Sula, Montana
offers a gas station, private campground and country store. Just past this
facility is the East Fork Road. At the bridge, turn east on East Fork Road.
From here, the wilderness trailhead for the East Fork is 17 miles. Until you reach the national forest
boundary, the creek runs through private property. The last four miles are dirt road. Plan on hiking up the
trail at least an hour for better fishing in the beaver ponds. The East Fork is
a beautiful creek. In addition to the great scenery, the creek is loaded with
small cutthroats in the 6- to 9-inch range with an occasional 12- to 14-inch
"lunker". The East Fork along Highway 97 is also fun fishing for
smaller trout, although early in June some big fish are caught during the
Salmon Fly hatch. From the highway Jenny Creek Campground is 10 miles
and offers four camp units with toilet facilities. Martin Creek Campground
is 16 miles and offers seven camp units with water and toilet facilities.
A few miles
south of Hannon Memorial, you will see a sign to Connor. When you cross
the bridge by the Connor store, you have just crossed the East Fork of the
Bitterroot. You must enter the water from the bridge. I suggest wading
downstream for some fun fishing in what is actually creek-sized water later in
the summer. Wait until the summer has arrived so that you can stay in the water
and easily move downstream without trespassing on private property. The East
Fork braids in this area and becomes quite shallow, but some heavy 12-inchers
make their home here, as well as a few lunkers.
Side Trip: The West Fork of the Bitterroot River
About four
miles south of Darby, Highway 93 crosses the Bitterroot River. Just after the
bridge make a left turn on the West Fork Road. The West Fork meanders and
plummets down through the canyon from Painted Rock Reservoir. Above the
reservoir the West Fork is a small brushy creek. The road mostly parallels the
West Fork, although most of the property is private. Nonetheless, sufficient
access will keep an angler busy.
Although progressively smaller as you head towards Idaho, the West Fork is over 40 miles long, and it is followed by a paved road to the dam and then a dirt road most of its length. Beautiful scenery and a clear running stream, combined with good catches of rainbows and cutthroats, make this a must visit if you are in the area. Surprisingly, the West Fork is lightly fished after the June Salmon Fly hatch.
Set your
mileage marker to zero, as what follows is a mileage summation of what lies
ahead as you explore the West Fork Road.
(Montana uses highway mileage marker signs, which makes it easy to
locate an access road to the river.)
MM 0: Junction with Highway 93.
MM 3: Connor Cut-off to Highway 93: Connor has a country store.
MM 3.2: Access to the West Fork: This is private property. A
popular take-out for canoes and rafts, this private property was posted a
number of years ago. As of 1998 people were still using this site to exit the
river with their rafts, but I do not know the status now.
MM 6: Baker Lake access road: Road 363; trailhead 10 miles. Baker
Lake is a popular local fishing spot less than two miles from the trailhead
on an easy trail. Under 10 acres, it is good fishing for small 7- to 12-inch
cutthroats.
MM 10.9:
Easy to miss, this access has one tent campsite on the river.
MM 11.9:
A primitive campsite only with access to the river for rafters and
canoeists.
MM 13: State
access point for launching rafts or canoes.
MM 13.1:
Boulder Creek, Sam Billings Campground: Road 5631; one
mile. Boulder Creek is a brushy little creek with lots of small pocket water
for small cuts. The campground has 11 camping units, toilet facilities and no
water.
MM 13.9:
Ranger Station.
MM 17.9: Rombo Campground:
15 camp units. Water, garbage, toilet facilities. Fee area. Excellent
access to the river as well as beautiful campsites right along the river.
MM 21.5: Dam, Access to Bluejoint Creek: Bluejoint Creek is
accessed by crossing the dam road and traveling to the north side of the lake.
Bluejoint Creek has easy access. Fishing is good for 7- to 12-inch cuts.
MM 21.6: Little Boulder Bay Boating Site: Toilet facility and swimming
area.
MM 23.5:
Slate Creek Campground.
