Interstate 90 - Idaho Border to Rock Creek
MM 0: Idaho border
Exit 22: Cabin City Campground
Exit 22 at
Henderson. Travel east 2.5 miles on Camel's Hump Road #22148. Turn left (west)
at the Cabin City Campground sign on Twelve Mile Creek Road #353 for two-tenths
of a mile.
Exit 26: Ward Creek Road / Hazel Lake
Exit 30: Two Mile Road Fishing Access
Exit 33: St. Regis, Montana; the St. Regis River
During my
tenure as a guide in western Montana, the furthest I had ever floated and
fished the Clark Fork was from Forest Grove down to Superior, and those trips
were few and far between. The lower Clark Fork has excellent preseason fishing
in March and April, but in typical years the fishing doesn't get good again
until mid-July.
Most of the
locals are spin fishermen and favor black Panther Martins and black Mepps.
During mid-summer local guide Brooks and his wife Jackie prefer floating from
St. Regis as far down as the 14-Mile Bridge. Brooks recommends a caddis pattern
in the evening until mid-August as well as a Parachute Hopper right into
September. September through October they recommend a Blue-Wing Olive and the
October Caddis. Brooks said his favorites are the Royal Wulff and the Madam X.
As the water drops later in the summer to around 9,000 cfs, the fish in the
Superior to St. Regis area tend to pod together as the water drops, providing
an opportunity for some great fishing. In the late summer and fall, Brooks and
Jackie also recommend hoppers, Slate-Wing Olives and Mahogany Duns. When I
pressed Jackie for her favorite local lakes that could be reached by driving or
a short hike, she said that there were a lot to choose from, but her favorites
were Moore Lake, Diamond Lake and Cliff Lake.
Exit 43: Diamond Lake, Cliff Lake
Exit 43: Dry Creek Road
Camping and
fishing access. After you exit the Interstate, you will come to a
T-intersection. Turn right for the boat launch and turn left 3.2 miles for Slowey Campground. The campground is
right on the water with numerous campsites adjacent to the river. This would
make a nice destination for a short evening fishing trip from Superior. Slowey
offers 16 campsites plus 10 trailer pull-through sites as well as horse camp
facilities, cold drinking water, and a canoe or raft launch.
Exit 47: Superior, Montana, Fishing Access
Cross the
bridge and make a right turn. Head east one mile to the Big Eddy Fishing
Access.
Trout Creek Campground
Seven miles
southwest of Superior on Trout Creek Road #257. 12 campsites. Drinking water.
No garbage facilities.
Exit 55:
Floaters
wishing to float down to Superior will find access points along the access
road, but most of them require sliding your raft down an embankment.
Exit 58: Quartz Creek Campground
(USFS) Quartz
Creek Campground is divided by the Interstate although there is a tunnel
joining the two loops. Popular with travelers and white water rafters, loop C
has access to the river. 52 campsites. Cold drinking water. Flush toilets.
Waste disposal site. U.S. fee area.
Exit 61: Tarkio Fishing Access
The fishing
access is a popular whitewater boat launch one mile from the Interstate 90
exit. The access provides toilet facilities and long stretches above and below
the access for wade fishermen.
Exit 66: Fish Creek
Exit 70: Cyr Boat Launch and Fishing
Whitewater
section.
Exit 72: Fishing access.
East bound only.
Exit 75: Alberton, Montana
Exit 77: Petty
Creek, 24 miles from the Reserve Street on-ramp. Petty Creek is a very small
creek with very small fish. However, wade fishing is excellent on the Clark
Fork above Petty Creek.
Exit 82: Nine Mile Road
The upper
stretches of Nine Mile Creek offer some nice camping sites, but the creek is
not worth fishing, and the lower stretches of the creek pass through private
property.
