In this 5-part series we will share our knowledge and insights on the five rivers we fish in Montana
The Clark Fork is one of the longest river systems in Montana, and also one of the largest. Its origins begin near Butte, MT where multiple small creeks converge. From there, it winds its way along Interstate 90 westward towards Missoula, picking up numerous feeder creeks and streams along the way. The water in this first 50 miles is really unique from the rest of the river. It’s small water, tightly winding along cutbanks with overhanging grass. Predictably, this is brown trout country mostly. Most of the browns aren’t huge, but fish pushing over the 20” mark are caught. The river gains significant volume once it confluences with its first major tributary, Rock Creek. This is where fish population numbers jump up drastically and we start to see browns, rainbows and cutthroats. The 20 mile stretch from Clinton to Missoula has great fishing, maybe some of the most underrated in Montana.
The Clark Fork then gains a massive water volume influence: The Blackfoot. This confluence turns the Clark Fork immediately from a medium to a large sized river, and it soon enters the city of Missoula and starts changing immediately from an ecological standpoint.
From Missoula all the way 75 miles down to St. Regis, we refer to this as the “Lower Clark”. It’s a huge body of water, Especially compared to what most people would think of traditionally trout water. Characterized by massively wide riffles, slicks, and runs, this is rainbow trout country, and there is truly great fishing to be had for those ‘bows. These fish and river stretches are some of the least pressured in the state, and it’s not uncommon to not see another boat or many other fisherman at all. In addition to that, these fish are some of the hardest fighting trout in the state of Montana, largely due to the large volume of water they live in year round.
The lower Clark Fork is one of our absolute favorite bodies of water in Montana, and many of our clients will tell you some of their best days ever have been here. It’s a little lesser known than the Bitterroot and the Blackfoot (let’s keep it that way) so if you’ve never fished it before, you owe it to yourself to spend a day or two here this next year.
-Trevor Anderson
Owner/Outfitter, Montana Guiding Company