake, a distance of 4.4 miles. Two Medicine Lake and Pray Lake hold
good-sized brook trout and rainbow trout. Two Medicine Lake is a large lake,
and high winds should be a concern for those fishing from a car-top boat or a
belly boat. Both lakes hold good-sized brook trout for experienced lake
fishers.
Upper Two Medicine Lake
Follow
the trail 4.4 miles or cut your distance in half by taking the boat tour to the
upper boat landing on Two Medicine Lake. Glacier Park Boat Company offers
cruises at 9:00, 10:30, 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00, which provides plenty of time to
fish and meet an afternoon departure. Upper Two Medicine Lake offers fair
fishing for small brook trout. The trailhead starts in the campground. No
Name Lake Trail is an optional hike, when you depart off the boat. No
Name Lake is a small lake offering fair fishing for brook trout and rainbow
trout.
Oldman Lake
Oldman
Lake has a reputation for nurturing large Yellowstone cutthroat trout and bull
trout. (Bull trout must be released.) The trail from Two Medicine Campground to
the lake is nearly seven miles, which in my mind precludes listing it as a day
hike.
Eastern Entrance: Many Glacier
Resembling
the European Alps with its stunning vistas and four glaciers, Many Glacier
Valley attracted visitors via the Great Northern Railway when Many Glacier
Hotel opened in 1914, just four years after the formation of the Park.
Branching out from the hotel, hikers, then and now, have a network of trails to
choose from for their day's outing. The hotel offers trail rides, and tour boats
run between the hotel and the upper end of Lake Josephine. Just outside the
Park entrance, the town of Babb also offers visitor services and
accommodations.
The
Many Glacier Valley offers visitors the opportunity to view wildlife such as
the powerful grizzly bear and the agile mountain goat and bighorn sheep.
Fishing opportunities include the valley lakes as well as the backcountry
lakes. However, some of the lakes, such as Upper Grinnell Lake, Iceberg Lake,
Swiftcurrent Ridge Lake, Poia Lake and Cracker Lake, are barren or closed to
fishing.
A
short distance from Swiftcurrent Lake, at the end of the road, is the trailhead
to Red Rock Lake. The hike to Red Rock Lake is three miles. It provides fishing
for brook trout. A third trail from Many Glacier leads to Fishercap Lake,
Iceberg Lake and Ptarmigan Lake. Fishercap Lake is a five-mile hike from
Swiftcurrent Campground and provides fishing for brook trout and rainbows. Pass
up the barren Iceberg Lake and plan on a hard five-mile hike to fish Ptarmigan Lake.
Lake Sherrburne
Lake
Sherrburne is actually a reservoir and provides inconsistent fishing for pike
and the occasional brook trout.
Swiftcurrent Lake
Attracting
large numbers of people at both the hotel and the campground, Swiftcurrent Lake
receives the most fishing pressure of the area lakes. The lake is home to brook
trout and kokanee and the fishing is described as fair. Beginning a half-mile
west of the hotel at a picnic site, Swiftcurrent Lake Trail #167 provides a
self-guided nature trail that circles the lake. Crossing the foot-bridge over
Grinnel Creek, Trail #180 branches off to take the hiker to Trail #171, which
follows the southern shoreline of Lake Josephine.
Lake Josephine
Less
than a mile hike from Swiftcurrent Lake, Lake Josephine provides fair fishing
for brook trout and kokanee. Hikers may choose the South Shore Lake Josephine
Trail starting at the hotel or the footpath along the north side of
Swiftcurrent Lake to the upper Swiftcurrent boat dock and then westward to Lake
Josephine.
Grinnell Lake
Lying
above Lake Josephine, Grinnell Lake may be reached following the south shore of
Lake Josephine or the northern shore. However, the fishing is said to be poor
as a result of receding glacial flow from Grinnell Glacier.
Fishercap Lake
Just
past the parking lot for the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, Fishercap Lake is easy to
reach but disappointing as a fishery, offering up small brook trout in a
shallow lake. The inlet stream and the outlet stream offer better opportunities
for faster action, albeit small fish. Fishercap Lake is the trailhead for Red
Rock Lake and Bullhead Lake.
Red Rock Lake
Because
of its two-mile hike from the parking lot of the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, Red Rock
Lake gets pounded with hardware and bait. It is said to be fair fishing for
brook trout. The final lake in this chain of lakes is Bullhead Lake, which is only 3.3 miles from the parking lot.
Again, the lake is reported as fair fishing for brook trout.
Elizabeth Lake, Cosley Lake, Glenns Lake, Mokowanis Lake
General location: The Belly River
drains the northeast section of the Park. The river flows north into Canada.
The closest community is Babb, which is nine miles north of the Saint Mary
Entrance. Overnight camping requires a permit. Elizabeth Lake is the most
popular backcountry destination both for its beauty and fishing opportunities.
For this reason hikers are restricted to only one night at Elizabeth Lake.
Trailhead access:
The trailhead is easy to locate as it is next to the Chief Mountain Custom
Office on the border. The parking lot is large and includes a hitching rail and
designated parking for stock trailers. Take Highway 89 from Saint Mary. About
four miles north of the community of Babb, turn left on Route 17, the Chief Mountain International Highway.
Hiking conditions: From the parking
lot high up on a ridge-line, the trail drops straight down a couple of miles to
the Belly River. All of the trails to the above lakes are rated easy to
moderate, with the exception of the two-mile drop to the Belly River. Except
for the trail that follows the Belly River to the Ranger Station Campground,
most of the time hikers are in and out of shade, which along with numerous
little creek crossings makes the hikes very pleasant in warmer weather. The
scenery is breathtaking.
Fishing species:
The drainage contains rainbow trout, brook trout, lake trout, arctic grayling
and whitefish.
Belly River
The
Belly River flows through a lush, narrow valley until it reaches the Ranger
Station and Gable Creek Campground. The jagged, snowcapped pinnacles provide a
panoramic sweep of the valley's promise as the trail winds in and out of
spruce, lodgepole and quaking aspen. Grass and wildflowers sway kneehigh,
providing abundant forage for elk, deer and other wildlife. Just above the
Belly River Ranger Station, the river splits with one fork leading to Elizabeth
Lake and the other fork leading to Cosley Lake. As it is glacierfed, this
little river rips up the streambed during spring run-off. In spite of the
abundant insect presence during the summer, the river's cold rushing waters do
not provide the best habitat. Fishing is reported to be fair, although it is
good in its diversity of species offerings.
When
the river drops in late summer in time for hopper fishing, the meadow sections
reportedly fish well. I must confess that I did not fish it. I was just too
pooped to fish when I reached Gable Creek Campground. Every backcountry angler
I queried said the same thing: a day hike down to the Belly River would provide
incredible scenery, absolute solitude and fair to good fishing for rainbow
trout, brook trout and arctic grayling. From the trailhead to the Belly River
Ranger Station and campground is 6.1 miles and offers a number of campsites as
well as a stock area. Into this garden of paradise, pesky flies and mosquitoes
greet hikers. Be prepared. Bring plenty of repellant during early summer. I
found that a mosquito net over my head was perfect for those short trail naps!
Photo of Glenns Lake
Cosley Lake, Glenns Lake and Mokowanis River
Traveling
6.1 miles to the Belly River Ranger Station and Gable Creek Campground, the
trail splits. From the ranger station to Elizabeth Lake is 3.5 miles. From this
point to Cosley Lake is two miles, plus another six-tenths to the campground, a
total of 8.7 miles from the trailhead. Just behind the campground, the trail
crosses the Belly River via a one-person suspension bridge. A ford is marked
just below the bridge. The trail climbs up the slope, eventually following the
Mokowanis River. Just before the trail crests, hikers are treated with a view
of the Gros Ventre Falls plunging 100 feet into a cauldron of foam and a deep
green pool.
Cosley Lake is beautiful, and campers are treated to their own
beachfront campsites. Directly across the lake is the colorful and rugged
Cosley Ridge. At the head of the lake towards Mokowanis Lake, Mount Merritt and
Pyramid Peak provide huge patches of snow, along with cascading falls for
picture-perfect photographs of Glacier grandeur.
Although
Cosley Lake has a few trout, it is basically barren with the exception of some
lake trout patrolling the bottom. The outlet of Cosley Lake and the Mokowanis
River above the falls were equally disappointing. I talked to one Park
biologist who was studying the lynx population, and he told me that all of the
lakes connecting the Mokowanis River were either near barren or disappointing
in fish counts and frequency of catches. The inlet to Cosley Lake provides the
best fishing, but it has now been closed to protect nesting eagles.
Glenns
Lake, just above Cosley Lake, is also rated poor fishing. Mokowanis Lake, the
last lake in this string of lakes, offers fair to good fishing for small brook
trout. So, what does a hiker who is eager to catch some high-elevation trout
do? Simple solution! From the foot of Cosley Lake, hikers may cross the outlet
at the cable crossing and hike 3.7 miles to Elizabeth Lake.
Along
the way you will be treated to another spectacular photo opportunity, Dawn Mist
Falls.
Elizabeth Lake
In
addition to the Big Hole River and a few other spots in Montana, Elizabeth Lake
is one of just a few places in the lower 48 states where anglers can catch both
rainbow trout and arctic grayling, and big ones at that! The lake is quite
large, and most anglers concentrate at the foot of the lake and the inlet. The
trout and the grayling cruise along the shelf where the clear, shallow water
meets the impenetrable green-blue line of water, which is produced by glacial
silt. Grayling and trout reaching 14 to 16 inches and larger ones are not
uncommon. In addition to the mayfly hatch, I saw lots of caddis and stoneflies
enticing lots of fish midday, in spite of the heavy winds. Look for some
protected coves along the eastern side of the lake.
The
western side of the lake may be reached from a suspension bridge. Looking down into
the water from the bridge, anglers will observe four or five really large
rainbows sipping on midges. They, of course, are quite aware of human presence
as well and are very wary, not to mention irritated that they have to
constantly slide over to the other side of the pool each time an excited angler
discovers them. (Yes, I couldn't resist and made a couple of foolish casts from
the swinging bridge. They nonchalantly ignored my offerings.)
Pauline
and I packed up our two donkeys and met her son Dennis on the way up to the
Park. I had secured a reservation early in the spring for one night at Gable
Creek and two nights at Cosley Lake. Although I had asked for Elizabeth Lake, I
was pleased to get so close to this most popular fishing lake. For the most part
the donkeys behaved quite well. Because we had not stayed the night at Saint
Mary or Babb, we reached the trailhead late, despite hitting the road at 6 am.
This kept me from fishing the Belly River section by the campground that
evening.
If you are not a healthy, strong backpacker, I most certainly
recommend staying the first night at Gable Creek Campground, which is only 6.1
miles from the trailhead. In retrospect, I would prefer to stay two nights at
Gable Creek Campground and do a day hike to Elizabeth if I couldn't get a
campsite the second day at Elizabeth Lake.
When
Dennis and I reached Elizabeth Lake from our campground at Cosley Lake, the
wind was blowing hard, producing small, choppy waves. Wading out into shallow
water about 20 yards, I faced squarely into the wind. Having recently had
arthroscopic shoulder surgery, I gave up after a few futile casts and retreated
to a piece of shade.
I was too tired to brood over our bad luck on facing hot
dry winds, which thrashed the surface of the lake. Dennis looked at me
sympathetically and went off exploring. (I am sure he made a silent vow not to
be so out of shape at 55.) Dennis disdains all forms of fishing elitism and
prefers to carry a two-foot Snoopy rod and reel. About a half-hour later he
came back and said, "Sorry to disturb your nap, Dave, but I think you had
better grab your rod and follow me. I found a spot where there are tons of
fish. They follow my lure all the way in until they see me, but I can't get
them to hit."
I
was instantly awake to the possibilities. Sore shoulders and blistered feet
vanished. Dennis led me over to the first cove on the eastern shoreline, a
quarter of a mile in sight of the campground at the outlet. Before I had even
made my first cast, Dennis pointed out the cruisers swimming along the line
where shallow water meets the deep blue. I had already had a Goddard Caddis on
my line with a beadhead dropper. Within two or three casts I had caught a very
large grayling on the nymph.
I
quickly changed Dennis's Snoopy rig and put on a beadhead Prince nymph with two
strike indicators and a swivel to add a little weight. Dennis began making
20-foot casts and caught both rainbows and grayling. After catching a number of
fish, I offered Dennis my fly rod, as he had never used one before. His second
cast along the shoreline threw a size 16 yellow Wulff pattern into the shallow
water. The 16-inch rainbow shot right out of the shallows no more than six feet
from the shoreline and snatched Dennis' offering. After Dennis released this
beauty, my generosity and sharing quickly dissolved when I saw the size of his
fish.
I deftly snatched back my fly rod and went on to catch a lot of small and
large fish before we had to head back down the trail. Dennis did quite well
with his Snoopy outfit until the reel broke. The last fish he landed he brought
in hand-over-hand. His only comment: "They don't make Snoopy rods like they
used to."
Forty-two
miles from Billings, Montana, the Bighorn River glides through the Crow Indian
Reservation to the town of Hardin and then onwards to the Yellowstone River.
From the Interstate 90 exit at Hardin to Fort Smith the two-lane country road
winds another 48 miles through dry rolling hills and fertile ranch land to the
Yellowtail Dam boat ramp. The breathtaking scenery of buttes and coulees
compete with the jagged overthrust of snow-capped mountains, both in Wyoming
and Montana. The tall prairie cottonwood trees line the river bottom, and the
cold, pristine waters provide an aquatic underworld rich in plant life and
insect life.