Four campsites, toilet facilities, boat launch and beach area. Take the
Nez Perce Road just above Boulder Creek Campground.
MM 25.2
Painted Rocks State Campground: Camping, picnicking,
toilet facilities, boat launch and beach. Pack-in-pack-out policy with
voluntary donations for maintenance.
MM 29.5:
Alta Campground: 15 camping units. Water, garbage, toilet
facilities. Fee area. Alta is a beautiful campground above the lake. At this
point consider the West Fork a creek, and a beautiful one at that!
MM 29.8:
Hughs Creek is a small, tumbling creek with easy access for
small 6- to 9-inch cuts.
Side Trip to Tin Cup Creek
near Darby, Montana: Look for J&D Body Shop on the left. From Highway 93
the road to the second trailhead is 4.5 miles. At 3.5 miles a sign will direct
you left across a bridge where there is a trailhead. Continue straight one mile
to the second trailhead which is through a piece of private property, a
generous act of kindness these days.
The lower
section of the creek that parallels the road is poor fishing for small trout.
From the second trailhead to the first creek crossing is a 20-minute hike and
another 20 minutes to the Wilderness Boundary. Tin Cup Creek looks better than
it fishes.
I found the
best fishing, naturally, in the wilderness area above and below the second
creek crossing for 7- to 9-inch cutthroats. The trail is one of the easiest
trails to hike of all the canyon creeks. The scenery is stunning, and the pools
above the second creek crossing are beautiful and large, although the size of
the fish varied little. Looking at the high water mark tells the story of a
harsh environment during spring run-off.
Side Trip to Como Lake, Little
Rock Creek and Little Rock Creek Lake: From Hamilton drive on
Highway 93 south a few miles from Darby, Montana. From Highway 93 to the boat launch is approximately four
miles. Como Lake is a large lake, almost three miles long. Although it is
popular with water skiers and jet skiers, it provides only fair fishing for
smaller trout. The lake is subject to extreme draw downs during low water
years.
South Side: Boating area, large parking area, floating
dock, boat ramp and dispersed picnic area with drinking water, toilet
facilities and garbage service. Rock Creek Horse Camp: nine camping
units; two accessible camping units; toilet facilities; no garbage service.
North Side: Lake Como Campground Area: 11 camping
sites; one accessible site; one group camping site; electricity, drinking
water, accessible toilet facilities and garbage services. Campground hosts. Fee
area.
Upper Como Campground Area: 11 camping sites;
drinking water, toilet facilities and garbage services. No electricity.
Campground hosts. Fee area.
During the past
couple of years campground facilities have been upgraded, along with a new boat
launch. The outlet is Rock Creek, which is diverted into an irrigation ditch.
The creek is almost completely de-watered as it enters the Bitterroot River.
From the north side campground an eight-mile trail loops around the lake. The
trailhead to Rock Creek is 3.5 miles. Just above the lake are falls. The
creek is excellent fishing for 7- to 10-inch cutthroats above the lake.
Side Trip Como
Lake: Little Rock Creek
Follow the
signs past the Como Lake boat launch up a dirt road for another three miles.
The dirt road traverses the mountain in a series of switchbacks overlooking the
lake for a breathtaking view. The road crosses over the ridge with an equally
stunning view of El Capitan Peak. The road is bumpy and rough, but it is
suitable for passenger vehicles with sufficient clearance. From the trailhead
you will walk a short distance to an overlook of Como Lake, Rock Creek and its
falls and Little Rock Creek canyon with El Capitan looming at the head of the
canyon.
Saga: Little Rock Creek Lake Fishing Trip
Little Rock
Creek Lake
The lake is 4.5
miles from the trailhead. The trail is both steep and rough. In many places
water spills down the trail, leaving muddy bogs. Shadow eagerly ran up the
trail. A few minutes later we met a Minnesota family heading out. No one in the
party was a fisher, but they were detailed in their descriptions about all the
leaping trout around the shoreline. What was their guess as to my hiking time?
