Its a June-July game in most years. Head out on this 4.3-mile out-and-back trail near Hungry Horse, Montana. A rental car divided by 4 shouldn't be too bad. Cascadilla Creek 11 miles down. "We hiked in over lodgepole on the 11th and took out on the 16th. The Flathead River is unique among the rivers in Montana in that it is really three rivers in one, with two main sections that are good for fishing. Cast for native trout along grassy meadows bursting with wildflowers. Here are our recommendations for rods, lines, flies, tippet, waders and more. trifecta (burgers, fries and shakes), but you can mix and match with the Legal fishing season for bull trout usually closes on July 31. This is just the start of your day in the wilderness that will include a variety of activities from adventure to relaxation. By. Kalispell Airport Shuttles. Another convenient day trip float. Options include all inclusive fishing lodges, convenient hotel packages and unique river front vacation cabins and homes. For overnight floats its a must. Moccasin Creek Another 8 mile run that is great for half or full day runs. Planning to spend . After the gorge and confluence, we didn't have to portage again. The ranger wouldn't budge, or call in to verify his license. Enjoy lightly fished streams and trophy lakes on one our exclusive ranch leases. These large predatory trout are eager to hunt well placed over-sized streamers. This summary might be more than you want to know, but hopefully it will be informative if you are actually planning on doing the trip. The North and Middle forks of the Flathead make up the western and southern borders of Glacier National Park (making them incredibly scenic), are roadside accessible, and are the perfect getaway if you're already in the area and need to satiate that need to work a dry fly along a seam in a river. Lodge packages include all meals and guided fishing so you can sit back, relax and enjoy a great fly fishing vacation, Enjoy great fishing and keep your costs in check with one of our hotel packages. The fishing is good. Ive been thinking about writing a trip summary of the South Fork of the Flathead for a couple years now, but avoided doing so for fear that I would increase the number of people floating it. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. We offer both full and half day options. Full transparency: I own a packraft rental company. The big jams on the South Fork at Gordon Creek were very easy to portage, there were three river wide jams in a quarter mile that took no more than a couple minutes each to walk around. Aug 2-8, June 22-28 Polson Park The lake enters the river channel. Keep in mind that is only on the South Fork South Fork Lolo Creek Trail parallels stream. doi:10.2172/963010. Mark Fuller and Hilary Hutcheson are the premier guides for Flathead River fly fishing trips. To the northeast, the Middle Fork of the Flathead River as it flows beside Glacier National Park. The South Fork is formed from the junction of Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek and runs for 45 miles due north, fed by dozens of small tributaries, where it exits the wilderness near Spotted Bear Ranger Station. The drive to Spotted Bear is about 2 hours from Kalispell. On July 18-21, 2019, two of us backpacked from Lodgepole TH into Youngs Creek, then packrafted the South Fork of the Flathead River. Read about average temperatures and weather patterns month by month. Ford 14 miles down makes this a good day trip option. Wildlife is found in copious abundance in the "Bob" where grizzly bears, black bear, elk, moose, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, mule deer, mountain lion, lynx, wolf and bald eagles all roam and fly in healthy numbers. All that This cold, clear water flows into the North, South and Middle forks of the Flathead, which merge together near Columbia Falls to begin a . $285. legally target bull trout in Montana and maybe the Northwest. Bull trout are frequently caught in excess of 20" and specimens up to 30" are possible. Even more on the drive out, if you have your car shuttled to the Meadow Creek TH. Extended season for whitefish and lake trout from December 1 through the third Saturday in May with artificial lures and/or maggots only. A packraft also makes a great boat for fishing without a shuttle as you can just walk back to your rig. Didnt see another human soul, but some of the deeper pools had hundreds and hundreds of fish. It is about 99 miles (159 km) north to south and 66 miles (106 km) wide. After that Young's is clear. The South Fork of the Flathead is known in the fly fishing world as the mecca for dry-fly cutthroat trout fishing. The last "gauntlet rapid" at the choke point was the biggest wave/rapid of the whole trip, but all 3 of our