Completed in 1965, the Yellowtail Dam transformed a slow prairie
river into one of the finest trout streams in the United States; however, from
1975 to 1981 the Crow Indian government closed the river to non-tribal members.
In
1981 the United States Supreme Court affirmed both state and federal access
rights to the waters of the Bighorn River up to the high water mark, which is
defined as the "continuous area where vegetation ceases". The Bighorn
River's reputation grew quickly. Splashed across the covers of outdoor
magazines, the Bighorn River's fame inspired fly fishers from around the
country to test its fabled waters. Renowned as one of the best tailwater
fisheries in the world, legions of fly fishers arrive yearly to fish the
13-mile stretch of tailwater, and few go away disappointed.
However, during the past eight years, back-to-back drought years have damaged the rivers prolific hatches, particularly impacting PMD's and tricos. Whereas in the past dry fly anglers hurried to the river in the months of July and August, now the best dry fly fishing is in April and May for the baetis hatch. Adding insult to injury in this classic dam controlled river, the 2008 and 2009 years impacted the river even further, which again detracted from the Big Horn's reputation. Currently an on-going investigation is looking into the charges that the flows out of the dam have been mismanaged. Anticipating heavy pools and spring run-off, the engineers failed to release water until it was too late. Extremely high discharges in the spring blew out the river, and the second punch came when the river flows were dramatically reduced during the summer. All of this has impacted the rich populations of aquatic insects. So, should you pass up this legendary river just because it does not merit the reputation that it had ten years ago? Why, hell no!
Trout, having lost the historic high concentrations of PMD's and tricos, now gorge themselves on scuds and sow bugs. If populations of trout have fallen, the river has made up for its reputation in the average size of its browns and rainbows. In the past as many as fifty boats would be on the
same 13-mile stretch so angling pressure was quite high. At least that is something of an improvement. The river has been rebounding in its numbers of fish per mile; however, the much-touted statistic
of 5,000 to 6,000 fish per mile may take a while to return. Factor in browns that average 14 to-16 inches
and rainbows averaging 16 to 18-inches, and it is no wonder so many visitors
are still willing to experience a circus-like atmosphere of multi-colored rafts and
drift boats.
Another
preeminent factor for the Bighorn River's reputation is the extended fishing
season. The Yellowtail Dam, impounding almost 70 miles of canyon water,
releases water from the bottom of Bighorn Lake. Although fluctuations may
adversely impact fishing, water temperatures from the mid-40s to the mid-60s
foster trout growth for most of the year, unlike some rivers where trout have a
short growing season due to chilly water conditions throughout most of the
year.
The
river is open year-round, but practically speaking, the winter months of
December through February can be grim, when one considers below-zero readings
and the wind chill factor. Nonetheless, hearty locals and adventuresome out-of-
towners ply the waters throughout these winter months fishing with tiny midge
patterns tossed to lethargic fish in the more quiet pools. March and April welcome
temperatures in the low to mid 50s and water temperatures in the low 40s. March
anglers still predominately fish the midge hatches, but by late April Baetis
begin to show up, which provides for some excellent nymphing opportunities.
Standard patterns such as the Gold-ribbed, Hare's Ear and Pheasant Tail nymphs
prevail, but be sure to stock up on specialty patterns from one of the local
fly shops, especially for shrimp patterns, scuds and sow bugs. (I had great
success with a San Juan Worm with a brass bead in the center.) May and June are
less crowded as local fishermen and visitors alike measure the impact of spring
run-off.
May
temperatures range from the mid 60s to the low 70s with water temperatures
slowly climbing above the mid 40s mark. The Baetis hatch comes into fruition,
which offers both dry and nymph fishing possibilities. River flows increase
from a low of 2,000 cfs to above 6,000 cfs. Ideal floating conditions diminish
above 6,000 cfs. As the river grows in both volume and size, the fish become
dispersed. Even when other Montana rivers are blown out, good fishing may still
be experienced from the dam down to the three-mile access point. By late June
some of the fishing pressure is reduced with the appearance of the Salmon Fly
hatch on many other famous rivers in the region. Bead-head nymphs and San Juan
worms are especially popular at this time.
July
through August have been particularly slow the past few years, but in the past it drews hordes of anglers, and for good reason. Daytime
temperatures range from the high 70s to the high 80s, with the water temperatures
gradually increasing from the low 50s to the high 60s. But the real draw is the
fantastic dry fly fishing brought on by the small, yellow stonefly, the Pale
Morning Dun hatch, the Baetis hatch and the ubiquitous arrival of the Grannom
(black) Caddis.
Adding to the enchantment of these hatches is the spinner fall
in the evening and the beginning Trico hatch. It is no wonder that the river is
so crowded. Surprisingly, the trout display great tolerance for this daily
flotilla. Perhaps the trout, hidden in the undulating waves of plant life, are
impervious to the blending shadows from passing boats. Given the size of the
water, the available numbers of fish and the plethora of insect life, most
people are pleasantly surprised with their success rate during these popular
months.
September
and October cool the hot days of summer with temperatures again in the mid 70s
and water temperatures correspondingly settling back to the mid 50s. By October
the Tricos are on the wane, but the Baetis hatch is still an important one, as
is the evening caddis hatch. By November the waters are downright chilly again,
dipping down to the mid-40s. Streamers such as Wooly Buggers, Zonkers, leech
patterns and Matukas should be readily at hand.
I
finally fished the fabled waters of the Bighorn River, and I am saddened when I
reflect that it took me 19 years to finally fish it (testimony to the multitude
of competing waters in this wonderful state). Getting off the river at 8 pm, on
my first day on the river, I headed down the road for a nine-hour drive home. I
had not gone 10 miles before planning my next trip. The next day I posted the
following trip report on my web site.
Saga: October 25, 2000 - The Bighorn River
I
slept in the back of my truck near the launch site at the BLM campground near
the dam. Pulling up to the launch site below the dam at 7:30 am, I discovered
that I was not the early bird. Within the next 20 minutes, guides and fishermen
flew into the area. Gentlemen, start your engines! It was incredible how many
boats arrived in waves, like convoys crossing the Atlantic during World War II.
No one seemed to have the time to be neighborly. Few hellos were exchanged. It
was a race to the water with the guides projecting a no-nonsense demeanor
reminiscent of Ward Bond in the old television series "Wagon Train".
Ten boats launched while I was still climbing into my waders and rigging up. I
could feel the excitement and anticipation. Three hours after launching, I was
frustrated and irritated that I had not one strike. Although the fishing was
slow due to water manipulation, I could see others fighting fish as they
drifted past me.
I
played leapfrog with some of the boats as we drifted down the river.
Regretfully, I have to admit that I found solace in the fact that they too had
not caught a thing.
The number of boats in the 13-mile stretch that I floated
easily numbered close to 50. We traveled in packs, breaking up and then
re-assembling like mallards over a grain field. I resented the jubilant
loudmouths who whooped and hollered when they hooked a fish. Their triumphant
voices seemed to echo for miles, and there was no joy in this man's Mudville.
Hearing their whoops of delight, I got out of the boat to fish a promising
spot, only to have some party glide down and let out a holler directly in front
of me. During the first three hours, I couldn't buy a fish. I had spent 50
bucks on flies and incidental supplies in a nearby shop. The proprietor drew a
diagram on how to precisely set up the strike indicator, the split shot and the
two flies.
I followed his directions to the letter. When the water surface was
broken by the morning's first rises, I strained to see if the fish were
actually feeding on the surface for sporadic Baetis duns or whether they were
just under the surface film capturing nymphs. I agonized over whether I should
break out a small Parachute Adams or Blue-Wing Olive.
While
I drifted in solitude, I searched for every possible reason why I wasn't
catching anything. I finally concluded that I was conceivably casting too far
out. Seated in my low profile boat, a combination duck boat and riverboat, I
was unable to see the subtle takes of those browns hiding in the heavy weed
cover as I manned the oars. My theory proved to be correct. I was not really
staring intently at my strike indicator as I drifted my flies and navigated the
river. Indeed, the takes were very subtle! I started flipping my rig right
along side of the boat and stuck my first brown.
Alas, I lost five weighty fish
in a row. Two of them I had to break off when I had to grab the oars to
maneuver around an anchored boat. It was heart-breaking because they were
really close to the boat. I tried holding the rod between my knees while I
rowed, but it didn't work. I
anchored the boat too soon on one large fish and couldn't pull up the anchor in
time when he made a run downstream. The fifth fish I lost when I jumped out of
the boat and forgot my net. These are all actions that are taken for granted by
clients.
When a client or a partner hooks a fish, the rower takes on a number
of responsible actions. I reflected on the night before when I had squeezed in
two hours of fishing before dark and had caught only one 15-inch brown on a dry
- not much to brag about. I was feeling defeated until I landed a 17-inch brown
at mid-day.
After
that fish was landed and safely released, I could do no wrong. I went on to
land at least 10 more browns, only one of which was under 14 inches.
With that
lone exception, all of the trout were in the 14- to 16-inch range. I savored
every moment of the 13-mile float from the dam down to the Bighorn access. As
the sun began to sink, the evening caddis hatch triggered action on the top,
but I didn't stop to change my rig. I was quite satisfied with the action I was
having casting into small pods of rising trout with a bead-head nymph and a
trailing scud. I even ended the day with a great "one-that-got-away"
story. I humbly submit that I have not had a Montana or a Wyoming or an Idaho
fish ever take me down to my backing. I have always been amazed at this
expression so freely added for dramatic effect.
Through the years I have caught
a number of trout in the 20-inch range, but I have never had this experience
until that day. I
won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say that this hog took me down to
my backing two times. Jumping out of my boat, I moved down through a
crotch-high riffle, working him in for my moment of triumph. I lost him in 12
inches of rocky, weed-infested water when my line caught on a rock. My mother's
Irish creed of "Hope for the best, but expect the worse" bubbled up
to my consciousness as I reeled in the slack line and advanced toward the fish.
On my approach, the resting rainbow snapped the 5X tippet and escaped. I saw
his tail and back. He was huge, but I had no regrets over losing him.
An
hour and a half from Billings, fishing the Bighorn takes a lot of planning, as
it is really out of the way. Hardin has a number of hotels. For those that can
afford to stay at a nice lodge on the river, I recommend the Bighorn River Resort
(800) 665-3799 or the Bighorn River Lodge (800) 235-5450. Public campsites are
located at Mallard's Landing and the Bighorn access. Operated by the Montana
Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, each site offers a couple of campsites,
an outhouse and a boat ramp. The next public campground is just outside of Fort
Smith and is a Bureau of Land Management campground.
It is the nicest of the
public campgrounds. The
first campground out of Hardin is at Mallard's Landing. The Bighorn access,
which is 13 miles from the launch site at Yellowtail Dam, offers two separate
ramps, a bit of shade and a seven-day camping limit. During the summer of 2000
the fee schedule was $10 per night, per camper if no one in the party held a
Montana fishing license. With a Montana fishing license from at least one
member in the group, the fee was $5 dollars per camper. The only private
campground is a half-mile from the Three-Mile Access.
Cottonwood Camp is a complete and full-service camp-ground and lodging facility for
sportsmen and families. The camp is located less than a mile off Highway 31,
just off the Three-Mile access road at the second left and only three miles
from Fort Smith. (Cottonwood Camp, P.O. Box 7667, Fort Smith, Montana 59035
(406) 666-2391) Fort Smith offers a number of fly shops, a cafe, a motel, a
market, shuttle services and boat rentals, but BYOB as Fort Smith is a dry
town.
Don't
expect solitude, and keep your expectations from getting the better of you as
you race to get on the water, which is, of course, easier said than done. I can
still hear my Hardy Princess reel screaming and the sound of the deep wallop
that only a big rainbow can make. At the take out a number of men were regaling
in the story of a guide, fishing on his day off with a friend on this same day
and same stretch of water. He landed a 27 incher. Oh, Montana...
The
town site is right on the banks of the Yellowstone River. The city provides a
spacious campground and boat launch at Itch-Kep-Pe, next to the Highway 78
bridge, less than a mile and a half from Interstate 90. The campground is
shaded. The small town of Absarokee is 14 miles south on Highway 78 after
crossing the bridge over the Yellow-stone River. For travelers heading to
Yellowstone National Park who want fantastic scenery along the way, continue 47
miles through the town of Absarokee and follow the route to Red Lodge. From Red
Lodge follow the spectacular Beartooth Highway to the Cooke City entrance to
the Park.
Highway 78: Columbus to Absarokee
MM 3.3: Fireman's Point
Fireman's
Point provides good access to a long stretch of river as well as a raft launch.
The landing during high water is difficult, and rafts need to be dragged up a
wood slide.
MM 7.3: Swinging Bridge Access. Camping
is allowed.
MM7.8: White Bird Access. Camping
is allowed.
MM 14: Absarokee. From
the town of Absarokee the traveler has four roads to choose from, which lead to
three separate fisheries. Continuing on Highway 78 leads to East Rosebud Lake.
Or from Highway 78 south of Absarokee take Highway 425 to Rosebud Creek,
Emerald Lake, and Mystic Lake.
The third choice is to take Highway 419 to the
Buffalo Jump Bridge on the Stillwater River at the community of Nye. The fourth
choice in roads is to take Highway 420, which parallels the Stillwater River to
Nye. To think that Robert Frost struggled with only two choices in his poem,
"The Road Not Taken"! Clearly, he was not a fly fisher, or he would
surely have come back and taken the more traveled route as well!
Absarokee to Nye Along Highway 420 along the Stillwater
River.
