Rivers of Missoula

A River Runs Near it

Montana is experiencing a new surge in popularity as shows like Yellowstone entice viewers with sweeping views and gritty characters. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to fly fish those streams on Dutton Ranch? Prior to the Paramount hit, there was another view: a medium that can transcend regions and inspire generations to pursue new hobbies. If anglers had to pick a movie that was their version of A Field of Dreams, it would be A River Runs Through It. While the semi-autobiographical story from Norman Mclean covers far more topics than fishing, the act of fly fishing for trout in the waters through and around Missoula is central to the emotions many anglers experience while wading runs and riffles with a rod in one hand. Lucky for anglers looking to connect with the characters, Missoula has numerous trout rivers and streams to drift and wade at your liking. The three listed here are the Clark Fork, the Bitterroot, and the Blackfoot rivers.

Fishing the Clark Fork River. Photo by Fishtales Outfitting.

Clark Fork River

Clark Fork is one of the successes of conservation and dedicated partnerships between anglers and government agencies. The Clark Fork River was the victim of overuse and abuse as Montana grew during the last century. The Clark Fork was one of the first superfund sites due to heavy metal pollution from nearby mines that contaminated the river and destroyed the river's life. Projects to collect and stop the spread of these heavy metals from entering the river have been hugely successful, and the river is now thriving with healthy stocks of cutthroat, rainbow, and brown trout. At the same time, there are two sections of the Clark Fork that attract fly fishermen: the upper and lower. For this section, we will be covering the lower as it is more or less separated at Missoula. The lower section of the Clark Fork is a wide river with feeder streams entering the main confluence, constantly providing cold and forage-rich water for trout. Blue Blue-winged olives provide a reliable early spring hatch followed by mayflies, caddis, and all manner of terrestrials that keep trout feeding aggressively throughout the summer. With long runs and wide riffles throughout its lower trail, the Lower Clark Fork is best drifting, allowing fly fishermen to target and pick apart more of the bank and the deeper runs.

Brown Trout on the Bitterroot River. Photo by Fishtales Outfitting.

Bitterroot River

The Bitterroot River is on the opposite end of the river spectrum compared to the Clark Fork. In size, flow direction, and depth, the “Root” is a different stretch of water, creating memorable flyfishing, especially for wading anglers. Before connecting with the Clark Fork, the Bitterroot meanders northward for nearly 80 miles of high-quality trout fishing. Yes, that's correct. The Bitterroot River flows south to north before connecting with the Clark Fork near Missoula. From its start near Connor, Montana, the Bitterroot offers great cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing; this stretch, being farther from "town," is less pressured as a result. Much of the river from the Hannon Memorial Fishing Access Site down to the confluence with the Clark Fork is wadable, and the shallow gravel bars and riffles make crossing the river for bank access easy for most anglers. Wading is especially good during the month of June when the Drake hatch is in full force. This abundance, paired with clearer water post-snow melts in April, makes for unforgettable fishing in relatively warm weather.

Fishing the Blackfoot River. Photo by Atlas Flagg.

Blackfoot River

The Blackfoot River is the river made most famous by the 1992 movie, with Brad Pitt and Craig Sheffer wading the riffles and boulders of this previously hidden gem. That's not to say that the 130-mile river that winds from Lincoln to the Banner Dam and eventually the Clark Fork afterward is any less special now. Home to cutthroats, rainbows, bulls, and browns, the majority of the Blackfoot River is excellent fishing and very floatable. The Blackfoot River Box Canyon and the shoreline pines create a backdrop to which even the big screen cannot do justice. The Canyon on the upper end of the river is home to some of the largest fish in the system; early morning floats down this section starting in June are incredible opportunities for both anglers and photographers. Catching the sunrise over the rim above you is worth the early morning. Below the canyon run, the scenery changes to pines, willows, and the occasional rapids. While wading access is common throughout the Blackfoot, the larger stretches of slower-moving water are best traversed in a vessel. Hatches starting in spring are usually heavy on, starting with the hatches of salmon flies, while hatches of Blue Wing Olives and caddis in September and October make for exceptional late-season fishing on the back foot.

With hundreds of miles of idyllic trout waters for flyfishermen to test their skills, it's no wonder why the town of Missoula and its rivers are such well-known areas. From floating rapids on the Blackfoot for bull trout to wading riffles for cutthroat on the Bitterroot, there are hatches, runs, and launches for every type of fly fisherman. Exploring these rivers can be daunting; timing hatches and ensuring the right flies are packed can make your head spin. Luckily, we at Guide Book have trusted guides who have honed their skills on the rivers around Missoula and are ready to help you create lasting trout memories on any of the rivers.