The Bitterroot Valley is 25 miles wide, 96 miles long, 2394 square miles land area, and 6 square miles inland water.
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What flies to use on the Bitterroot River?
- Sparkle Duns (size 12-20)
- X Caddis (size 10-20)
- Lawson’s Henry’s Fork Stone (size 4-12)
- Chubby Chernobyl (size 4-14)
- Amy’s Ant (size 10-14)
- Pink/Black Morrish Hopper (size 8-12)
- Sweetgrass Hopper (size 8-12)
- Rusty Spinner (size 12-20)
Is the Bitterroot River good for fishing?
All along its length, the Bitterroot is full of a variety of trout and other fish that have made it one of the best fly fishing river in Western Montana. All along the length of this scenic river– and through more than half of the year– one can catch plenty of cutthroat trout, rainbow trout or brown trout.
Where can I fish on the Bitterroot River?
During the middle of summer, fishing is best during the morning and evening hours—since this is when most hatches occur and because the water is cooler. The best dry fly fishing in the middle of the summer is found on the upper portion of the Bitterroot River, between Hannon Memorial FAS and Wallace Crawford FAS.
What is the best month to fly fish in Montana?
Mid June-early July This is a very popular time because the weather is good, the fishing is consistent, and big trout are still easy to fool. These dates tend to go faster than others as a result.
What kind of fish are in Bitterroot River?
Montana’s Bitterroot River is home to a variety of fish, including rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, bull trout and even brown trout. And while you may hook a mountain whitefish or pike on occasion, most of the fish you’ll land on the river are trout.
How deep is the Bitterroot River?
Once you’ve gone south to Florence Bridge and above, the average depth of the Bitterroot is about three feet. This is on a western Montana trout river that can be over 125 feet wide in places. The upshot of all this is you have a river that wades much like a small stream, with all the characteristics of a big river.
Can you swim in the Bitterroot River?
With mountain lakes up every canyon and the Bitterroot River flowing down the center of the valley, there is no shortage of swimming opportunities come summertime.
What is Clark Fork?
The Clark Fork, or the Clark Fork of the Columbia River, is a river in the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho, approximately 310 miles (500 km) long. The largest river by volume in Montana, it drains an extensive region of the Rocky Mountains in western Montana and northern Idaho in the watershed of the Columbia River.
Where can I fish in Hamilton Montana?
- Travelers’ Rest State Park. Lolo, MT.
- Painted Rocks State Park. Darby, MT.
- Council Grove State Park. Missoula, MT.
- Beavertail Hill State Park. Clinton, MT.
- Frenchtown Pond State Park. Frenchtown, MT.
- Placid Lake State Park. Seeley Lake, MT.
- Lost Creek State Park. Anaconda, MT.
- Salmon Lake State Park.
Where is the best fly fishing in Montana?
- 1) The Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone River has always had a special place in our hearts and we without a doubt consider it the best river to fly fish in Montana.
- 2) The Missouri River.
- 3) The Madison River.
- 4) The Blackfoot River.
- 5) The Bighorn River.
Can you fly fish in Montana in March?
March fly fishing in Montana is early season spring fishing at its finest. Our rivers are empty, trout are hungry, weather is cool, and the fly fishing can be outstanding. Anglers interested in Montana fly fishing trips during the month of March will enjoy our Spring Special Trips.
What time of year is best for trout fishing in Montana?
Winter (November – March) We fish year round here in Montana. What we look for is a day that is not too windy and air temperatures above 32 degrees. You want to concentrate on the warmest part of the day, such as 10am-2pm, when the trout are most active this time of year.
Where is the Big Blackfoot River?
The Blackfoot River, sometimes called the Big Blackfoot River to distinguish it from the Little Blackfoot River, is a snow-fed and spring-fed river in western Montana. The Blackfoot River begins in Lewis and Clark County at the Continental Divide, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of the town of Lincoln (4536 feet, 1382 m).
When was Hamilton MT established?
The town of Hamilton was incorporated in 1894 and was named after James Hamilton, a Daly employee, who platted the town along the route of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1890.
What class is the Bitterroot River?
The Bitterroot River is a Class I river from the confluence of the East and West Forks to its confluence with the Clark Fork River for public access and for recreational purposes. Rainbow trout are fairly prevalent in the river with smaller populations of brown trout and Westslope cutthroat trout.
What river runs through Missoula MT?
The Clark Fork River runs about 310 miles long and is the largest river by volume in Montana. The Clark Fork River cuts straight through the heart of Missoula.
Can you swim in lake McDonald?
For just swimming, there are several pull offs between the West Entrance and the Lake McDonald lodge where you can easily access the water. But If you’d like to hike around the lake, go towards McDonald Creek, continue down the unpaved road to the end, then you can hike 2.4 miles to a campground with a little beach.
Can you swim at Ousel Falls?
The water flow varies throughout the year, but it never stops. It flows into a small pool at the bottom, which is nice and relaxing. While this is certainly not a place you’d want to swim, getting up close and personal to the falls is always interesting. Just watch out for slick spots, and don’t try it alone.
Is the Clark Fork River polluted?
The Clark Fork has a long history of contamination that mirrors the industries and geology along its route. Historically, hard rock mining in the headwaters (e.g., Butte-Anaconda area) lead to heavy metal contamination in the river including copper, zinc, arsenic, lead, and cadmium.
What happened to the Clark Fork River?
A massive flood in 1908 washed millions of tons of toxic sediments into the Clark Fork River that contaminated the surrounding soil, and polluted ground water for 120 miles. Over the years, natural water cycles and floods continued to wash more toxic sediments downstream.
What fish are in the Clark Fork?
- Walleye (Sander vitreus)
- Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)
- Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii)
- Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni)
- Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus)
- Northern Pike (Esox lucius)
- Cutbow – Cutthroat x Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii x O.
- Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
Where can I float on the Bitterroot River?
The most commonly floated area of the Bitterroot is from Hannon Memorial south of Darby all the way downstream to the confluence with the Clark Fork just west of Missoula. There is some floating to be had on the West Fork of the Bitterroot as well, but this tends to be seasonal due to hatches and water levels.
What river runs through Montana and Idaho?
Clark Fork, river in western Montana and northern Idaho, U.S. Rising near Butte, Mont., it flows in an irregular course north and northwest for about 360 miles (585 km) to enter Pend Oreille Lake in northern Idaho. From this point to the Columbia River, it is called the Pend Oreille River.
Are there grizzly bears in the Bitterroot Mountains?
Although grizzly bears don’t inhabit the Bitterroot Valley in numbers like they do in many other parts of western Montana, grizzlies are dispersing into more places. Activity in the Bitterroot Valley has steadily increased over the past 10 years.