Just
outside of Absarokee, make a right turn off Highway 420 to Absaroka Campground
and the Johnson Bridge, which offers fishing access plus a raft launch.
Continuing on Highway 420, the pavement peters out and the next access is Cliff
Swallow Fishing Access, followed by Castle Rock Fishing Access and then Moraine
Fishing Access. The Moraine Access is just a couple of miles from the Buffalo
Jump Campground at the Nye Bridge. Just before you reach the junction of
High-way 419 at the Nye Bridge, you will cross the West Fork of the Stillwater
River.
Most of the West Fork travels through private property and is posted.
The upper reaches in the wilderness section reportedly fish well for small
rainbows and cutthroats. I am sorry but I completely missed this one. The
easiest access looks to be from the Stillwater Mine. The road winds up above
the mine and then drops over to the trailhead.
Absarokee to Nye along Highway 419
Take
Highway 78 heading south from Absarokee to the junction with Highway 419. The
road is paved all the way to Nye, but just after the community of Dean there
are many annual potholes and breaks. Three miles from the junction with Highway
78 is Fish Tail and Rosebud Isle Fishing Access. Before reaching the community
of Nye, travelers may stop at Dean, which offers a fly shop, a restaurant and a
saloon. The road then crosses the river at Buffalo Jump Campground. Less than a
mile from the bridge, Highway 420 joins Highway 419 right across from a
restaurant. The next fishing access is the Old Nye Picnic Site just below the
mine. The road then continues past the mine to the trailhead at Woodbine
Campground.
Woodbine Campground is beautiful and offers 43 camp-sites, all of
which have paved entries. Trailer spaces are pro-vided for trailers up to 30
feet. Concessionaire operated.
Absarokee to Emerald Lake and Mystic Lake
From
the town of Absarokee, take Highway 420 to Fish Tail and Rosebud Isle. Turn
left on Highway 425 (West Rosebud Road) to Mystic Lake. After traveling 6.6
miles to where the pavement ends, a sign reads: Pine Grove Campground nine
miles, Emerald Lake 13 miles and Mystic Lake Trail-head 14 miles, which is the
end of the road. Pine Grove Campground has 46 sites, many of which are suitable
for trailers up to 30 feet. Fishing access and unimproved camping sites are
available just past the campground.
Emerald Lake is a shallow 50-acre lake
annually stocked with rainbows, most of which never see a second season. Mystic
Lake is three miles from the trailhead. The lake is actually a Montana Power
Company reservoir two miles long and a half-mile across. The lake offers good
fishing at the inlet for 8- to 12-inch rainbows, a few lunkers and lots of
smaller cutthroats. Island Lake is six miles from the trailhead, past Mystic
Lake, and offers similar fishing. The Stillwater River above Island Lake
reportedly fishes very well for rainbows and cutthroats.
Absarokee to East Rosebud Lake
From
the town of Absarokee, take Highway 78 south 14 miles to the small town of
Roscoe. Exit Highway 78 at Roscoe and take the East Rosebud River Road. The road
is a dirt road; then at 8.2 miles the pavement starts again as the roads enters
the National Forest. The entire area was ravaged by fire in 1996, but the
surrounding rugged vistas, in spite of the fire, awe first-time visitors. East
Rosebud Creek runs through private property until it enters the National
Forest. The creek offers good fishing for small trout. The Lower Sand Dunes
picnic site is at 9.2 miles and Upper Sand Dunes is at 9.5 miles from Roscoe.
At 11.9 miles the pavement ends, and the road is extremely bumpy. Although it
is posted at 25 mph, the natural speed bumps keep travelers creeping along at
10 mph. East Rosebud Lake and Campground is 14.2 miles from Roscoe.
The
lake is surrounded by private property established in 1894. The property owners
provide a courtesy boat launch site for the general public. Be sure to check in
at the store. The lake fishes well for 10- to 15-inch rainbows.
The
trailhead parking area provides an area for stock. Popular with trail riders
and hikers, the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, established in 1978, covers
953,377 acres of pristine wilderness. For further information contact the
Beartooth Ranger District Office in Red Lodge, Montana.
From
the East Rosebud Trailhead the wilderness boundary is a half-mile, Elk Lake is
3.5 miles, Rim Rock Lake is six miles, Rainbow Lake is seven miles, and Lake of
the Falls is nine miles. Elk Lake is a shallow 5-acre lake holding small
brookies; Rim Rock Lake is eight acres and reportedly offers only fair fishing
for 8- to 12-inch rainbows. Rainbow Lake is said to provide good fishing for 8-
to 12-inch rain-bows.
Interstate 90 - Laurel to Red Lodge
Side Trip - Rock Creek and the Beartooth Highway
Described
as one of the most spectacular and scenic high-ways in America, the Beartooth
Highway from Red Lodge to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park
in Cooke City, Montana, offers both good fishing and stunning views. The
68-mile drive winds its way up from lush forest, through countless switchbacks
to sub-alpine plateaus. Twenty-nine mountains thrust their jagged peaks into
the Big Sky at elevations exceeding 12,000 feet. The highway enters Wyoming
near the summit and re-enters Montana about seven miles outside of Cooke City.
From
the summit visitors scan hundreds of lakes nestled in glacial carvings on the
edges of plateaus and in hollowed amphitheaters. Many are barren, but
surprising numbers hold hearty strains of golden trout and Yellowstone
cut-throats. Summer does not linger in this country. Violent thunderstorms and
plummeting temperatures can scurry visitors and photographers to the comfort of
their vehicles anytime before the road closes for the winter.
Rock
Creek, flowing past the town of Red Lodge, has its beginnings high up in the
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilder-ness. Anglers and campers wishing to fish Rock Creek
and Wyoming's waters on their way to Yellowstone National Park will find the
easiest route off Interstate 90 at Laurel, Montana. Follow Highway 310 for 13.8
miles south to its junction with Highway 212 to Red Lodge. Highway 310 follows
the general course of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River, a river not
worthy of fishing due to degradation, unless you are a local and have time to
search out sections holding good-sized browns during the fall. From Laurel to
Joliet the creek is without public access, but it is not considered a
productive stretch.
From Joliet we begin our journey into one of Montana's
jewels. Keep in mind that the mileage markers begin in Cooke City and increase
in numbers towards Joliet.
MM 96: Joliet, Montana.
MM 90: Cooney Reservoir
Cooney
Reservoir is a shallow lake best fished in the early morning hours. The lake
offers a state fee campsite. The lake is 28,400 acre feet and provides fair
fishing since its 1982 rehabilitation, but don't expect an alpine setting.
MM 82: Roberts, Montana.
MM 84.5: Rest Area
Rest
area with public access to Rock Creek. Rock Creek suffers greatly during
drought cycles and demands from irrigators. The creek is best fished during
spring and fall.
MM 79: White Birch Fishing Access and Campground
MM 76: Fox/Bench Road Fishing Access.
Red Lodge, Montana
MM 60.7: Ratine Campground
Ratine
Campground is eight miles south of Red Lodge. It has access to the creek and
offers six sites, with a 16-feet trailer restriction.
MM 60: Pullout access to the creek.
Parkside Campground
Twelve
miles south of Red Lodge, Parkside Campground has 28 campsites, a 32-feet
trailer restriction. It is operated by a concessionaire, as is the neighboring
campground Greenough Lake.
Greenough Lake Campground
Offering
18 sites with trailer spaces up to 30 feet, the camp-site has easy access to
the creek plus a small pond, which is planted with fingerling trout.
Limber
Pine Campground abuts Greenough Lake Camp-ground and has 13 campsites with a
32-feet trailer restriction. A bridge crosses Rock Creek to the Rock Creek
Road, which continues a short distance to the M-K Camp-ground.
M-K Campground
A
mile or so from Limber Pine Campground, M-K is a non-fee campground with no services.
It offers 10 camp-sites with easy access to the creek. From the campground to
the road's end at the trailhead to Glacier Lake, the going is slow and bumpy.
For those of you who want secluded and primitive camping, a number of beautiful
spots may be found ahead. However, the fishing high up in this canyon is only
fair for small fry.
Glacier Lake
The
trailhead to Glacier Lake is at the end of the Rock Creek Road, another three
or four miles past M-K Campground. Glacier Lake is a deep, 150-acre lake and
offers both beauty and good fishing for good-sized cutthroats. Fair warning,
however, the one-mile hike is straight up!
MM 39.4: Wyoming Border, Shoshone National Forest
Heading
down the highway to Cooke City, one will need a Wyoming fishing license. The
first popular high-elevation lake is Long Lake, followed by Little Bear Lake
and then Island Lake. Island Lake has a campground with a boat launch. It is
stocked with rainbows and includes cutthroats and brookies that cruise the
shoreline during late afternoon and evening. Just down from Island Lake is the
Top of the World Store. The store sells Wyoming fishing licenses, gas, food, as
well as renting some very rustic cabins. The next large lake accessible from
the highway is Beartooth Lake, which offers camping, a boat launch and some
very large lake trout in addition to rainbows and cutthroats. If you are
heading for the Park or Cooke City, continue past the high-way junction to
Cody, Wyoming. Highway 212 goes right past the upper Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone,
which is a good fishing stream, a small part of which lies in Montana. In and
around Cooke City are a number of campgrounds and trailheads to secluded lakes.
This is beautiful country!
Every reference to the source of the Stillwater's name offers the same conjecture-how did it get its name? Some early explorer left his sense of humor inked on some early map. Like its
cousin river in the next drainage, the Stillwater too has boulders and can be
treacherous during spring run-off. Wade fishing this river is not for the faint
of heart or old guys short on breath with weak knees. Float fishers beware!
From the Castle Rock Access down to Cliff Swallow Access, the Stillwater River
garners respect and awe from veteran kayakers. Whitewater rafters float from
Cliff Swallow to the town of Columbus. So what does this river have to offer
visiting anglers? The answer is spectacular scenery, high trout populations,
and relatively low angling pressure. Although most of the river tumbles down
through private property, public access is provided throughout its length.
The
source of the Stillwater lies deep within the canyon walls of the
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness at the northern edge of Yellowstone National
Park. The trailhead is at Woodbine Campground. The wilderness section is not
always easy to fish, but rainbows, cutthroats and brookies from 7 to 10-inches
eagerly rise to large attractor patterns. Three and a half miles up the trail
from Woodbine Campground, hikers will see a three-acre pond named Sioux Charley
Lake. The "lake" is marshy in places, very shallow and is host to
small brookies. In and around Woodbine Campground are a few protected spots for
smaller trout, but the river is scoured and offers poor fishing prospects for
the next three miles down to the mine.
The
first public access after the mine is a picnic site. Floaters in late June will
discover clear but cold water from the picnic site below the mine down to
Moraine Fishing Access. Even this section has some tricky water that could
spoil a float trip. After the Moraine Fishing Access, rafters should exit the
remainder of the river. Keep in mind that a number of commercial whitewater
companies ply their trade on the Stillwater from the Johnson Bridge just
out-side the town of Absarokee down the river to Fireman's Point. By mid-summer
the upper river and mid-section is too low to float. The advantage of this
swift and tumbling river for the wade fisher is long stretches of fishing water
without the intrusion of floaters, a rarity in Montana. The state of Montana
offers a number of access sites beginning just outside the town of Columbus,
where the Stillwater River enters the Yellowstone River.
Three
tributaries in-crease the volume of water in the Stillwater River. The first is
the West Fork of the Stillwater River near Nye. The second contributor is the
West Rosebud Creek, which drains Mystic Lakes and enters the Stillwater, after
first joining East Rosebud Creek, three miles south of Absarokee on Highway 78.
During early summer both Rosebud Creeks are quite muddy. During this time,
fishing is best above the Rosebud Creeks.
If
you enter the town of Big Timber from Interstate 90 driving west, you will
cross the Boulder River. Just across the bridge is the Old Boulder River Road,
a dirt road that winds its way up the east side of the river for eight miles
until it intersects with the county road at the Eightmile Bridge. Big Rock
Fishing and Camping Access is 3.5 miles up Old Boulder Road. It offers great
access to the river. It has no tables, but it does have a pit toilet facility.
Those
fishermen daring to float the lower river put in at Big Rock and float down to
the city park or further on down to where the river enters the Yellowstone
River. The takeout on the Yellowstone River is Otter Creek Access. From Big
Timber take Highway 191 north to Harlowton. Turn right 1.4 miles on Howie Road.
Go another 1.3 miles to the Otter Creek Access on the banks of the Yellowstone
River. Otter Creek offers a boat launch, an outhouse and shade. If you plan on
floating down to Otter Creek, the closest access is the Pelican Access (Grey
Cliff Bridge) 11.3 miles upstream.
To
reach the upper Boulder River from Big Timber, turn south on McLeod Street
(pronounced McCloud). Follow Highway 298 south to public fishing on National
Forest lands.
8 miles: The Eightmile County Bridge offers access as well
as a 10-foot slide to the water's edge for rafters.
16 miles: West Boulder turnoff.
16.5 miles: Boulder Forks State Fishing Access
This
access offers a primitive camping spot with shade, a short run of the West Fork
and an easy launch on the Boulder River.
19.2 miles: East Boulder Road
Anglers
can fish a small section of the East Fork and work their way down to the
Boulder. Be sure to stay below the high water mark. I watched an angler land
and release two nice trout not very far from the bridge during the fall.
25 miles: Natural Bridge Forest Service boundary.
Picnic
area with scenic overlooks and paved trails.
Toilets.
Picnic tables. Fire grates. Intended for day use only!
40.5 miles: Hell's Canyon Campground
11
sites. Tents and trailers. Tent pads provided. RV limit 16 feet. Not on the
river but in walking distance. No potable water. Pit toilets.