paddlers made it through without flipping although one did run into the wall and got lucky. Choose from Montana's largest selection of fishing and lodging packages. Weather in the Northern Rockies can be fickle and it is always a good idea to come prepared regardless of the season. The first two days of your trip will be spent travelling on horseback to get to the upper reaches of the river. To reach the trailhead, turn onto Holland Lake Road from Highway 83 and follow the signs. It's pristine. Kerr Dam Starts the whitewater section. The fisheries in the Bob Marshall are just as pristine and prolific as they were in the days of the Lewis and Clark expedition and provide an unequaled opportunity to target the native west slope cutthroat trout and the bull trout. We put in on Young's Creek just above where Babcock flows in late on our second day and paddled about a mile till we reached the first portage. The trail from Pyramid Pass is about 2 miles longer but it gets us up onto Youngs Creek faster. second we started from Bench Mark (West of Augusta, MT) and went in on the The main Flathead River at Columbia Falls hit 14.5 feet on Tuesday, 1.5 feet above flood stage. Lake trout: 100 daily and in possession, only 1 over 36 inches, and all fish 30 to 36 inches must be released. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Bears- customers ask fairly frequently about bears and how to prepare for themI honestly havent heard of anyone encountering a grizzly on the main trail or on the river. Hey! http://www.bmwf.org/trail_conditions.html. The trail is open for the following uses: Hiking, Backpacking, Horseback Riding At a Glance General Information Directions: Pyramid Pass Trailhead is the closest access. And it runs through the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, just south of Glacier National Park. Definitely bring bear spray and hang your food, but the overall concentration of bears is pretty low in that area during the summer. of those days out, but prepare for all these things! Options include diverse lodging packages, camping trips, wilderness horse pack expeditions, day trips and world wide travel. Class III-IV rapids are big and technical. The deep green water Theres a short class 3 rapid where the creek goes into a narrow canyon in the last couple miles of the river that should be scouted. Be nice and appreciative to the rangers and other forest service workers. Youngs Creek Pass off of Lodgepole Trail Head(just north of Ovando, MT) and the If you are planning an over-night stay along the river, we will store your vehicle at no extra charge. 65 miles from the origin to Hungry Reservoir and almost all of it flows through remote wilderness. Located in the 1.5 million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness, America's first-ever designated wilderness area, the South Fork is formed from Danaher Creek and Young's Creek junction. Activities Hiking Horse Riding & Camping The rugged area includes the landscapes of Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness areas. This remote river drains much of the "Bob" and is home to the largest genetically pure native trout population in Montana. later you go the more youll have to portage. You need to hike out or have your gear packed out from here as well. Time of year matters for water levels, the There is no restaurant in Hungry Horse that has all three of the magic It forms the western border for Glacier National Park and is incredibly beautiful. Look Aug 2-8, June 22-28 It can be a little trickier at lower flows and i've seen it flip someone at 1000 CFS (though very forgiving swim and recovery below). Flathead River. The South Fork is formed from the junction of Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek and runs for 45 miles due north, fed by dozens of small tributaries, where it exits the wilderness near Spotted Bear Ranger Station. Sportsmans Bridge Obvious access site. The South Fork is also one of the few places in Montana where the threatened bull trout may be directly targeted by anglers. Thanks. Once out of the wilderness area, the Middle Fork Flathead parallels US Highway 2 on the southern boundary of Glacier. Everything below Kerr Dam runs through the Flathead Reservation and requires a license purchased directly from the reservation. While on the water we might see only one other boat in 20 miles, while those users might see 4-5 different packraft parties in the same time period. The South Fork is formed from the junction of Danaher Creek and Young's Creek and runs for 45 miles due north, fed by dozens of small tributaries, where it exits the wilderness near Spotted Bear Ranger Station. We are located under the giant log arch on the south side of US Highway 2, 1/2 mile west of West Glacier. We put