About two hours, they replied. From the trailhead to the lake, the hike took me
three hours, and the return trip was only slightly shorter in duration. The
trail gets thin in places, but I found the blaze marks on the trees and the
piled rock cairns.
Although I had
only an hour to fish, I was delighted with the numerous 9- to 10-inch
cutthroats I caught in an hour's time. I caught all of these trout on the same
caddis fly. I was letting it sink and twitching it. They would hit it on the
slow retrieve or when I paused. They would follow the fly right into my shadow.
Reluctantly, I headed down the trail. I had asked the Minnesota couple to leave
a phone message on our phone recorder for our bed and breakfast so that Pauline
would know where I was and that I would be getting back after dark. The next
time that I return to Little Rock Creek Lake I will get an early start so that
I can fish both the lake and the creek and still have time for a nap!
Side Trip:
Highway 97 mileage marker 29: Darby, Montana; Tin Cup Creek
Look for J&D
Body Shop on the left. From Highway 93 the road to the second trailhead is 4.5
miles. At 3.5 miles a sign will direct you left across a bridge where there is
a trailhead. Continue straight one mile to the second trailhead which is
through a piece of private property, a generous act of kindness these days.
The lower
section of the creek that parallels the road is poor fishing for small trout.
From the second trailhead to the first creek crossing is a 20-minute hike and
another 20 minutes to the Wilderness Boundary. Tin Cup Creek looks better than
it fishes.
I found the
best fishing, naturally, in the wilderness area above and below the second
creek crossing for 7- to 9-inch cutthroats. The trail is one of the easiest
trails to hike of all the canyon creeks. The scenery is stunning, and the pools
above the second creek crossing are beautiful and large, although the size of
the fish varied little. Looking at the high water mark tells the story of a
harsh environment during spring run-off.
Side Trip: One
Horse Creek and Twin Lakes: From
Hamilton take Highway 97 south towards Darby, Montana. Look for the turn-off past mileage
marker 37. From the highway to the
creek is approximately four miles. From the highway to the first lake is 20.5
miles. One Horse Creek offers great picnic sites for the first five miles, but
the fishing is poor, as the creek is very small. If you plan on driving to Twin
Lakes, be sure you have a truck, preferably a 4X4. The road is rough for 16
miles, and you will average 10 miles an hour. The first lake is drawn down in
the fall and is very shallow, which would account for the poor fishing.
The upper lake
is said to be fair fishing for small cutthroats. Plan your trip so that you
return in the evening as moose, elk and deer are frequently seen along the
road. Twin Lakes offers one campground, Schumaker Campground, which
offers Five camping units, toilet facilities, and no fee.
Side Trip: Roaring Lion Creek, Sawtooth
Creek
South of
Hamilton on Highway 93, the highway crosses the Bitterroot River by Angler's
Roost Campground. Look for Roaring Creek Road about eight-tenths of a mile from
the bridge. The trailhead, a popular trail with horse people and hikers, is
approximately 3.5 miles on a bumpy road. The trailhead has no campground or picnic
site. The creek is fished heavily, and the majority of fish caught are in the
5- to 7-inch range. Roaring Lion Creek and Sawtooth Creek are located in two
canyons side by side. However, access to Sawtooth Creek is from the Roaring
Lion trailhead. "The distance from the trailhead to the first Sawtooth
Creek crossing is approximately three miles. The first two miles of this
section are in excellent shape. Between mile two and three, the trail generally
is in good shape with several steep pitches. After the first creek crossing,
the trail varies from fair to poor...." -USFS
Side Trip: Sleeping
Child Creek, Skalkaho Creek
Look for the
Skalkaho Highway south of Hamilton on Highway 93. The highway actually turns
south. Water diversion for irrigation and increasing development has impacted
the fishing for the first 12 miles along Skalkaho Creek. Public fishing begins
around mile 13 at Black Bear Campground. The best fishing is found in the upper
reaches for 7- to 9-inchers between mile markers 15 and 19. After mile marker
19, the road climbs high above the creek. Look for pocket water, as this is a
very small crick. Look for Sleeping Child Road, which continues south off of
Skalkaho Road. Sleeping Child Creek is not worth fishing as it runs through so
much private property. Hiking into the headwaters is also not worth the effort,
in my estimation, given the proximity of other great fishing creeks in the
area.