42 miles: Lower Fourmile Dispersed Site
No
sign. Four sites. No potable water. Pit toilet.
42.5 miles: Fourmile Guard Station
The
cabin belongs to the Forest Service and is available for rent to the general
public, 18 years of age or older, on a first-come, first-served basis. The Forest
Service has priority use of the cabin at any time. Contact:
Big Timber Ranger District P.O. Box 196 Big Timber, MT 59011 (406) 932-5155
46 miles: Hick's Park Campground
16
sites. Tents and trailers. Tent pads provided. RV limit 32 feet. In one area,
two adjacent sites have three tables.
48 miles: Box Canyon End of maintained county road.
A
twelve-and-a-half foot pram, even with a seven-inch rocker bottom, quickly
becomes a liability in Class III white-water. The Boulder River during run-off
is the playground of kayakers and whitewater rafters. Having checked the river
in three locations the evening before, I convinced myself that I could safely
drift the river seeking out sheltered nooks to fish. My last river mistake had
taken place almost 20 years ago during spring run-off on the upper Bitterroot
River. The memory of trying to save a custom-made fly rod that had been
wrenched out of a man's hands and the ensuing nightmare served me well for
those 20 years.
My passengers were thrown out in relatively safe water. They
were wearing life jackets so they quickly scrambled to shore. As the oarsman
and owner of the raft, I was in trouble. At the tail end of the rapid, a
pulsing logjam roared, gap-toothed like an evil jack-o-lantern ready to swallow
up my life. My life jacket lay on the floor of the raft - I had mistakenly grabbed
a child's vest for myself that morning. I was wearing chest waders without a
belt. As the raft slowly rolled over in the trough and flipped for the second
time, I grabbed the rope that ran the length of the tubes. When I saw the
logjam, I instinctually reached out and snatched a willow branch. Later I would
discover that it was the last willow tree that I could have snagged. The light
straps holding the frame had broken, which sent the frame and all of my
equipment to the bottom of the river.
My
filled waders pulled me down like a sea anchor. My left hand held a branch no
bigger than my thumb. My right hand grasped one of the rings on the raft. With
both arms stretched out, and my head barely above water, I realized I had no
choice but to let go of the raft and offer it up to the logjam. As soon as I
released the raft, I plowed under the water. I slowly inched my way to shore
hand-over-hand on a thin willow branch. I was deeply ashamed of my poor
judgment. I had tried to save a man's fly rod swift water when his lead-core
shooting head snagged the bottom.
My
most serious error of judgment, however, was in thinking that I had the
strength to row us out of harm's way.It would have been a minor embarrassment of bumping off a mid-stream
sweeper, but the two men stood up to push us off the obstacle.
Leaning towards the branches, the
rushing water slowly flipped the raft in a slow-motion nightmare.I had barely yelled for them to stay
seated when it was too late.I was
fearful that my mishap would be spread up and down the river, hurting my
chances for employment as a river guide.It took me 15 years before I could talk about this potential
tragedy.From that day until a
June 2001 day on the Boulder River, I had been an extremely cautious river
boatman. How was it possible that I could have erred again?
I
personally know of guides with 25 years of river floating experience who have
never even had a close call. So, how could I have become complacent and
careless?
Driving
seven hours increased my anticipation for fishing this new water. The Boulder
River, a tributary entering the Yellowstone River at Big Timber, has an
excellent reputation for healthy rainbows and browns. Secondly, I was eager to
test my small river pram on a few Class III sections. Pride and impulsiveness
are more fitting a man in his prime than at age 56. I rigged up with a
bead-head pheasant tail nymph, a small twist of lead and a strike indicator. My
large cooler was in the front of the boat, and Max, my year-old Lab, quickly
jumped on top of it so that he could better survey the river. I pulled the
anchor into the boat.
I wanted to take no unnecessary risks. My neoprene chest
waders fit snug, as did the belt. I finished my preparation by buckling the
cross straps on my life jacket.
I
launched at the Boulder Forks Access near McLeod. The water was fast, faster
than I had calculated standing on the shore. Dropping into the first set of
waves my boat seemed to shrink in size. I knew I would slice through the curl
at the top of the wave, but I was surprised on how much water I actually took
into the boat. Max, too, was surprised by the unexpected blanket of ice-cold
water that drained off his coat. I had been surveying the water as a fisherman
instead of a whitewater adventurer.
The
Boulder River is well-named. Jagged rocks on both sides of the river forced me
into the main chute, but it was not a clean run. A number of the rocks lie just
inches under the splashing water. I was slow to react. When I quickly dodged
the first obstacle, the boat's stern was caught in the chute, spinning me
almost backwards. The quick maneuver caught Max off-guard, and he was
straddling the cockpit rim halfway into the water. The two seconds that it took
to drag Max back into the boat and move my fly rod out of the way almost led to
the sinking of my boat.
When
I attempted to spin around and line myself out, I was dropping into another
chute, a position no boater wants to be. I knew I was in trouble when I saw the
partially submerged boulder just in front of me. I slammed into it sideways. My
next surprise was to see that Max had climbed back up on the cooler, and he was
now plunging ass-back-wards and head-first into the churning water.
I
instinctively threw myself to the highest side of the boat, which was
straddling the boulder. Digging the right oar into the water, I spun the boat
around backwards and slipped into the chute for the second time facing the
wrong direction. Fortunately, I had coated the bottom of the boat with a coat
of epoxy mixed with graphite. I wasted no time in spinning the boat around. All
I could see of Max was the top of his head. The water was so white and bubbly I
could not see his body, but I knew from the position of his head that he was in
a vertical position and dog paddling for his life. After about 30 yards we were
reunited.
For
the next set of rapids I stood up to get a better view. When I sat down,
hurriedly I might add, I cracked the ¾-inch plywood seat in half. I was stunned
to find myself on the bottom of the boat barely peering over the cockpit rim. I
got through this stretch with one knee on the bottom and one leg stretched out
in front of me. I pulled over and set up the cooler as my new seat and took a
fishing break to calm my nerves. For the first time in my life, I was truly
scared on the oars. My self-confidence was shaken.
The
good news is that I had good fishing, catching three trout, two 12-inch
rainbows and a small brown. For the next seven miles I had to pull over and
take rest breaks. Each time I caught two or three fish. A Good Samaritan caught
up to me in a 14-foot cataraft. He and his wife were taking out at the
Eightmile Bridge and asked me if I would like to join them rather than go on
for another seven miles of equally rough water. I am sure that if I had been
younger, my pride would have kept me from accepting the offer. As it was, I was
exhausted and very intimidated by the water. I gushed with gratitude and
honestly conveyed my apprehension about going any further. When I helped him
drag his cataraft up an embankment, I noticed that he had a rod case strapped
to the frame. Darn if he wasn't combining a whitewater run with fishing. Hmmm...
The
Boulder River tumbles down three separate canyons of the Absaroka-Beartooth
Wilderness, almost 50 miles to the town of Big Fork, where it enters the
Yellowstone River. The water plummets down a fair gradient and averages 45 to
60 feet across. True to its name, the entire river is studded with large and
small boulders. Wading can be difficult on the slippery rocks, but the rewards
can be great. Both rainbows and browns move up from the Yellowstone to spawn,
which provides some truly large lunkers for sure-footed waders who are smart
enough to get out into the water. Resident trout in the lower river can reach
18 to 20-inches, while the rainbows and cutthroats in the National Forest
section above the Natural Bridge State Monument typically run 10 to 14-inches.
The Boulder River demands respect during spring run-off. It is not considered a
float-fishing river. River runners should have a large raft or cataraft and be
very experienced navigating white-water with little room for maneuverability.
When the water drops in late July, it is impractical if not impossible to float
through the miles of rock gardens.
Regardless
of where you fish, the pocket water, fast chutes, short runs and broken riffles
provide excellent fishing. Fish the river just as you would a large creek. Keep
in mind that the fast riffles provide excellent lies and feeding zones for
good-sized trout. The turbulence breaks just above the trout so they can rest
comfortably on the bottom waiting for fast food deliveries. These fish are not
picky. They have learned to be fast, grabbing opportunists. Use bead-head
nymphs, a pinch of lead and a strike indicator. Fish upstream with short casts
working each side of the boulder seams, as well as the pocket be-hind the
boulder. Don't forget to fish directly in front of the boulder for typically
smaller trout. Spin fishers should fish the water just like fly fishers. Keep
the rod tip up and just let the lure tumble without snagging the bottom.
Popular lures for all streams in Montana include small Panther Martins, Thomas
Cyclones, Mepps, Kastmasters and Roostertails.
Fly
pattern selections are typical of most cold water streams in Montana. Although
the Boulder River has a Salmon Fly hatch, it is difficult to fish during late
June. When the water becomes fishable, typically the first week of July, use
standard dry fly patterns, heavy nymphs and watch for heavy caddis hatches in
the evening. The Goddard Caddis works very well because of its exceptional
floating quality. Hopper action is outstanding during the heat of summer. Be
sure to put on a split-shot piece of lead and sink those hoppers in the pools,
under bank cover and behind the boulders. Another effective technique is to use
a greased Bailey's Muddler as a hopper pattern in the pocket water. If you
don't catch a fish, let it sink and strip it in as a streamer.
Although
it is true that much of the Boulder River is not accessible due to private
landowners, some of whom are very rich and famous, the river can be accessed at
county bridges and state access points. Don't even bother drooling over the
only section offering large pools and long runs. This stretch of river is
posted for miles, and conveniently for them, the river exits the canyon and the
70-foot falls. I looked for a trail down to the water, but it is an 80-foot
straight drop to the tumbling water below. If you arrive during high water, be
sure to fish above the falls in the National Forest section. Without the West
Fork and the East Fork of the Boulder, the main stem above the falls fishes
very well in late June using lures and weighted nymphs.
Don't
waste your time with the East Fork. It is small and offers only a small
campground and very active mine traffic.
The primary source of platinum and
palladium metals in the United States, the 28-mile long ore deposit is mined
18,500 feet below the surface from the East Boulder River mine to the
Stillwater River near Nye. Platinum is used in jewelry, electrical devices
found in computers and in the catalysts on our cars and trucks. The Big Timber
Pioneer in its 2001 summer edition reported that the price per ton of platinum
"hovered around $570 per ounce while palladium prices were around $840 per
ounce.... The East Fork mine expects to mine... 3,000 tons of ore per day to
produce between 450,000 and 500,000 ounces of platinum and palladium a
year." If you wonder where all the waste material goes, look at the
remnant piles on both sides of the Stillwater River downstream from the
trailhead.
The
Shields River begins in the Crazy Mountains, flowing past the small town of
Wilsall and Clyde Park on Highway 89. This small bottomland river joins the
Yellowstone River east of Livingston, Montana. Although the river holds some
hefty browns, it is impacted by irrigation drawdowns and thermal heating during
the summer months. It is best fished in the spring and fall.
Most of the land
is posted, affording few access points. Even the headwaters are mostly posted,
and by the time public land is reached, the river is nothing more than a
rivulet and home to very small cutthroats. However, having said that, many anglers find good wade fishing accessing the river from the county bridges. Remember, Montana access laws allow anglers to move up and down a river as long as they stay below the high water mark. One worthy side trip out of
Livingston is Fairy Lake.
Fairy Lake
Fairy
Lake is reached from Highway 89 near the town of Clyde Park or north of the
town of Wilsall. The lake may also be easily reached 37 miles from Bozeman. The
lake is 12 acres and sheltered in a bowl. Access to the lake is less than a
quarter of a mile straight down a trail from the campground. Popular with
weekend visitors from the Bozeman area, surprisingly few visitors fished this
little gem on the Saturday that I visited the lake with Max, my young Labrador
retriever. Expect to catch 9- to 12-inch cutthroats on small bead-head nymphs.
Yellowstone
Lake to Buffalo Ford to Chittenden Bridge
From
the closed section below Fishing Bridge to Sulphur Caldron offers one of the
more productive sections on the river, and one of the more popular in terms of
angling pressure.This seven-mile
stretch lures visiting anglers with broad runs, riffles, deep pools and
rapids.Wading can be difficult
and treacherous in places so good wading boots and a wading staff are highly
recommended.Buffalo Ford may be
the only place to cross the river when the flow drops.No floating is allowed in the
park.The Yellowstone River opens
July 15, and generally good hatches of PMD's, and Green Drakes abound along
with caddis hatches that are in full swing.
Below
Sulpher Caldron to Alum Creek the river is closed to all angling for six
miles.Alum Creek, Trout Creek and
Elk Antler Creek are closed to fishing to protect spawning beds.Preserved in its wild state, this area
draws wildlife observers and photographers.The next area to fish in this section is the two mile
stretch between Chittenden Bridge and Alum Creek.Here the water is mostly flat and wide, although the current
is swift as the water is drawn over Upper Falls.Fewer anglers work this water than the Buffalo stretch.
Upper and Lower Falls through the Grand Canyon
Section
Accessible only by foot or by horseback, the
canyon is a challenging section, albeit with potential rewards.Stretching from the Chittenden Bridge
to Quartz Creek, anglers beware.The beauty of the canyon walls is awe inspiring, but the wading can be
tough.One of the more frustrating
challenges in the canyon is to work down to the water, have great fishing for
fifty yards only to find that it is too dangerous to move any further upstream
or downstream.The trail near
Canyon Village is a 1500 vertical feet drop from the canyon rim to the
water.When I was a younger man, I
put off this trail.Now that I am
on the downhill slope towards 70, I know that I shall never take a deep breath
and head down this steep trail, but I am not sad because so much great fishing
water is easily accessible.