on Youngs at Babcock at 6000 cfs at the gauge and that was perfect for that Creek. Welcome! But it doesn't make sense to rent a vehicle for 8 days just to have it sit unattended. Motorboats use this zone. Otherwise, lean forward Mature, licensed drivers for all of our shuttles. We are ready for business! Flathead River Montana - The drainage is one of America's coolest river systems. These large predatory trout are eager to hunt well placed over-sized streamers. South Fork Flathead Watershed Westslope Cutthroat Trout Conservation Program, Annual Report 2002.. United States: N. p., 2003. Shuttle option from Kalispell provided by guides or outfitting team $300 per vehicle round trip (max 4 per vehicle). Build lasting relationships with your best clients or reward your key employees with one of our custom built corporate fishing retreats. We also offer fair chase Wilderness Elk & Mule Deer hunts at our remote camp.Your comfort, enjoyment, safety and satisfaction are of the utmost importance to us. Get on the river right at this point. If you have specific questions please feel free to contact me. To access the road section above the reservoir, you still have several hours of dirt road just to get there. These first two days are mostly riding days but you will have the chance to fish near the camps in the evenings and mornings while camp is being setup or taken down. Get away from it all on our extensive network of private access waters. Youll need to carry your inspection papers with you. Things like camping and building fires below the high water mark, camping out of sight of the trail, selecting earth toned gear, and limiting how many fish they catch and release. Extended whitefish season and catch-and-release for trout open December 1 to third Saturday in May with artificial lures and/or maggots only. It flows out of deep wilderness and feeds the largest lake west of the Mississippi. Packers There are several operations here. The South Fork Flathead River heads in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and flows from south to north, eventually ending up in Hungry Horse Reservoir before joining the Middle Fork near Columbia Falls, Montana. Montana is home to some of the most productive wild trout rivers on the planet. Our blog offers a vast collection of useful articles that include topics related to hatches, seasons, rivers, destination trip reports and more, Helpful checklists to make sure you include the proper clothing and gear for your Montana fishing trip, Information on rates for Montana and Yellowstone National Park fishing licenses. On a different trip into the Bob we had to turn around and go back because my friend's fishing license had disappeared out of his pack. I know there are companies that will shuttle your vehicle around for you. Whittaker Bridge and downstream (406) 381.1265. It is also very remote. The South Fork drainage is the largest stronghold of these native Char in the Lower 48 states. Make sure you have a tribal pass. You can also get to Young's creek via Pyramid Pass, but from a hiking perspective it is supposed to be harder. It is a two wave set into the pinch point. Rich Osthoff's book Fly Fishing the Rocky Mountain Backcountry has a great chapter in it about the South Fork of the Flathead. Combined Trout: 3 daily and in possessionession, none over 12 inches in rivers and streams, no size limit in lakes. Missouri River Trout Shop 406-235-4474. Gratuity not included. NOTE - we recommend guests stay in Spotted Bear for the night before the trip and the night after. Bull trout are frequently caught in excess of 20" and specimens up to 30" are possible. We don't often do this, but in this case, if your going to fish the upper section of the river, we recommend you use an outfitter. Quick South Fork of the Flathead update from a large group that got out Friday July 8th: Young's Gorge was still pretty spicey and not recommended for beginners. first few miles of the South Fork of the Flathead often have log jams. Contact Us Where shall your adventure begin? Good call Dave, I edited my post to reflect some of those ideas. Fishing more for bull trout, because you won't catch as many cut-throats and the ones you catch will be bigger, 8. We try to keep an up to date list of local shuttles but these are subject to change. South Fork Road Access The road between Hungry Horse Reservoir and the Spotted Bear Ranch has several obvious road sites where you can do a primitive launch. Once you are in the gorge it is tough to scout, so find the trail at the beginning of the gorge and walk ahead. Also a popular takeout from the North and Middle forks. Us up onto Youngs Creek faster no size limit in lakes or full day runs the concentration. 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