Side Trip: Main
Street, Canyon Creek, Blodgett Creek
Follow the
directions to Blodgett Canyon as Canyon Creek is the first canyon south of
Blodgett. Look for the Forest Service sign (road #735). Canyon Creek is a
small, brushy creek that supports 6- to 8-inch cutthroats, but the creek is
tough to access and even tougher to fish. The trail is steep. I would not recommend
the trail for small children. However, from the Canyon Creek Trailhead, take
the Blodgett Overlook Trail for a spectacular view.
"The
Blodgett Overlook trail is open to hiking and mountain biking, but no motorized
use is allowed. The trail winds around Romney Ridge and provides hikers with a
scenic view of Hamilton, Blodgett Canyon, Canyon Creek and Canyon Creek Falls.
This gradual 1.5-mile trail winds along the southeast facing hillside of
ponderosa pine, arrowhead balsamroot and exposed bedrock covered with ground
moss and lichen. There are numerous benches along the way to rest on and enjoy
the view. The trail ends at the steep cliffs of Blodgett Canyon Overlook."
-USFS
Blodgett Canyon Creek
Traveling on
Highway 93 through Hamilton, turn west on Main Street. After you cross the
Bitterroot River, Main Street changes to West Bridge Road and then to Canyon
Creek Road. From the intersection of Main Street and Highway 93, the distance
to the campground and creek is 5.7 miles. The road out of town meanders until
it intersects Blodgett Camp Road. Turn left on Blodgett Camp Road, which is
designated as road 736. The last two miles to the campground are on a dirt
road. Blodgett Canyon
Campground offers six camping or picnic units, toilet facilities, no charge.
It has excellent shaded picnic sites for those hot days in August. Blodgett
Canyon is noted for spectacular rock formations. The creek is excellent fishing
for small 6- to 10-inch trout.
Side Trip: Mill
Creek
Turn west on
Dutch Hill Road from Highway 97 near the mileage marker sign 52. Drive 2.5 miles until you arrive at
Bowman Road. Turn left on Bowman Road. Drive three-tenths of a mile and turn
right at the Mill Creek Trailhead. The trailhead is one mile. Mill Creek is a
small creek tumbling down a steep canyon. For the first mile the creek is right
along the trail and offers lots of pocket water for small trout.
Mill Creek
fishes almost the same as its neighboring creeks, although I believe it gets a
little more pressure. During the first half-mile the creek parallels the trail
through a steep section of the canyon. Boulders ranging from the size of bean
bags to bunk beds slow the water as it tumbles down the canyon into little
pockets and pools. All along the trail are scuffmarks and slides left behind by
eager fishermen. Looking down the 15- to 20-foot slides, I decided to wait.
When the trail was only four or five feet above the creek, I scrambled down the
trail and caught my first 9-inch cutthroat on a small hopper.
After I had
released the fish, I thought of the question posed to me by a guest staying in
my bed and breakfast. An accomplished fisher from back East, he asked me in all
seriousness what I considered a pan fryer. I glibly mumbled, "I don't
know. Anything that fits in a frying pan." No response was forthcoming. It
was, after all, not a question to be expounded upon. Later I discovered I did
indeed have an exact definition of a pan fryer. A pan fryer is an 8- to 9-inch
trout with its head and tail cut off, and it fits perfectly at the bottom of a
5½-inch, official Boy Scout mess kit.
Side Trip: Bear Creek, Fred Burr
Reservoir
Turn west from
Highway 97 south of Victor, Montana. Bear Creek is recorded in my endless
favorite creek list. The first quarter-mile of the trail winds above the creek
through a talus slide. Looking across the canyon and listening to the beckoning
call of the creek softly extolling its piscatorial praise of native cutthroats,
I broke a vow I made to myself sometime around my 50th birthday - stay on the
trail!