Fishing is closed from Inspiration Point
Overlook to the Chitteden Bridge.
Tower Junction Bridge through the Black Canyon
of the Yellowstone to Gardiner
The Black Canyon from Knowles Falls to the
Rattlesnake Butte section above the town of Gardiner, provides almost twenty
miles of good wilderness fishing and camping.This section may be reached from the Blacktail Trail,
Yellowstone River Trail, the Garnet Hill Trail as well as the access trail at
Tower Junction.The lower section
may also be accessed from the town of Gardiner along the Yellowstone River
Trail.
From
Gardiner to Corwin Springs:This
section is swift for most of its run with some of the water rated class II and
class III.(More information and
photographs needed.)
Corwin
Springs to Yankee Jim Canyon (Joe Brown exit):Although this stretch flattens out and makes float fishing
easier, it is essential that newcomers exit the river at the Joe Brown exit to
avoid the treacherous Yankee Jim Canyon, a notorious white-water section.
Carbella
(Tom Miner Bridge) to Emigrant:This is a long 12-mile stretch so depending on the river's flow, it can
make for a long float.For a
shorter float, anglers may exit at Point of Rocks, a 4.5 mile float trip. The
upper section provides good fishing opportunities.From Point of Rocks downstream the river flattens out
substantially.
Emigrant to Mallard's Rest:Noted for its increased flow and numerous riffles, this is a
popular section, and the float trip ends at a great campground.Floaters may launch at the Emigrant
Bridge, which is steep and narrow, or they may launch at Emigrant West or Grey
Owl. MM
41.4: Mallards Rest Campground:The campground is a fee campground and offers 20
sites on a "Pack it in - Pack it Out" basis. The campground also
offers a boat launch and good access for wade fishermen.
Mallard's Rest to Mill Creek Bridge:
Carter's Bridge
to the Highway 89 Bridge, 9th Street Island or Mayor's Landing (The
town stretch)
From Livingston
to Big Timber, the Yellowstone River offers less prime holding water, fewer
fish and less pressure.Nonetheless, it does provide good fishing.I would recommend purchasing the Montana Afloat map for this
section, as well as stopping in a local fly shop for current conditions.
Hatches and
Suggested Patterns (Expand summer 2010)
December to
March: Sporadic midge hatches
April - June:
Baetis mayfly, March brown drake
May (run-off
period): March brown drake
June: Salmon
fly nymphs stir and begin their migration to the shore.
July:
Salmonfly, golden stones, yellow sallys, caddis and green drakes
August and
September: Terrestrials
October-November:
Baetis, midges
Highway Access
from Livingston to Gardiner
MM=Mileage
marker signs
MM 60:
Livingston, Montana
MM 51: East
River Road Fishing Access
MM 50: Carter
Bridge:Carter
Bridge has a good boat take-out and is a good spot for wade fishermen.
MM 45: Trail
Creek fishing access
MM 43.3: Pine
Creek:Take
the Pine Creek road 1.4 miles to the bridge fishing access and boat launch.
Note:From Carter Bridge to
just above Point of Rocks, the East River Road parallels the river. The East
River Road has Loch Levin Campground. Loch Levin is 9 miles south of
Livingston. Take the Pine Creek Road and head south again to the campground.
Loch Levin Campground has 30 campsites, water, toilets and a boat launch.
Mill Creek
Cross the
bridge and follow the paved road for six miles and then a dirt road for another
7.4 miles to a private meadow. Although the meadow is on private property, this
section may be accessed later in the summer from the highway about a hundred
yards downstream. Look for a pullout. Follow the fence line to public access to
the water on National Forest land. However, be sure you stay under the high
water mark at all times. The meadow gets fished heavily. Snowbank Campground is
a fee campground with plenty of shade and garbage removal. Above the campground
are some primitive campsites. The water is icy cold above the meadow section
and interspersed with a lot of private property. Late in the summer small
parachute hoppers work best.
East Fork of Mill Creek
Although the
East Fork is small and shallow, small pockets and riffles offer up good catches
of 8- to 10-inch cutthroats. It is a great creek for kids. The access road ends
a mile and a half at a locked gate to a private ranch. The ranch can be
bypassed by trail, but I did not have time to explore it.
West Fork of Mill Creek
The West Fork
road cuts right through a Bible camp and climbs high up into a steep canyon. The
creek is fast moving, but it does hold some nice pools and pockets in the
canyon section. The road ends 5.8 miles at the trailhead. I walked down into
the canyon, but the going is tough due to downed trees from the 1988 fire. The
creek is loaded with 5- to 9-inch cutthroats, but it is also loaded with
mosquitoes.
Dailey Lake
Dailey Lake may
be reached from the Mill Creek Road or from Emigrant. From Emigrant to the lake
is eight miles. The lake is shaped like a silver dollar, and it is shallow all
around the shoreline. Although the lake holds some trout, most of the locals
fish for perch and walleye.
MM 25.5: Fishing access.
MM 24: Big Creek.Don't
judge this creek when you pass over it on the highway. Big Creek fishing access
is 5.5 miles from the highway and six miles to the trailhead. The road is
bumpy, but the creek is charming and host to 7- to 9-inch cutthroats, which are
plentiful.
MM 23.8: Meditation Point.Here is a rest area and picnic site large enough for the largest RVs
with good fishing access to the river.
MM 21: Tom Miner Creek.Tom Miner Creek provides a nice campground 11 miles from the highway,
but it is too small to be worth fishing. The scenic drive is beautiful as the
road winds through open parks and aspen shaded hillsides.
MM 21: Point of Rocks.Point of Rocks has a boat launch.
MM 19.7: East River Road.
MM 18: Carbella Campground.Carbella is an unimproved campground one mile west of the Tom Miner
Bridge. It has five campsites.
MM 13: Yankee Jim fishing access.Just upstream from Yankee Jim is the Slip and Slide access, but you will
need to carry your boat to the water's edge.
MM 7.1: Corwin Springs Boat Launch.From the boat launch, visitors may take the dirt road that
parallels the Yellowstone River on the western side. The road winds above the
river for eight miles. It provides a few access points down to the river and
passes a few primitive campsites.
Fly fishing
effectively begins at Gardiner, Montana.Flanked by the Absarokee Mountains on the east and the Gallatin Mountain
Range on the west, the river flows from this northern entrance gateway 60 miles
through Paradise Valley to Livingston, Montana.Having gathered up all the cold, pristine waters of the
Yellowstone River drainage in the park, the Yellowstone River enters Montana as
the premier trout fishing river in the country for almost two hundred miles of
its 600-mile course.Its fame has
spread worldwide.From Livingston
the river shifts eastward and then northeastward on its way to Billings,
Montana, the Big Horn River and its eventual meeting of the Missouri River near
Bufford, North Dakota.
The legendary
Yellowstone River inspires awe and reverence. From its source waters high in
the Absaroka Mountains to its rendezvous with the Missouri River in North
Dakota, the great Yellowstone River remains an uninterrupted, free-flowing
river for over 600 miles.From its
headwaters in the remote wilderness section of the Thorofare section of
Yellowstone National Park, the river, more accurately described as a stream,
flows northward to enter and exit Yellowstone Lake.Flowing under the park's Fishing Bridge, the Yellowstone
River courses its way through Le Hardy Rapids, down through Buffalo Ford, until
it plunges over the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls.From here the Yellowstone snakes its
way through the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and into rugged terrain of the
Black Canyon until it intersects the Lamar River.The river exits the Black Canyon and the park boundaries
near Gardiner, Montana.
Below
Livingston, the Yellowstone River offers excellent fishing to Big Timber. One
disadvantage of this section is that the float fishing access points are
further apart and access to the river is more restricted. For the most part,
the Yellowstone River is an easily navigated river. However, the three-mile
section of water from Gardner to McConnell Landing is a whitewater section, as
is the section from Joe Brown to Yankee Jim Canyon. This section requires an
experienced whitewater oarsman. From the East River Road to Livingston is
relatively easier to float, although braided channels, sharp turns and sweepers
require the usual vigilance. Livingston provides two take-outs, the 9th
Street take-out and Mayor's Landing.
Access to the
Yellowstone River from Yellowstone Lake to Big Timber, Montana
Yellowstone
Lake to Buffalo Ford to Chittenden Bridge: From
the closed section below Fishing Bridge to Sulphur Caldron offers one of the
more productive sections on the river, and one of the more popular in terms of
angling pressure.This seven-mile
stretch lures visiting anglers with broad runs, riffles, deep pools and rapids.Wading can be difficult and treacherous
in places so good wading boots and a wading staff are highly recommended.Buffalo Ford may be the only place to
cross the river when the flow drops.No floating is allowed in the park.The Yellowstone River opens July 15, and generally good
hatches of PMD's, and Green Drakes abound along with caddis hatches that are in
full swing.
Below
Sulpher Caldron to Alum Creek the river is closed to all angling for six
miles.Alum Creek, Trout Creek and
Elk Antler Creek are closed to fishing to protect spawning beds.Preserved in its wild state, this area
draws wildlife observers and photographers.The next area to fish in this section is the two mile
stretch between Chittenden Bridge and Alum Creek.Here the water is mostly flat and wide, although the current
is swift as the water is drawn over Upper Falls.Fewer anglers work this water than the Buffalo stretch.
Upper and Lower Falls through the Grand Canyon
Section: Accessible only by foot or by horseback, the
canyon is a challenging section, albeit with potential rewards.Stretching from the Chittenden Bridge
to Quartz Creek, anglers beware.The beauty of the canyon walls is awe inspiring, but the wading can be
tough.One of the more frustrating
challenges in the canyon is to work down to the water, have great fishing for
fifty yards only to find that it is too dangerous to move any further upstream
or downstream.The trail near
Canyon Village is a 1500 vertical feet drop from the canyon rim to the
water.When I was a younger man, I
put off this trail.Now that I am
on the downhill slope towards 70, I know that I shall never take a deep breath
and head down this steep trail, but I am not sad because so much great fishing
water is easily accessible.
Fishing is closed from Inspiration Point
Overlook to the Chitteden Bridge.
Tower Junction Bridge through the Black Canyon
of the Yellowstone to Gardiner:
The Black Canyon from Knowles Falls to the
Rattlesnake Butte section above the town of Gardiner, provides almost twenty
miles of good wilderness fishing and camping.This section may be reached from the Blacktail Trail,
Yellowstone River Trail, the Garnet Hill Trail as well as the access trail at
Tower Junction.The lower section
may also be accessed from the town of Gardiner along the Yellowstone River
Trail.
From
Gardiner to Corwin Springs:This
section is swift for most of its run with some of the water rated class II and
class III.
Corwin
Springs to Yankee Jim Canyon (Joe Brown exit):Although this stretch flattens out and makes float fishing
easier, it is essential that newcomers exit the river at the Joe Brown exit to
avoid the treacherous Yankee Jim Canyon, a notorious white-water section.
Carbella
(Tom Miner Bridge) to Emigrant:This is a long 16-mile stretch so depending on the river's flow, it can
make for a long float.For a
shorter float, anglers may exit at Point of Rocks, a 4.5-mile float trip.Eric Adam of Montana Fly Fishing Guides
offers another take-out for intrepid floaters."Floaters may continue downstream for another five miles to
a take-out known only as 26 mile, so named as it is the closest mile marker on
Route 89.The 26-mile take out is
not an improved take-out and those planning on using it should have a high
clearance vehicle and be adventurous, as well as physically capable to haul a
boat out of this steep hole in the willows."
The
upper section provides good fishing opportunities.Eric describes this section as offering a "steeper
gradient with classic riffle, run and pool structure common to many western
rivers.From Point of Rocks
downstream the river flattens out substantially.While it is a slower stretch of water, it produces good
numbers of cutthroat trout on dry flies.This section also has several side channels, which depending on water
level, can offer good wade fishing.Floaters should be aware that about 3 miles below the 26-mile access
there is a diversion channel located on river left.A warning sign is present at the head of the channel.Wade fishing the channel is an option,
but boats cannot make it through the diversion."
Emigrant to Mallard's Rest:Noted for its increased flow and numerous riffles, this is a
popular section, and the float trip ends at a great campground.Floaters may launch at the Emigrant
Bridge, which is steep and narrow, or they may wade fish at Emigrant West or
Grey Owl.
MM 41.4:
Mallards Rest Campground: The campground is a fee campground and offers 20
sites on a "Pack it in - Pack it Out" basis. The campground also
offers a boat launch and good access for wade fishermen.
Mill Creek Bridge to Mallards Rest: Mill Creek Bridge is
above Mallard's Rest.Mill Creek
is about ½ way between Grey Owl and Mallard's Rest
Carter's Bridge
to the Highway 89 Bridge, 9th Street Island or Mayor's Landing (The
town stretch)
From Livingston
to Big Timber, the Yellowstone River offers less prime holding water, fewer
fish and less pressure.Nonetheless, it does provide good fishing.One advantage of this section according to Eric is that the
"average size of the fish increases and the possibility of seeing a trophy fish
rises dramatically.I would
recommend purchasing the Montana Afloat map for this section, as well as stopping
in a local fly shop for current conditions.
December to
March: Sporadic midge hatches
April - June:
Baetis mayfly, March brown drake
May (run-off
period): March brown drake
June: Salmonfly nymphs stir and begin their migration to the shore.
July:Salmonfly, golden stones, yellow sallys, caddis and green drakes
August and
September: Terrestrials
October-November:
Baetis, midges
Highway Access
from Livingston to Gardiner
MM=Mileage
marker signs
MM 60:
Livingston, Montana
MM 51: East
River Road Fishing Access
MM 50: Carter
Bridge:Carter
Bridge has a good boat take-out and is a good spot for wade fishermen.
