Summertime driving tour of Idaho/Montana/Wyoming

[chapmag]

This is the summer that I'm loading up the RAV4 with my Lab and my switch rods, a 5 weight, and tenkara rods and heading to the upper states for some trout.

I'll go for two weeks between the end of May and mid-August.

Happy to camp if there is not a motel near the good water.

I've fished in Utah, Western Nevada, and Colorado but never in the upper states. My brother lives in Salt Lake City and would like to join me for a few days.

I'd like to fish mostly on foot. So I'm looking for:

Water with sufficient public access.

A time when rivers have settled down after runoff.

Opportunities to catch fish on dries either during hatches or with a dry/dropper rig. (I don't get a lot of that in California, maybe it's just me.)

What rivers/lakes would you suggest? When?

Thanks all.

[Bob G]

Hi Greg -

As a starter, since you list "after runoff", I would call the major fly shops in the general areas that you will be traveling and inquire regarding when they project the runoff will end.

Your trip sounds glorious!

Best, Bob

[Idadon]

Henry's Fork below Ashton dam down to St Anthony is bug city in May. Can get muddied up below the Fall River for awhile. My favorite stretch is just below Chester diversion dam down to the Fun Farm. Easy water and OK access. Drakes and very thick Caddis, big fish too. Call Jimmy's All Season Anglers in Idaho Falls. The South Fork of the Snake is usually running hard till June but even when at normal summertime flows you need a drift boat.

[yubaman]

As far as Montana and wade fishing, for me these are must rivers . . . In the Dillon area both the Ruby and the Big Hole. Also Wise River can be very good. In the St. Regis area, the St. Regis River. In the Missoula area, absolutely, absolutely Rock Creek. About an hour away, the Little Blackfoot can be very good wading.

Runoff can usually go into late June or early July. Their snowpack is a little under normal, and they have had a bit of a warm spring, so runoff should be lighter than usual this year. If you can, I would give Rock Creek, and the Upper Forks of Rock Creek 2-3 days. There is 50 miles of prime wading in this river. The big hatch, their Salmonfly hatch usually pops in June. If you can hit this, it's a ball. Good Luck.

[Garrett S]

Our big rivers have been in runoff for about a week now, they should be good by the end of the May. I would suggest coming in June, time it right and you can fish some incredible salmonfly hatches.

[JayDubP]

SE Idaho is one of the most popular fly fishing meccas of the world. You can easily spend 2 weeks just from Idaho-Utah border to and inside Yellowstone. All the areas Idahon listed are great, plus consider Bitch Creek, Badger Creek and Teton River midweek days, as long as you don't mind lots of walking and being on guard for snakes.

4 hours or so to the northwest, you could be in the Yellow Pine, ID area fishing on border of and inside the Frank Church Wilderness: Johnson Creek; East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River and maybe the best cutt fishing in Idaho on Big Creek (2-3 day wilderness hike) where you will probably hook some salmon and bull trout also. (you could hit the Big Wood River in Sun Valley area and the upper Salmon on your way to/from)

It will take more than 2 weeks to properly cover Montana and Northern Idaho. So, plan another trip next year to fish Montana and northern Idaho...and then there is the Boise area with the South Fork of the Boise and the Owyhee Rivers or even the Boise River right in town.

[chapmag]

Thanks all. Now I've got something to plan around.

[whatnext]

Grab a copy of "Flyfisher's Guide to Idaho". Not nearly as nice as the California guide since it's missing all the great photography. Nonetheless, it will give you maps, hatch info and general times of year. Sounds like an epic trip.

[aaron]

While May can be good here on the lower Henry's, it's normally pretty prime runoff elsewhere. I would opt toward June, the lower Hank will be on its way out, but the ranch will be prime time, South Fork may have settled in to summer flows, and the smaller streams will be in good shape. The Park will be open as well. Public access is abundant and easy to come by.

Feel free to PM as you get closer for conditions and a point in the right direction.

[chapmag]

Thanks Aaron. I will PM you as I get closer to going.