For years I
have held the belief that 80 percent of anglers are too impatient to walk up
the trail more than a half-mile. I also harbor the belief that 90 percent of
serious fishers under the age of 50 look for areas that they are convinced no
one else would bother hacking their way through the brush to reach. My third
belief is that 75 percent of proficient fly fishers will pass up fishing a hole
within the first half mile convinced that the local bait bugaboo has decimated
the pool. A hodge podge of contradictory beliefs? Of course! Acted on?
Absolutely!
So there I was,
poised high on the canyon trail overlooking a canopy of treetops and gnarly
brush. "Don't do it," the 53-year-old in me warned. "Don't
listen to that old curmudgeon," the kid in me responded. "You are
only as old as you DO. Think of all those untouched pools. No one is going to
bail off this trail after just leaving the parking lot. Even the impatient ones
are going to go further on. And the serious guys are going to pass it up
figuring the campers will have hit it pretty hard." Good point, I thought
to myself. This could be worth the effort.
Off the trail I
plunged into the Heart of Darkness. Bruised and scratched, only 30 yards off
the trail, I was down on my knees thrusting my rod through any patch of light I
could find. The horror! Even Shadow, my faithful Lab companion, was disgusted
with me. When I finally broke out onto the creek, it was no more than a series
of thin braids with little holding water. I finally worked my way up to the
point where the creek was one, and after catching a number of fat 8- to 10-inch
cutthroats, I was one with the creek, the canyon and the cascading brook. At
one juncture I caught a small bull trout and a nice 10-inch cut in a pool right
below the trail. A familiar worn path led from the trail to the pool. Unlike my
youth during the '50s and early '60s, I am glad we live in a time of catch and
release. I have no idea as to the fishing further up the trail. I only covered
the first mile!
Fred Burr
Reservoir (Victor)
Follow Bear
Creek Road west towards the mountains until the road intersects with Red Crow
Road. Turn west on Red Crow Road. The road will veer to the left (south), but
keep straight ahead on Fred Burr Road for 1.5 miles to the trailhead.
Private
landowners restricted access to the National Forest in Fred Burr canyon until
1995. Fred Burr Creek is heavily traveled by hikers, bikers and riders. Most of
the trail is actually a jeep trail that leads to Fred Burr Reservoir, which is
approximately five miles from the trailhead. Fishing along the creek is
excellent for small 6- to 9-inch cutthroats. I spoke to a number of horseback
riders coming down the trail, and all of them seemed pleased with the fishing
in the reservoir. Huckleberry hounds, watch for those tiny purple treats along
the trail late in July for an extra bonus.
I fished the
creek in July with Tony Swallow, a long time volunteer and board member for the
local public television station. We only covered the first mile. Tony was one
of those rare anomalies who had reached middle age without ever fly fishing. I
assured him he could be successful on his very first outing with me as his
instructor. Over confidence on my part? A touch of braggadocio after 15 years
of being a fly fishing guide? None of the above. Summer fishing on any of the
Bitterroot's canyon creeks should be considered one of those basic laws of
nature - you will catch fish.
Keep in mind,
however, that you must adhere to four principals: (1) Keep your fly high and
dry. (2) Be sure your fly floats naturally without any line drag. (3) Allow
your fly to land gently. (4) Get in the middle of the creek and cast upstream.
Tony, hoping to catch at least a couple of fish, followed all of the above
rules and lost count after catching 10 feisty trout.
Saga: Biking for Beatitudes and Beauties
On August 13,
1997, I replaced a flat tire on my mountain bike and cleaned out the saddlebags
of old candy wrappers from a previous trek taken a number of years ago when I
bought the bike as a way to keep in shape. I waited all morning, gauging the
rain clouds over the Bitterroot Range. Finally, after pumping up the tire and
my confidence, I decided it was now or never. I started up the Fred Burr
Reservoir Trail at 11:40. At 11:42 I was walking. The entire trip, with
intermittent riding, took an hour and 40 minutes.