MM 45: Trail
Creek fishing access
MM 43.3: Pine
Creek:Take
the Pine Creek road 1.4 miles to the bridge fishing access and boat launch.
Note:From Carter Bridge to
just above Point of Rocks, the East River Road parallels the river. The East
River Road has Loch Levin Campground. Loch Levin is 9 miles south of
Livingston. Take the Pine Creek Road and head south again to the campground.
Loch Levin Campground has 30 campsites, water, toilets and a boat launch.
Mill Creek
Cross the
bridge and follow the paved road for six miles and then a dirt road for another
7.4 miles to a private meadow. Although the meadow is on private property, this
section may be accessed later in the summer from the highway about a hundred
yards downstream. Look for a pullout. Follow the fence line to public access to
the water on National Forest land. However, be sure you stay under the high
water mark at all times. The meadow gets fished heavily. Snowbank Campground is
a fee campground with plenty of shade and garbage removal. Above the campground
are some primitive campsites. The water is icy cold above the meadow section
and interspersed with a lot of private property. Late in the summer small
parachute hoppers work best.
East Fork of Mill Creek
Although the
East Fork is small and shallow, small pockets and riffles offer up good catches
of 8- to 10-inch cutthroats. It is a great creek for kids. The access road ends
a mile and a half at a locked gate to a private ranch. The ranch can be
bypassed by trail, but I did not have time to explore it.
West Fork of Mill Creek
The West Fork
road cuts right through a Bible camp and climbs high up into a steep canyon.
The creek is fast moving, but it does hold some nice pools and pockets in the
canyon section. The road ends 5.8 miles at the trailhead. I walked down into
the canyon, but the going is tough due to downed trees from the 1988 fire. The
creek is loaded with 5- to 9-inch cutthroats, but it is also loaded with
mosquitoes.
Dailey Lake
Dailey Lake may
be reached from the Mill Creek Road or from Emigrant. From Emigrant to the lake
is eight miles. The lake is shaped like a silver dollar, and it is shallow all
around the shoreline. Although the lake holds some trout, most of the locals
fish for perch and walleye.
MM 25.5: Fishing access.
MM 24: Big Creek.Don't
judge this creek when you pass over it on the highway. Big Creek fishing access
is 5.5 miles from the highway and six miles to the trailhead. The road is
bumpy, but the creek is charming and host to 7- to 9-inch cutthroats, which are
plentiful.
MM 23.8: Meditation Point.Here is a rest area and picnic site large enough for the largest RVs
with good fishing access to the river.
MM 21: Tom Miner Creek.Tom Miner Creek provides a nice campground 11 miles from the highway,
but it is too small to be worth fishing. The scenic drive is beautiful as the
road winds through open parks and aspen shaded hillsides.
MM 21: Point of Rocks.Point of Rocks has a boat launch.
MM 19.7: East River Road.
MM 18: Carbella Campground.Carbella is an unimproved campground one mile west of the Tom Miner
Bridge. It has five campsites.
MM 13: Yankee Jim fishing access.Just upstream from Yankee Jim is the Slip and Slide access, but you will
need to carry your boat to the water's edge.
MM 7.1: Corwin Springs Boat Launch.From the boat launch, visitors may take the dirt road that
parallels the Yellowstone River on the western side. The road winds above the
river for eight miles. It provides a few access points down to the river and
passes a few primitive campsites.
MM
0:Highway 287 junction with Highway 87
to Henry's Lake, Idaho. The water from Quake Lake to the junction with Highway
87 is both sobering and challenging. The 1959 quake registered 7.8 on the
Richter Scale, and an entire mountain slid down on one of the most productive
stretches of the Madison for large trout. A campground was buried, and many
lives were lost. Almost forty years later, gray pine tree stalks slant from the
river, and the boulder strewn heaps of piled high gravel and rock testify to
this horrific event. The water looks barren above the junction, but dedicated
nymph fishermen take fish in the fast foam and surface film. From the junction
to Ennis, a distance of approximately 50 miles, this famous section of the
Madison has been described as a 50-mile riffle.
The
best time to fish this section of the Madison is early summer and fall. The
first awaited hatch is the prolific caddis hatches of late May and June, but
the Madison River's salmonfly hatch is justifiably famous and eagerly awaited.
But like the Big Hole and Rock Creek, making flight reservations and motel
reservations six months in advance can lead to great disappoints when you are
confronted with lingering storms, late run-offs, or heavy or late snow
accumulations. Hitting it just right is a crap shoot, but if you have the time
and the money, it is more than worth the effort.
Traditionally, the hatch
starts during the last week of June through mid July followed by the presence
of golden stoneflies. With the announcement of, "Gentlemen, start your
engines," an interesting rush to the water takes place. Nymph fishermen
head upstream above the hatch to chuck 2 inch weighted Bitch Creeks and various
other stonefly nymphs into the cold water. Dry fly enthusiasts rush around
probing the river and chasing guide rigs. And the leisure set move behind the
advancing hatch knowing that trout have orange memories and rise readily to smaller
yellow and orange stimulators.
The
dog days of August calls for terrestrials, but those enticements are often
ignored. One popular and effective technique is to add a bead-head Prince as a
dropper. Realistically, during the heat of August, expect to catch smaller
fish. By all means pound the water mid day with hoppers, beetles and ants, but
do not ignore early morning nymphing techniques and evening hatches of
Blue-wing Olives. September and October bring about a change of tactics with
heavy streamers.
Wade
Lake and Cliff Lake:Wade Lake and
Cliff Lake turn off is just downstream from the junction. Both lakes are fairly
large and may also be reached from the West Fork Bridge access at mile marker
9.6. Both lakes have campgrounds, but fishing from shore is somewhat difficult
due to the steep shoreline. The lakes support healthy populations of 10 to 14
inch trout. Wade Lake Campground offers 30 camping sites, Hill Top Campground
offers 20, and Cliff Point offers 6 sites and a trailer boat launch
MM
9.6: West Fork Campground: The West
Fork Campground offers seven shaded tent camping sites right along the West
Fork of the Madison which is a beautiful stream in its own right, offering fair
catches of rainbows and browns. The West Fork may be accessed for almost
fourteen miles from on a dirt road. The West Fork blows out early during spring
run-off and after a heavy storm. Above the West Fork the river clears earlier
due to both the nature of the Park and the addition of Hebgen Lake which tends
to settle the silt. Next to the West Fork Campground is the West Fork Cabin
Camp and RV Campground.
MM
15.7: Lyon Bridge Recreation Area: Boat
launch and picnic area
MM
22.7: Palisades Campground: One mile
off the highway, Palisades Campground offers 7 camping sites along side of the
river with a towering bluff on the other side.
MM
30.8: McAttee Bridge: McAttee bridge
has a day use site as well as a boat launch. Three miles down a well maintened
road is the Wall Creek Wildlife Management Area and West Madison Campground.If you like sage brush and full exposure
to the sun, then this campground provides 22 camping sites and a boat
launch.
MM
38: Cameron, Montana: Cameron has a
post office and the Blue Moon Store and RV Park.
MM
40: Varney Bridge (campground): The
road to Varney Bridge is over three miles on some rough road. Although the
campground has a self-deposit fee requirement, it is somewhat old and run-down.
Nonetheless, the five or six campsites are on the river bank with mature
cottonwoods providing welcome shade. Most locals take the secondary road out of
Ennis on the west side of the river to Varney Bridge.
Floaters
can choose a half-day float and spend more time out of the boat fishing by
taking out at the Eight Mile Ford boat launch, or they may float down to Ennis
Campground. The stretch from Varney Bridge to Ennis Campground, unlike the
water upstream, separates into many braided channels and islands. Even with
this separation of water, the Madison flows swift against undercut banks and
tiny islands. This section has traditionally maintained the largest browns.
Ennis
Campground:Just across the bridge from
Ennis, Ennis Campground is a shaded campground with mowed grass right on the
river. The campground is a Fish, Wildlife and Parks campground with 25 camping
sites. Before the bridge crossing, look for the turn off to Valley Garden
Campground, which is on the secondary road leading to Bear Trap Canyon. From
Ennis Campground to Ennis Lake is closed to float fishing.
Ennis,
Montana
The
Madison River from Ennis to Three Forks:
Ennis
Lake:The lake is shallow, no more than
20 feet in most places. Solar heating of the lake, often reaching close to 80
degrees during the heat of summer, threaten both the trout in the lake and the
trout downstream. In spite of this, healthy populations of three to five pound
Eagle Lake Rainbows and browns entice boaters and float tubers.
Ennis
Lake Outlet to Three Forks:The outlet
of Ennis Lake picks up speed as it drops down through the Lee Metcalf
Wilderness in Bear Trap Canyon. Bear Trap Canyon is wicked whitewater country
and should be avoided unless you are knowledgeable about the vagaries of this
rushing canyon water. For floating information contact the Bureau of Land
Management, Box 3388, Butte, MT 59702.
Highway
287 splits at the town of Norris and heads to Cardwell and Interstate 90.
The
Madison River is reached again by taking Highway 84 to Warm Springs and then to
the outlet of Beartrap Canyon. A secondary road, Madison Road, follows the
river to Three Forks. The lower Madison is broad and much warmer as a result of
the shallow water of Lake Ennis. Lower in elevation, the lower Madison's water
temperatures by mid-summer slows down the fishing. Released fish are highly
stressed and frequently die. Spring and fall are most assuredly the best time
to fish the lower Madison.
Deemed one of
the most abundant trout fisheries in the world, the Yellowstone River has a
challenger less than four hours away. Staging a comeback, Montana's second
crown jewel offers great fishing for brown trout and rainbows. Having been
ravaged by whirling decease during the 1990's, Madison loyalists watched the
number of rainbows plunge from 3500 a mile down to 500 to 600 per mile.
Juvenile populations dropped 90% in a few short years. But newcomers to the
river will find no memorial markers with epitaphs lamenting the death of the
Madison. The loss has been profound, but the Madison River is still one of the
top fisheries in Montana. Browns average 1500 to 1800 per mile with a healthy
population of trophies.Early rainbow
survivors of whirling disease with resistance to the disease are now the
progenitors in this epic tale of survival of the fittest.
The Billings Gazette, July 22, 2009 interviewed Dick
Vincent, Whirling-Disease Coordinator for the Department of Fish, Wildlife and
Park on the Madison River rainbow recovery.He said that "rainbows under 10 inches have recovered to
pre-whirling disease levels and the population of those larger is about 60
percent of what it was before the disease."What is not missing from the Madison River today is the
opportunity to fish a great brown stream that offers pristine settings and some
of the most beautiful water in the world.
The Madison
River originates fifteen miles inside the Park from the West Yellowstone
Entrance. Just above the National Park Meadow, the Gibbon River joins the
Firehole to begin the Madison's journey for over a 130 miles to Three Forks,
where it joins the Gallatin and the Jefferson to form the Missouri River. The
river is blocked by two impoundments, Hebgen Lake and Ennis Lake.Although the park section is fished
throughout the summer, the best fishing occurs in June during the salmonfly
hatch and the green drake hatch. Migratory trout spawn in this section both
during the spring and fall. Dry fly purists encounter frustration in this
section during the summer months due to normal thermal heating and the
discharge of hot water from the Firehole River.For the most part this section is best fished with a nymph
as the summer progresses.In the
fall this section receives heavy pressure, as anglers anticipate the fall brown
spawning runs out of Hebgen Lake.Heavy-duty streamer patterns work best, but fishermen are also
successful using nymphs and egg patterns.
Madison River
trout are hammered all year long, and they become very educated. Just inside
the park boundary, fishermen can take a left on a dirt road to Bakers Hole area
if they want some semblance of solitude. With the advent of fall and the
anticipation of brown spawning runs, the area becomes quite a popular gathering
spot. Regardless of the season, be cautious in disturbing wildlife, especially
bears.
Leaving the
Park, the Madison takes a short run and enters Hebgen Lake.Hebgen Lake runs 16-miles long and the
area provides a number of campgrounds. Most of the arms of the lake offer good
fly fishing for float tubers. For camping information contact the Hebgen Lake
Ranger District, PO Box 520, West Yellowstone, MT 59758 or call (406) 646-7369.
All Hebgen Lake Ranger District fee sites are available to reserve on the
recreation reservation system by calling 1-800-280-2267. Hebgen Lake offers
seven campgrounds. Rainbow Point Campground and Baker's Hole campground exclude
tent camping because of bear activity. Baker's Hole Campground is right on the Madison
River just above where it joins the Madison Arm of Hebgen Lake. Anglers will
find a white stake denoting the Park boundary.
At the outlet
of Hebgen Lake, Quake Lake was formed during the 1959 earthquake. Below Quake
Lake to the Junction with Highway 87, the scared remnants of the quake make
floating this section of the river extremely dangerous, and even experts shun
this short section. The junction with Highway 87 begins the mileage markers.
Ennis, Montana, is 41 miles downstream.
Spring
Spring hatches
of baetis and caddis prompt lethargic trout to look upwards.Following these hatches is the much
anticipated arrival of Pteronarcys californica, the giant salmon fly.Reaching a length of two inches at
maturity, trout gorge themselves on this stonefly.When this hatch dwindles, the arrival of the golden stonefly
sustains the spring instinct to regain body mass and strength after a long,
cold winter.Although the upper
river in the park may run fairly clear, the lower river run-off and the muddy
water necessitates using large nymphs such as the Bitch Creek along the
shoreline.
