Pick a river 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. Each of these regions and their river content is described below, and a list of each entry is linked for quick access to the rivers that you are most interested. Each river entry provides a regional icon map and a map showing
the location of the river. Those rivers that are not linked are work in progress.
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.
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.)
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. It is not as renown as other
sections for famous rivers, but it does offer trophy stillwater fishing in the
Blackfeet Indian Reservation and on the dammed impoundments of the Missouri
River in the Helena, Montana area. See maps in the Montana Atlas &
Gazetteer Sections 84, 69, 56, 40.
Essentially, this section covers the impoundments and
drainage creeks for the Missouri River from its headwaters at Three Forks north
to Townsend, Montana and than northward to Helena, Montana, capital of
Montana. This section will cover
Boulder River, Little Blackfoot River, drainage creeks and the impoundments
Canyon Ferry, Hauser Lake, Upper Holter Lake, Holter Lake.
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. But first let's pick up the two major drainage rivers
between Livingston and Laurel, Montana.
Both the Boulder River and the Stillwater River offer great trout
fishing, camping and whitewater adventures in the spring. After we cover the Yellowstone River,
we will finish up with the Bighorn River, another fabulous Montana fishery.
Montana's Famous Rivers 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.
- Yaak River
- Kootenai River
- The Stillwater River of the Northwest
- North Fork of the Flathead River
- South Fork of the Flathead River / Hungry Horse Reservoir
- Spotted Bear River
- Middle Fork of the Flathead River
- Bull River
- Thompson River
- Swan River
- Tributary Creeks and Lakes of the Swan River
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.)- St. Regis River and Area Lakes and Creeks
- Clark Fork River
- Clark Fork River Access
- Upper Clark Fork River and Georgetown Lake
- Jocko River
- Blackfoot River
- Blackfoot River Float Trips
- Blackfoot River Public Access
- Clearwater River
- Access to the Clearwater River
- Rock Creek
- Bitterroot River
- Float Trips and Public Access for the Bitterroot River
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. It is not as renown as other
sections for famous rivers, but it does offer trophy stillwater fishing in the
Blackfeet Indian Reservation and on the dammed impoundments of the Missouri
River in the Helena, Montana area. See maps in the Montana Atlas &
Gazetteer Sections 84, 69, 56, 40.Essentially, this section covers the impoundments and
drainage creeks for the Missouri River from its headwaters at Three Forks north
to Townsend, Montana and than northward to Helena, Montana, capital of
Montana. This section will cover
Boulder River, Little Blackfoot River, drainage creeks and the impoundments
Canyon Ferry, Hauser Lake, Upper Holter Lake, Holter Lake.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.- Upper Clark Fork River
- Big Hole River
- Tributary Creeks and Lakes of the Big Hole River
- Beaverhead River
- Beaverhead River Access
- Wise River
- Ruby River
- Jefferson River
- Madison River
- Madison River Access
- Gallatin River
The Yellowstone River heads north out of Yellowstone
National Park to Livingston, Montana.
From Livingston it heads due East to Billings. But first let's pick up the two major drainage rivers
between Livingston and Laurel, Montana.
Both the Boulder River and the Stillwater River offer great trout
fishing, camping and whitewater adventures in the spring. After we cover the Yellowstone River,
we will finish up with the Bighorn River, another fabulous Montana fishery.