I had only gone
a short distance when my seat dropped, my knees pushed up to my chin, and I was
soaked. My raincoat was tucked in my saddlebags, and I was hot and panting.
Shadow's tongue was still concealed as she kept turning back waiting for me.
Reluctantly, I put on the raincoat that I have been trying to wear out for 17
years so I can buy a Gore-Tex model. The coat was bought at a ranch supply
store in Bozeman; made from rubberized canvas, it is destined to be a real
Montana heirloom.
Huffing and
puffing, my resolve weakened, and I thought of locking the bike to a tree with
my combination lock, but I could not recall the numbers. Did I use my birthday
numbers, my Social Security numbers or part of my telephone number? I gave up
trying to remember. All I could think about was the ride down the mountain
trail. Finally I arrived. It was pouring, and I huddled under a tree that a
group of men and boys vacated just as I arrived. They, too, were soaked. They informed
me that the fishing was lousy and headed on down the trail. Shadow and I shared
a ham sandwich, and I hiked to the back of the lake up the trail to fish the
upper portion of the creek. In spite of the rain and fogged up glasses, I
caught a number of colorful cutthroats from 8 to 10-inches. I made a few sloppy
casts on the lake on my way back, and then I headed back down the trail,
pleased with the beauty of the lake and the fun fishing I experienced.
Grasping the
handlebars of my mountain bike, I prepared myself for the ride down the trail.
My thoughts turned to Kiddo, a childhood friend who I had thought of for the
first time in probably 35 years, on my way up the trail. As I pushed my bike up
the trail earlier, my sweating brow and the long haul reminded me of Turnbow
Canyon Road and a summer day in 1957. After visiting a half-dozen secondhand
stores, I found my treasure, a 20-year-old beat up baby buggy. I had promised
Kiddo the adventure of his life, a soapbox ride from the top of Three Palms down
to the valley floor.
Dismantling the
buggy, I had the best ball bearing wheels and axles that money could buy, short
of buying the official Soap Box Derby wheels, which only rich families could
afford. We built the racer with the axle cut and mounted on a wide two-by-four
with a large bolt in the center. The back axle was only about two feet wide.
Our steering was a hemp rope nailed to the front two-by-four with a couple of
old rusty nails. We pulled the racer up through the canyon for over six hours,
stopping only to eat our lunches.
Reaching the
top of the canyon divide, we could see the three palms above us gently swaying
from the afternoon Santa Anna breeze. Off into the distance, we could see miles
of carefully laid out orange groves. Kiddo was a new friend. After his father
died and his older brother was jailed, his mother packed up her family and
moved to the country. Kiddo looked tough for a fifth grader. He wore a ducktail
haircut that I admired greatly. He wore peggers, all of which my mother disapproved.
But my mother encouraged the friendship, as she saw a very gentle and kind
young man hidden behind the gang look of the fifties. Kiddo rarely laughed, but
when we shoved off and began to pick up speed down the canyon, he laughed with
gusto. We both began shrieking and whooping with reckless abandon, and reckless
it was. Our makeshift brake broke on one of the first turns. We had passed the
point of stopping, reaching speeds that I would have to guess was in excess of
40 miles per hour. Our laughter quickly subsided, replaced by white knuckles
and quick maneuvering on hairpin turns. Suddenly, coming around a bend, we were
faced with a sedan right in front of us traveling down hill. I had a quick
decision to make -- shoot off the cliff like a Stinger missile, be decapitated
by a 1948 Packer or pass on a blind curve.
I attribute
that reckless moment as part of my rite of passage. In the split second that I
jammed my right leg forward to turn the axle, I knew the fear that all parents
harbor for their sons. After I shot through the blind corner, Kiddo and I
laughed hysterically. Kiddo's laughter was from turning to look at the old
lady's expression; mine was initiated from a vision of death as the tears
streaked from the corner of my eyes. Three miles down Turnbow Canyon Road, we
lost a wheel. Kiddo shifted and two blocks later we crashed into a curb and
were thrown into an orange grove. Bruised and dirty, we looked at each other
and began laughing again. It was cool under the shade of that orange tree, and
we lay on our backs for a long time just laughing.