Early Summer
In addition to
Salmon fly patterns and stimulators, early summer hatches of PMD's and the
scattered hatches of blue-wing olives, as well as prolific hatches of caddis,
keep the dry fly angler smiling.Standard attractor patterns work well.
Summer
Mayfly hatches
and caddis hatches come off in the evening.Mid day fishing should concentrate on terrestrials such as
ant and beetle patterns, and, of course, grasshopper patterns, which should be
worked close to the banks or over weed beds.
Fall
Grasshopper
patterns work well into fall, but for the most part streamers work best unless
a sporadic Baetis hatch emerges in which case a small Pheasant Tail nymph or a
Baetis Sparkle Dun on the surface will do quite well.
Recommended
books for the Madison River (add link)
Popular
Sections and Access Points:The Beaverhead is easily accessed from
Interstate 15 at Exit 44 at the dam; Exit 52 at Grasshopper Creek; Exit 59 with
the junction to Highway 278 to Wisdom, and Exit 62 and 63 in the town of
Dillon. For a quick preview of the river, follow the secondary road just past
Poindexter Slough south of Dillon near the junction with Highway 278. This
secondary road winds its way all the way up to the dam crossing the river and
under the Interstate. At times it joins with old highway 91. In some places it
looks like a private ranch road. Wade fishers can travel this road to hop out
and fish, and floaters new to the river should follow the road to check out
each of the access points.
Clark Canyon
Dam or High Bridge to Grasshopper Creek Access or Barrett's Park:
Built in 1965,
the base of the dam provides a launch site and a picnic spot along with a
couple of camping sites. Less than a mile downstream, High Bridge offers an
easier launch site. Wade fishers have a short stretch above and below the
bridge to fish. This upper section is renown for its swift current and river
bends. Henneberry Bridge is about six miles from the dam, and it too offers a
good exit point or boat launch along with a picnic area. Henneberry Bridge is
most easily found by following the secondary road south from Exit 52.
Grasshopper Creek Accessis the next access downstream, about ten miles
from the dam. From Grasshopper Creek to Barrett's Park is the last floating
stretch of the river. During high water the park take-out can be tricky as it
is right in front of a low bridge, and there is no room for error. When you see
the bridge, slip over and hug the left bank.
Tash to Cornell
Park:Referred
to as "Tash to Trash" by the local guides, the Tash access point is
near the junction with Highway 278 by Poindexter Slough. A short float of about
five miles, this popular evening float exits at the weir in Cornell Park in the
town of Dillon not too far from the dump. To find Cornell Park follow North
Montana Street past the museum and Depot until it comes to a T intersection.
Turn west and follow the KOA signs. The park is about a half-mile further and
offers a hand-launch site.
Cornell Park to
Anderson Road:Be
sure you take note of the low bridge and debris at the train trestle on Highway
91 at the north end of town. It could prove tricky during high water periods
for a high bow drift boat. The exit point for this 12-14 mile float is Anderson
Road, which may be reached at mile marker 7.4 north of Dillon on Highway 41 to
Twin Bridges (28 miles from Dillon). The road is un-marked, but across the
street is a ranch complex with silos. Turn west 1.3 miles. The access is small
and next to a county bridge. Anderson Road may also be reached at mile marker
5.6 on Highway 91 north of town on the way to Butte.
Fly fishers
visiting the Beaverhead River should also consider fishing Poindexter Slough
for good catches of browns in a spring creek environment as well as Clark
Canyon Reservoir which produces exceptionally large rainbows. Stocked in the
lake in the spring at 4 inches, these Eagle Lake strain rainbows grow in excess
of twelve inches the first year and easily reach 5-Pounder status in three years.
Although popular with boat fishermen, the lake is likewise popular with float
tubers searching out these lake lunkers.
Prior to the
completion of the Clark Canyon Dam in 1964, the Beaverhead River struggled to
survive on low water years when entire sections would dry up.From the dam to Three Forks, where the
Beaverhead, the Big Hole and the Ruby River meet to form the Jefferson River,
the river stretches 69 miles.Fifty of these miles the river winds its way through an agricultural
valley.Since the dam's completion,
the Beaverhead has achieved worldwide fame as one of the best tail-water
fisheries in the country.And for
the record, this paradise is verifiably evident with biologists proclaiming
record populations and record size browns from their shocking studies. Even to
this day upper river rainbows average 17 inches with a sizable population of
20+ inch fish.Biologists report
as many as 1900 fish per mile over 16 inches, along with 700 fish per mile in
the 20+ range.
In the days when
Blue Ribbon was bantered around so lightly, the Beaverhead studies reported
astonishing numbers of trout per mile with browns waiting to enter the record
books. Today the numbers are only slightly down due to Whirling Disease, and
anglers truly have the opportunity to catch "Five-Pounders".No other river between Glacier and
Yellowstone holds such promise for a catch-of-a-lifetime as this national
treasure.
The Beaverhead
hosts abundant insect life, half-submerged willows and a tailwater rich in
nutrients. But by all standards this narrow river holds challenges for seasoned
veterans. Yet each passing season innocents from abroad proudly photograph
their rewards. From the Clark Canyon Reservoir to Dillon provides approximately
20 river miles of water racing past a double-wall barrier of thick willow,
submerged obstacles, sweepers and undercut banks. Dangling willow arms greedily
reach out to snatch your offerings, and weighted nymph patterns and buggers
stumble through underwater deadfalls. Shooting past a target, he who hesitates
is lost, and lost flies mount up as the day progresses. Typical flows in
mid-summer on a high water year reach in excess of 1,000 cfs making it tough on
both guides and clients.
The upper
section from the dam to Barrett's Dam is the most famous stretch of water. Here
wade fishers are even more challenged during high water releases. Optimum flows
for floating this upper section are from 600 to 800 cfs. Compounding the
aforementioned physical conditions is the simple fact that heightened pressure
has produced some very educated browns.In recent years studies have shown an increase in angler days on the
river in excess of 28,000 per season.With increased traffic on the river, new restrictions on outfitters and
out-of-state float fishing parties have been instituted.Whereas in the past heavily weighted
buggers with incredibly short and stout leaders was the preferred method,
realistic nymph patterns properly presented prevail today.
Rather than be
intimidated, however, relish the prospect of fishing over 300 trophy size
browns per mile, but before you shove off in your kickboat,take a teaspoon of lowered
expectations. If you can afford it, by all means hire a guide. During my last
visit to the Beaverhead, I sat in my truck outside a shop in Dillon arranging
notes and brochures. I heard two out-of-state visitors debating the merits of
hiring a guide. Money wasn't even a consideration. The men had pulled a drift
boat behind them from another state and felt sheepish about hiring a guide on
that basis alone. Sitting in my truck, I couldn't pretend to be oblivious to
their dilemma so I hopped out and approached them. Within 60 seconds they
returned to the shop to book a trip. Here is an almost word-for-word argument I
gave them.
"Excuse
me. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. I am a former guide from
out of the area, and I can tell you without hesitation I dearly wish I could
afford to higher a guide. If money isn't the issue consider this. Only one of
you will be able to fish at a time while the other person is on the oars.
That's half the day watching your buddy fish. You are going to be speeding down
the river 5 to 6 miles per hour not knowing what lies around the next bend.
Before you can even react, your going to blow through a good pocket that you
could have got out of the boat and fished. Even if you are an experienced
oarsman, you are going to miss a lot of prime water, and hopefully you will
miss rapping the top of that boat of yours on a low bridge. Lastly, you will
probably doggedly cling to a non-productive pattern in the absence of a "voice
of authority."
The opener
begins May 17, and the preferred fly patterns are small mayflies, small yellow
stoneflies and caddis. Keep in mind that the first stretch down to Grasshopper
Creek Access remains clear coming out of the dam. Grasshopper Creek muddies the
water during run-off and during heavy rains, but this section above provides
clear opportunities, albeit a short distance of a little over ten miles. Early
summer brings PMDs and then later tricos, but these hatches tend to be early
and late in the day. The upper section lacks green pastureland for hoppers
gradually working their way to the water's edge, but instead crane flies fill
the void, and late summer and early fall find scattered hatches of Baetis.
Throughout the river drainage, the Beaverhead is primarily known for fishing
down and ugly versus sitting high and pretty. Floaters fishing below Dillon to
Anderson Road will find conditions much better for dry fly fishing along with
far fewer boats, and from Barrett's Bridge to the town of Dillon, wade fishers
delight in catching smaller trout but in greater numbers.
Most voices of
authority will concur that nymph fishing is the best tactic year round, unless
you find yourself in the middle of a hatch.However, in the fall, anglers switch to streamer patterns.From late summer into the fall, the
browns are staging to spawn, and the water level, often dropping to 300
cfs,affords more opportunity to
slow drift and really target the best water.Browns aggressively defend their beds.Anglers must court disaster in casting
next to undercut banks and then ripping the streamers across submerged
entanglements.But it is not just
the browns that are targeted.Rainbows stack up at the tail out of runs and pools waiting for floating
eggs drifting up from a depression or run.Egg patterns and streamers work well for these opportunistic
rainbows, as do Girdle Bugs and Yuk Bugs.
The Big Hole
River may be reached via Highway 93 from Salmon, Idaho or from Interstate 15
from Idaho Falls to Butte or at the junction with Interstate 90 and Interstate
15 west of Butte. The Big Hole River parallels Highway 43, which begins at the
junction with Highway 93 at Chief Joseph Pass. From the junction to Wisdom is
27 miles. Dillon is 93 miles.
MM=Mileage Marker signs
MM 16.5: Big
Hole National Battlefield / North Fork: The Nez Perce, refusing to accept a
re-negotiated treaty in which they would lose 9/10 of their reservation,
refused to move into the newly restricted reservation. Tensions mounted,
deadlines were mandated and a few young warriors precipitated military
reprisals when they killed some settlers. Thus began a journey of flight and a
series of skirmishes. The Nez Perce elected Chief Joseph as their leader. At
the Big Hole the 7th US Infantry, under the command of Col. John
Gibbon, mounted a surprise attack. The Nez Perce tribe suffered the loss of
almost ninety members, only a third of whom were warriers. In military terms,
the Indians had won the battle, but their loss of horses and provisions would
soon exhaust them on their journey of escape. Thirteen hundred miles later,
Chief Joseph would surrender to Col, Nelson A. Miles just 40 miles south of the
Canadian Border.
"Hear me,
my chiefs, I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands
I will fight no more forever." Chief Joseph
The North
Fork of the Big Hole River runs through the Battlefield and holds an abundance
of brook trout.
MM 23: Lower
North Fork Road / Mussigbrod Lake 18 miles, Pintler Lake 18:Mussigbrod Lake
Campround (USFS) has 10 campsites. The lake fishes well for grayling and brook
trout, but be prepared for ugly draw downs during the summer. Pintler Lake
offers much more in scenery, good fishing from a boat and a small campground.
The lake is between 30 and 40 acres and does not offer good fishing from the
shoreline due to plant growth.
MM 26: Junction
with Highway 278 to Dillon, Montana:
Highway 278 to
Dillon
The route to
Dillon leads to Jackson, Montana, which has a commercial hot springs. Seven
miles south of Wisdom on Highway 278 is the turn off to Twin Lakes.Twin Lakes are sixteen
miles from the highway. The lake, two lakes joined by a channel, is popular
with locals and offers good fishing for rainbows and brook trout. Although
large lake trout are present, their numbers seem to be in decline. Twin Lakes
Campground has 21 camping sites and a boat launch.
From Wisdom to
Jackson is 18 miles. Just out of Jackson a half of a mile is the turn off to
Lower Miner Lake,which
offers 18 campsites and a boat launch. The fishing, however, is only fair as
the lake is shallow and suffers from oxygen depletion plant growth during the
summer and periodic freeze-outs during the winter. Upper Miner Lake, along with
Rock Island Lakes, offers good cutthroat and brook trout fishing for day hike
fishing in the back country. The hike is approximately four to five miles and
well worth the hike for the scenery alone. My sons and I have fond memories of
catching lots of 9" brookies in these lakes.
The natives
first named the Big Hole Valley the Land of Big Snows and Ground Squirrel
Valley. Captain Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition named the
forks of the Jefferson River, Wisdom and Philanthropy, to honor President Jefferson's
virtues. Later on the return trip, William Clark would name the present area of
Jackson the Hot Spring Valley when they camped for the night near the hot
springs. Fur trappers seeking valleys (holes) gave it its lasting name. With
the passing of time, ranchers would sprinkle the valley with rich hay fields,
producing some of the finest hay in the region. Ranchers nicknamed the valley
10,000 Stacks Valley with the invention in 1910 of the Beaverside Haystacker.
But by the late 1930s and 40s, the Big Hole achieved piscatorial preeminence
from local fly fishers and then by fishermen from around the country who came
to pay homage to another one of Montana's fluvial wonders.
The Big Hole
River could just as easily have been named the Big Bend River. From its
headwaters down to Jackson, the river, more aptly described as a small meadow
stream, meanders northwards to Wisdom, Montana and then to Sportsman Park. From
there the river heads east and then south to Melrose and Glen. From Glen the
river runs east for a short distance and then heads north again to meet the
Beaverhead and form the Jefferson River. From the town of Wisdom to Twin
Bridges, the river winds a little over a 100 miles. The most famous section,
particularly during the Salmon Fly hatch in mid-June, stretches from Divide to
Glen. From the second week in June through the end of the month, this section
of river rivals the Madison in its hey days for boat traffic. The run-off,
typically beginning in May, makes the Big Hole most difficult and perhaps
dangerous to wade fish with the arrival of the Salmon Fly hatch in early June.
