Pick a creek between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park and ready yourself for more fishing than you can possibly imagine. Between the two parks, this site divides into six sections: Northwest, Western, Rocky Mountain Front, Upper Missouri River, Southwestern and the Yellowstone River Drainage. Below is a partial list of popular fishing creeks in Montana separated by region. Those creeks that are not linked are work in progress.
Note of Enthusiasm: It is unfortunate when such a great resources goes begging because anglers want to catch the big ones. So many Montana creeks offer wonderful canyon beauty with an abundance of small trout that love to grab a dry fly by mid-summer. How dare you call them dinks! These are tough, mature trout whose size is a product of a tough environment for growing. If you hit a hot day in August when the river fishing is slow, head for the mountains where you will catch dozens of beautiful rainbows, brooks and cutthroats. Have some fun!
Montana's Popular Fishing Creeks by Region
Northwestern Montana
We will begin in the Northwest corner of the state working
eastward to the Rocky Mountain Front and than southwards towards Missoula,
Montana, as mapped in the Montana Atlas & Gazetteer. Sections 81, 82,83;
80,66,67.
Unlike western Montana with its abundance of creeks, especially in the Bitterroot Valley, the northwestern region has a scattering of creeks, and the distances between them are immense. I have included material in which I have combined creeks and lakes. Some of the creeks are very small, and I overlooked them years ago when I was researching material for my book. I plan on returning to this section during the 2011fishing season. For a creek-size river, visit Thompson River, which is close to Thompson Falls and not too far from Kalispell.
Seventeen Mile Creek (Yaak River)
Callahan Creek (Libby area)
Lakes and Creeks form Whitefish to Eureka
*Spotted Bear River (near the inlet to Hungry Horse Reservoir)
Cottonwood Creek (a small, meadow creek in the Blackfoot River drainage)
Monture Creek (a small, meadow creek in the Blackfoot River drainage)
Western Montana
We will begin at the western edge of the state at St. Regis
and move eastward to Missoula and then northeast to Lincoln, and then cover the
area south of Missoula, the Bitterroot Valley, as mapped in the Montana Atlas
& Gazetteer. Sections 52,53,54; 37,38.)
Bitterroot Valley Creeks and Lakes
Western Montana, especially the Bitterroot River Valley,
hosts dozens of fine little mountain creeks where the entire family can catch
cutthroats, rainbows and an occasional brookie. Keep in mind, however, that you have to scramble down talus
slides, skinny over downed trees and get down on your knees to drop a dry fly
in a boulder-rimmed pocket. Both
the East Fork and the West Fork of the Bitterroot River are more aptly described
as creek water in the headwaters.
Due to the number of creeks in the valley, I have included both creeks and lakes.
Little Rock Creek (Darby, Montana. Como Lake)
Fish Creek (A tributary Creek of the Clark Fork 35 miles west of Missoula on Exit 66 of Interstate 90)
Note: Although they are not creeks, I have included forks of rivers, such as the North Fork of the Blackfoot River, because it offers smaller water and no float traffic.
Rocky Mountain Front
The Rocky Mountain Front stunned the Lewis and Clark
Expedition with its looming peaks thrusting up from the plains. Beginning along the eastern boundary of
Glacier National Park southwards to Great Falls and Helena, this is a huge
area. See maps in the Montana Atlas &
Gazetteer Sections 84, 69, 56, 40.
Upper Missouri River Drainage
Essentially, this section covers the creeks for the Missouri River from its headwaters at Three Forks north
to Townsend, Montana and than northward to Helena, Montana, capital of
Montana.
Southwestern Montana
From West to East, we will first cover the Phillipsburg to
Anaconda area and the area south, which covers the Big Hole River and the Wise
River near the communities of Wisdom.
From here we will move eastward below Butte to cover the Twin Bridges
area. Twin Bridges, Montana is the
beginning of the Jefferson River, which is formed by the Beaverhead River, the
Wise River and the Ruby River. The
Jefferson River heads north and than eastward to Three Forks, Montana. It is at Three Forks, Montana that the
Missouri River is formed from the Jefferson River, the Madison River and the
Gallatin River to finish the Southwestern Montana section. See maps in the Montana Atlas &
Gazetteer Sections 38, 39, 40; 24, 25, 26.
Yellowstone River Drainage
The Yellowstone River heads north out of Yellowstone
National Park to Livingston, Montana.
From Livingston it heads due East to Billings. This area holds some delightful creeks, although not as abundant as the Bitterroot Valley.