Kiddo's mother,
after losing her next eldest son to insanity, packed up her fragile family and
moved to her rural hometown in Kansas. Two years later I received a report of
Kiddo's death when he was thrown from the back of a pickup truck on a Kansas
farm road.
I pushed off on
my mountain bike and thought, I still remember you, Kiddo. The return trip took
less than an hour.
Side Trip: Big Creek and Big Creek Lakes
(back-packing trip)
Turn west. The
turn-off for Big Creek is between Victor and Stevensville on Highway 93. Look
for the dirt road directly across from Bell Crossing Road. You will see an
electric company's fenced substation across from the access road to the east.
The headwater trailhead is approximately four to five miles from the highway.
The road makes a few turns, but it is clearly marked with Forest Service signs
and arrows. Big Creek is probably the most popular creek in the area, as it
carries the most water and offers a more graduated drainage. It was not
uncommon 10 years ago to land rainbows and a few browns in the 12-inch range.
Now the creek is over populated with 3- to 5-inch cutthroats in the canyon
below the trailhead.
A short walk up
the trail, however, will keep a fisher busy with 6- to 10-inch cutthroats. The
trail to the lakes is approximately 12 miles and offers wonderful fishing all
the way. Having once decided I would cut and hack my way through the brush to
reach seldom if ever fished sections of the creek away from the trail, I will
assure you that the fishing isn't much better than what is easily available to
you from the trail.
Big Creek
Lakes
Big Creek Lakes
is really a misnomer as it is really just one large 240-acre lake that splits
into two lakes on low water years and during the fall. My son and I fished this
lake in late August 1996, and it lived up to its reputation. The lake is loaded
with 12-inch rainbows, and although I had heard that it was not uncommon to
catch trout in the 16-inch range, we couldn't find them as the 12-inchers were
harassing us on every cast. What fun we had. We caught fish on drys, nymphs and
streamers. The scenery is breathtaking as the shore is edged with conifers in a
large glacial canyon. For those individuals who are somewhat reluctant to meet
the challenge of a 12-mile backpacking hike, I would recommend backpacking
seven to eight miles and camping on the creek; then hike up to the lake the
next day with just a lunch and fishing gear. This is the best of both
wilderness experiences, and it is just a few miles above the populated
Bitterroot Valley!
Side Trip: Burnt
Fork Creek, Gold Creek Campground
Gold Creek
Campground has four camping units, toilet facilities, no water, no fee. It is
not advised for RV or large camp trailers. I recently returned to Burnt Fork
Creek after at least a 10-year hiatus. When my two sons were young, we would
travel up the Burnt Fork for our first spring outing of catching little
cutthroats and roasting hot dogs to celebrate the coming of summer. For
solitude and fun fishing for small fry, the Burnt Fork is unsurpassed. From
Stevensville's Main Street, drive one mile south to the Burnt Fork Road. Turn
east and travel 10.1 miles to where the paved road curves to the right. At this
point the road changes to Burnt Fork School Road. Exit from the paved road
straight ahead on Mid Burnt Fork Road. Follow this dirt road approximately six
miles to the Gold Creek Campground. From the Gold Creek Campground, you can
continue on the same road for 2.4 miles until you come to the end of the road
at the trailhead. The road is bumpy and narrow at this point, but it is still
suitable for passenger vehicles with sufficient clearance.
Covered with a
canopy of alder and mountain mahogany, the creek is shrouded in shade, which
produces brilliantly colored cutthroats. Unlike their cousins in the Bitterroot
River, who are drenched with sun all summer, the Burnt Fork cutthroats have a
swath of bright orange from their jaw all along their underbelly. Their dark
back and shaded penciled sides provide distinct markings, and best of all every
pocket of water holds two or three 7- to 9-inch fish.