The powerful current and half-submerged sweepers and rocks pose serious
consequences for inexperienced rowers as well. Early July brings the arrival of
the golden stoneflies, caddis and mayflies. With the arrival of mid-summer,
irrigation drawdown and slow, heated water shuts the river down in some
sections. In drought years the trout are barely able to survive in these
sections of the river, and playing a fish to shore adds significant stress to
their survival chances after release.
With the
exception of the Salmonfly hatch, the Big Hole River provides lots of elbow
room for anglers seeking some solitude. During early summer the Big Hole fishes
well with attractor patterns, particularly in the upper stretches above and
below Wisdom where anglers also have the opportunity to catch Arctic Grayling.
The Big Hole River holds the last survivors of river-dwelling grayling in the
lower 48 states, and their numbers are growing under the careful protection of
the state after the severe drought years during the 1980s.
In addition to the
grayling, the upper section holds high concentrations of brook trout and to a
lesser extent cutthroats and rainbows. With the discovery in recent years of
Whirling Disease, the verdict is still out on the rainbow population, but
recent research holds promise for securing a place for rainbows in the
drainage. The mid section of the river below Wise River picks up both volume
and gradient speed as the river flows through canyons offering floaters a
mixture of riffles, rocks and pockets. Larger rainbows and browns are found
from the Divide Bridge down to Melrose, the most popular float on the river.
Some sections of the Big Hole River have produced shock-counts of over 3,000
trout per mile.
From Glen to
the confluence at Twin Bridges, the river returns to pasture land and
cottonwood bottoms and braided channels. Check with one of the shops before you
float this section as it often contains many obstacles and impediments to safe
and fun floating. The river holds mostly browns hidden under downed trees and
undercut banks. The lower stretch may be accessed from a county road from Glen
to Twin Bridges, but there are no public access points except bridges and non-posted
private land. Access to the upper river, on the other hand, has improved
greatly thanks to the efforts of the Big Hole River Foundation.
Fishing the
Salmon Fly hatch requires patience, luck and good oaring skills. The greatest
challenge to fishing this river is to wait for your turn to launch your boat.
The last time I floated from Divide to Melrose, almost ten years ago, I was
shocked at the number of people waiting patiently and unpatiently to take their
launch turn. Fishermen were dropping drift boats in the water everywhere. As I
drifted down the river, I was reminded of all those nature films I had seen
through the years of crocodiles charging through the marsh grass and silently
entering the water. I suppose the best attitude to embrace for this bevy of
boats is to just enjoy the circus-like parade and be as generous as possible in
sharing the river, as once the hatch is over the crowds disappear for another
year. The hatch moves typically four to five miles a day upstream from the
confluence all the way up to Wisdom although the heaviest concentrations are
from Glen to Wise River. The Salmon Fly hatch on the Big Hole is generally
earlier than the hatch on the Madison. As a result the Big Hole draws
outfitters and guides from all over the region, including from the Missoula
area which offers a good Salmon Fly hatch on the forks of the Bitterroot, Rock
Creek and the Blackfoot about the same time.
Nymph fisherman
like to get ahead of the hatch, but the bulk of the fishermen enjoy fishing
right in the middle of the hatch. Most of them enter the river between 9 AM and
10 AM hoping to catch the first ovipositing females as they warm up. Timing and
good luck determines whether or not you will have a memorable hatch experience.
Most camping fishermen come to stay for a while knowing that cold, rainy June
days are a reality in southwestern Montana. About 20 years ago I fished the
hatch for the first time with a former principal of mine from Jackson, Wyoming.
Nick Holmes,
who at the time was the principal in Whitehall, Montana, almost always fished
with a nymph. He was an excellent fisherman, and he would softly chuckle every
time he watched me tie on a dry fly. Invariably he would out fish me. Nick had
no use for strike indicators or tapered leaders. He carried a few spools of
monofilament in his vest and tied on short leaders. As I was his junior,
coupled with the fact that he always out fished me, I generally took Nick's
advice, including switching over to a nymph after watching Nick land three or
four fish. The night before I had driven over from the Bitterroot Valley and
camped at Divide Bridge where I would meet Nick in the morning. I spent that
first evening talking to every fisherman who would answer my questions. The
general consensus was that it was not worth getting out on the river early
until the bugs were warmed up and landing on the water. Eager beavers, I was
told, just pass up good water that would be productive water later in the
morning. I had planned on meeting Nick at 6 AM the next morning!
When Nick
arrived earlier than our scheduled time, I was groggy eyed. I told him of my
findings, and he let out that soft chuckle which from past experience assured
me he had some experience that I wasn't about to challenge. It was chilly, but
the sun was coming up when we backed up to the launch and slipped into the
river at 7 AM. I was on the oars first and ribbed Nick about using a nymph
today. "No," he said, "I'll fish with drys today. Here, I tied
up a couple for you as well."
Tied would be
an overstatement. Nick was also a goose hunter, and he had carved magnum
salmonfly bodies out of balsa wood and attached them to what I guessed to be
shark hooks. Richly painted and finished off with bright feathers, they looked
more like floating Rappalas. As I received the two gigantic flies in my hands,
Nick good naturally said, "Be sure to cut off about half of that tapered
leader of yours." It was good advice. Our agreement was two fish caught
and you are on the oars. Within ten minutes, Nick had landed his first trout of
the day over 20 inches. Within the hour I was on the oars, and although my
first two fish weren't quite as large as Nick's, I was jubilant. As the day
progressed, we both lost our two hand-carved salmon flies and the fish became
progressively smaller and tougher to catch. I never fished the Big Hole River
again with Nick, and I have never carved balsa wood Salmon Fly patterns
although each spring I wonder if they would work on Rock Creek. The Big Hole
salmon fly hatch is a great experience if you time it right, if the run-off is
not severe, and if the sky is free from pounding rain. But regardless of the
conditions, fishing the legendary Big Hole is a great experience.
March and
April:During
this pre-runoff period, the river is best fished with a variety of woolly
bugger and streamer patterns along with stonefly nymphs.
May:The month of May begins
the run-off season along with prolific hatches of caddis. Unlike many of
Montana's other famous rivers, the Big Hole does not typically get blown out with
mud. If the weather cooperates, the upper and mid section is certainly worth
fishing using Elk Hair Caddis patterns as well as emerging nymphs.
June:The Big Hole's famous
Salmon Fly hatch is usually in progress by mid-June and essentially over by the
end of the month with the exception of some late bloomers. Followed closely on
the heels of the Salmon Fly hatch, Golden Stones and a few green drakes appear
along with PMDs.
July:Early July offers
opportunities for standard attractor patterns such as Humpies, Wulffs, Trudes,
and Parachute Adams
Late Summer:Hoppers,
ants and tricos
Fall:Hoppers, tricos,
blue-wing olives, streamers and buggers.
Three
miles east of Three Forks, the park is open year-round and offers 20 campsites
for both tents and trailers. Water, toilets, hiking trails and a rough boat
launch are also available. Three Forks KOA Kampground is a few miles south of
Three Forks on the road to Ennis. Drouillard Campground and boat ramp on the
Jefferson River provides a primitive campground or resting spot just off
Interstate 90. Take Highway 287 south for one mile and make a left turn heading
east to Three Forks, which is three miles. The campground is less than a
half-mile and is to the left as you cross the Jefferson River.
Canyon Ferry Lake Recreation Area
Canyon
Ferry Lake offers 13 campgrounds and nine day-use-only sites. Half of the
campgrounds are fee areas, which provide water, toilets, tables, grills and
boat ramps. All of the campgrounds are on a first-come basis. Three of the
campgrounds offer group-use sites. Most of the campgrounds are accessible from
Highway 12 / 287, the main route to Helena. If you are a tent camper, head
towards the dam and turn south on West Shore Drive, one mile past Yacht Basin
Marina, to Fish Hawk Campground, which is restricted to tents only and offers
six sites, and more importantly, shade and toilets, although it lacks water.
The eastern shoreline has four campgrounds evenly distributed (Jo Bonner,
Hellgate, Goose Bay and Confederate). Follow the East Shoreline Drive, which
may be reached off Highway 12 just outside of Townsend or the Highway 284
cut-off towards Helena, or cross the dam and pick up the East Shore Drive by
Chinamen's Gulch. Shade is scarce along the lake, but campers may find both
shade and a little more tranquility at Jo Bonner Campground, which is just a few
miles south of the dam on the East Shore Drive. The Bureau of Land Management
has published an excel-lent map of the Canyon Ferry Lake Recreation Area.
Write:
BLM 7661 Canyon Ferry Road Helena, Montana 59602
For
fishing licenses and up-to-date fishing information contact:
Goose Bay Marina 300 Goose Bay Road Townsend, MT 59644 (406) 266-3645
Missouri River: Trident (Headwaters State Park) to Toston
One
would only have to look down from a helicopter during spring and early summer
to understand the powerful forces of spring run-off, which shapes the
meandering channels each year. Once the Missouri is formed from the Jefferson,
Madison and the Gallatin, the newly-formed river is big, flat and turbid. The
riverbed, up to 100 yards wide in some places, is scoured each spring leaving
be-hind bleached banks with few trees. Bank fishers at the headwaters are
synonymous with bait fishers, and in truth, these leisurely, arm-chair
fishermen pull in an occasionally large trout with their patience. For the
summer fly fisher, however, thermal heating on the lower Madison coupled with
the heat of summer in an arid area drives water temperatures to the critical
low 70s. The area features dry hillsides with sparse junipers, eroded
riverbanks and low vegetation. This seemingly barren stretch, however, does
contain a healthy population of large rainbows and browns, as well as
impressive numbers of whitefish, carp and rough fish. The problem, however, is
that in proportion to its size, the trout get scattered over a large volume of
water. In my mind, this is not a viable stretch of water for the one-time
fisher wanting to fish Montana's mighty Missouri.
Missouri
Headwaters State Park is reached from Exit 278 on Interstate 90 at Three Forks.
The only public river access between the park and Toston Dam is the Fairweather
fishing access in the Clarkston Valley, which is nestled between the Belt Mountains
and the Elkhorn Mountains. The boat launch has been washed out at Fairweather.
The water slams into a five-foot bank, making it next to impossible to stop and
unload your craft. To reach this fishing access, drive by the Trident Plant at
the end of the park, cross the railroad tracks and follow the county road 1.9
miles to where it forks to the left. From the Trident Plant to Fairweather
Fishing Ac-cess is a distance of 11.3 miles. Norman Strung in his book, Fishing
the Headwaters of the Missouri, recommends big streamers for the pools and deep
holes. He also suggests trolling the streamers by casting upstream as you float
downstream. At the same time twitch or jig the streamer with an upward motion
of the rod tip. Launching from the boat ramp in the state park, the float time
to Toston Dam is a long day with an early start, if you don't have an outboard
to push you along. Toston Dam backs up water for almost five miles!
Most
fishers fish deep with heavy spoons or Rapalas, streamers, night crawlers or
sucker meat.
MM 90: Toston Dam
From
Highway 287 look for the dirt access road on the eastern side of the highway.
Follow the road five miles to Lower Toston Dam Recreation Site, which offers a
boat ramp to the river, outhouses, and picnic tables. Above the dam is another
boat ramp with a picnic facility. I feel it is only fair to say that this site
is generally unattractive, but I am reminded that beauty is in the eyes of the
be-holder. Just above the dam the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped on July 25,
1805. According to the historical marker, Lewis and Clark had been looking for
this spot from the description given to them by the Mandans in North Dakota.
The Indians had de-scribed significant landmarks and cliffs for the Little
Gates of the Mountains, the second chain of Rocky Mountains that approach the
river. The more notable Gates of the Rocky Mountains are located approximately
60 miles downstream.
Toston Dam to Townsend
Located
about halfway between Three Forks and Canyon Ferry, the dam stops the fall
spawning run of brown trout. This section is popular with anglers during the
fall, but it is closed from March 1 to June 15 to protect the spring spawners.
Some of the local sportsmen motor upriver from Toston Dam for a day of fishing
and duck hunting (Blast and Cast). What the area lacks in numbers of fish is
made up for in the solitude above the dam. Fishing from the Toston Dam to the
bridge at Toston is popular with bank fishers and floaters. From Toston to the
Deepdale Access, however, is restricted to float fishers, as the river flows
through the scenic Toston Valley and heavily posted lands. This entire section
of river offers broken water, riffles, runs and pools. Below the dam from
Canyon Ferry to the Deepdale fishing access, large numbers of migrant browns
make their runs and provide fall fishing for anglers seeking trophy sized
trout.
MM 89: Crow Creek
The
road leading to the fishable sections of Crow Creek is just across from the
exit to the small community of Toston. Public fishing begins in the Helena
National Forest above the town of Radersburg. Unlike western Montana, the
up-per Missouri River does not offer an abundance of good fishing creeks. For
this reason, Crow Creek, Beaver Creek and Little Prickly Pear Creek get fished
fairly heavily during the summer. In spite of this pressure, Crow Creek offers
good fishing for 7- to 10-inch rainbows and brookies, with the occasional fat
rainbow.
MM 81.5: Deepdale Fishing Access
Deepdale
provides a lovely campground under a canopy of cottonwoods. In addition to the
campground, a cement boat launch is provided. To access the Missouri River as it enters Canyon Ferry Reservoir in
Townsend, look for the bridge crossing on High-way 287 after the intersection
with Highway 12. This section may also be accessed at the Indian Road
Campground or the Cottonwood Campground west of town. Thi
Shields River: Interstate 90 - Livingston Area