Like the creek
I grew up on, this is not a place for purists and dry fly fishermen. The creek
demands stealth and swing casts. A short, stout 3X leader provides all the
necessary tensile strength when you miss a strike and find your fly snagged on
a branch overhead. I recommend the bow shot for those hard-to-reach pockets
where you can't even swing your fly. Get down on your knees, grab your fly
between your fingers with the hook facing up, bow your rod, aim and let fire!
I recommend
using a size 10 Girdle bug or Yuk Bug. Fish them just like a dry fly. Naturally
they will sink, but their white rubber legs in the dark, moss lined pools
provide a lure which is easy to follow. When you see a trout flash, set the
hook just as you would a dry fly. Here is a very small creek for the entire
family to have fun.
Side Trip: Kootenai
Creek Trailhead
Look for the
sign north of Stevensville on Highway 97.
The trailhead is two miles from the highway. Kootenai Creek is a fast,
tumbling creek heavily used by rock climbers, backpackers and local fishermen.
It is a great place to wet a line during the heat of the summer. Shaded most of
the day, the creek offers an abundance of 6- to 8-inch cutthroats. This is
pocket water fishing, and as such it requires scrambling up and over boulders
and staying right in the water. Don't come too early, however, as the creek
rages down the mountainside long after the Bitterroot has settled into its
summer flows.
Side Trip: Bass
Creek, Charles Water Campground
Charles Water
Campground offers 20 camping units, four picnic spots, water, garbage and
toilet facilities. The trailhead is 2.5 miles from Highway 93. The campground
is designed for trailers and RVs and is very nice. The creek is a brushy
tumbling creek with difficult access. Nonetheless, there is fair fishing for
small trout wherever you can climb down off the trail to a pocket. It is a
moderate hike to the picnic spot. The area just above the shallow ponds is good
fishing for small cutthroats.
Saga: Bass
Creek
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 she is
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.
Side Trip: Lolo Creek
Exit Highway 93
to Highway 12 West in Lolo, Montana.
Just a few miles south of Missoula, the community of Lolo rests at the
junction of Highway 12, which leads to Idaho and the Lochsa River. A resting
place for the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Lolo Creek parallels the highway for
over 30 miles. Hosting a variety of species of trout, the creek proffers smaller
7- to 9-inch trout with the occasional spawning laggard. Years of logging and
drought cycles have taken their toll on this pristine little crick. It gets pounded late spring and early
summer. Some of the ranchers are becoming quite irritated over liberal
interpretations of the high water mark. For a little seclusion, look for
National Forest land where the creek falls away from the highway. Spring runoff
turns this gentle canyon creek into an angry avalanche of water.
Lewis and Clark Campground: 15 miles west of Lolo.
17 campsites. Drinking water. U.S. Fee Area.
Lee Creek Campground: 26 miles west of Lolo.
22 campsites. Drinking water.
Side Trip: South
Fork Lolo Creek
For years I had
disdained fishing Lolo Creek, knowing it was heavily fished and heavily de-watered.
But then I learned of the South Fork of Lolo Creek. It is a beautiful creek and
loaded with 7- to 12-inch trout after you hike up the trail a few miles. If you
would like to visit the South Fork of Lolo Creek, turn west on Highway 12 in
Lolo and travel 10.2 miles until you see the sign for Elk Meadow Road on the
left. Follow Elk Meadow Road 2.4 miles until it forks.
Follow the
signs to the South Fork Lolo Creek Trailhead, which is two miles to the left.
When you cross the bridge, you are at the trailhead. Just below the bridge is a
parking and unloading zone. This spot is a picnicker's dream. Walk down the
closed road a hundred yards to a field of daisies and bluebells. I fell in love
with this spot on the creek. When I was there, July 19, the yarrow was in bloom
as well as a number of other wild flowers. This beautiful creek is only 14.5
miles from Lolo, and it is perfect for children.
Saga: South
Fork Fishing
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".
