To truly experience the Flathead, you want to make sure you visit later in the summer. The Flathead River (Salish Indian: ntx̣ʷetkʷ, ntx̣ʷe) in the northwestern part of Montana, originates in the Canadian Rockies to the north of Glacier National Park and flows southwest into Flathead Lake near Bigfork, Montana, then after a journey of 158 miles (254 km), empties into the Clark Fork River. With stunning 360 degrees views, this river a top notch destination. Water temperature at mid-day: 50 Degrees F. Water condition: Clear. After West Glacier, the whitewater section ends and most floaters disappear. This section of the Middle Fork Flathead River is the most heavily used due to its excellent whitewater. I’ll have to take his word, because I heard about it too and looked for it on my floats and have yet to find it. For the 27 miles from Schaeffer Creek down to Essex and Highway 2, where the Middle Fork Flathead River turns into a “recreational” river, the Middle Fork provides continual whitewater, mainly Class II rapids, with numerous Class III & IV rapids as well. Beginning in Essex, the Middle Fork Flathead River parallels Highway 2 to West Glacier, although the river is generally out of sight as it often lies hundreds of vertical feet below and well back from the road. As the Middle Fork Flathead River flows through numerous canyons, many of the portages are difficult. Fly Fishing the Flathead. We offer full and half day guided fly fishing trips on the Main Stem of the Flathead River. However, this section is not recommended for canoes. Typically, we start fishing both rivers in late June through September using dry flies. It is also one of the wildest, beginning in the Great Bear Wilderness just south of Glacier National Park. The result is that a fishing excursion into the wilderness portion of the Middle Fork, whether it be by foot, plane, or horse, provides outstanding scenery, chance encounters with the local fauna (this area is prime grizzly bear habitat), and solid action for average sized fish. Whatever the season, your Montana Flyfishing Experience guide will have you set up with the proper gear and flies on the Flathead River. Your Montana Fly Fishing Experience professional guide will communicate with you prior to your trip for a meeting time, place, and any additional clothing you may need to bring. Montana Fishing Guides holds all the information you need to ensure success on your next Flathead River fly fishing experience. The Middle Fork Flathead The waters we fish offer an abundance of Rainbow, Cutthroat, Bull Trout and Grayling. Another technique to try is to use a weighted sink tip line, dragging wet flies or streamers through the deeper pockets and pools that are found periodically along the river. The North Fork of the Flathead flows directly south from the Canadian Border, and makes up the western boarder of Glacier National Park until its confluence with the Middle Fork at Blankenship Bridge. Below West Glacier, the Middle Fork continues to run swiftly with only a few small Class II rapids, and combines with the North Fork of the Flathead River at Blakenship Bridge, where the main-stem of the Flathead River begins. The Flathead River holds a decent population of medium sized rainbow and cutthroat trout. From sites of easy access to those of remote wilderness, the Flathead waters can provide diverse fishing experiences. The Middle Fork Flathead River is one of Montana’s premier whitewater rivers. Montana is legendary for its outstanding fly fishing and the waters fished by Glacier Anglers are no exception. A caddis fly (size 12-14) floated over prime territory is always a good bet. Once the summer gets rolling, terrestrials are the name of the game. Numerous access points exist along Highway 2, allowing for a wide variety of day floats. Flathead River Fly Fishing Report The Flathead River flows through the broad and beautiful Flathead Valley near Glacier National Park, Whitefish, MT, and Bigfork, MT. Best time of day to fish: all day. 2,670 cu ft/s (76 m3/s), Outfitted by Chris McCreedy North Fork Flathead River Description. You just need to bring along your sense of adventure, sunglasses, and a Montana fishing license. You can get more detailed information about some of these fishing access spots at the Montana FWP Website. Fish the morning and evenings hatches! Larger cutthroats can be found in this section, but it often requires a hefty hike along the river or a float trip using a inflatable raft or inflatable kayak to find the spots that hold the larger fish. The South Fork has good numbers of 8”- 16” cutthroat. Flathead River has two very excellent conditions aside from the lower pressure; fly fishing in Kalispell on the Flathead River does not require as much skill or specific flies like other areas of the state. Fly Fishing on the Flathead River Post Date: May 12, 2020. What can I see and do along the Flathead River? The east side road (through Martin City) is straighter but gets more traffic. Below Essex, any size raft, kayak or canoe (experienced canoeists only) will work just fine until the whitewater section below Moccasin Creek, where an inflatable raft, hard shell kayak or inflatable kayak capable of Class IV whitewater is required. Best access point: Teakettle. 59911 Best Montana Fly Fishing Trips—South Fork Flathead River Posted on May 13, 2020 by Greg Thomas It’s time to start dreaming about the best summer fly fishing trips for 2020, and if we are limited to doing so within our state borders this year, I drew a good card—Montana offers a lifetime of fly-fishing adventure and gas is cheap right now. Its drains an area east of the South Fork Flathead River. Fishing pressure is generally light along this portion of the river, and access for the wade fisherman is excellent. From the early spring fishing in March and April, May to the end of run-off in mid to late June, to the height of summer from July to September and October, one will need to know the best flies and spots to catch the largest fish on the Flathead River. The Flathead River System makes a great option for half or full days, with its close proximity to Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Whitefish, and Bigfork Montana. The beginner angler can have good chances to catch their first fish on a fly rod, and the expert can work a tough riser on tiny dries. The middle portion of the section, between Essex and Moccasin Creek, only has moderate pressure from floaters and fishermen. We fly fish for any number of reasons. Below Essex, the fishing on the Middle Fork dries up considerably. This river cuts through the middle of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, offering unbelievable dry fly fishing for cutthroat, and streamer fishing for bull trout. We'll get you catching fishing in no time! The Flathead River system of northwestern Montana offers memorable fishing opportunities. Montana's Flathead River offers spectacular scenery and excellent dry fly trout fishing throughout the summer and fall. The Flathead River isn't nearly as popular among anglers as say the Middle Fork or South Fork of the Flathead. The remote setting of the Middle Fork keeps the wilderness portion relatively free of both fishermen and floaters. A hopper during late summer also works well, especially around Kalispell where fields come right up to the river bank. This section is also a very scenic part of the Middle Fork, with the towering mountains of Glacier National Park and the Great Bear Wilderness often visible. There are three other Flathead … The Middle Fork Flathead River is a 92 mile long river part of which forms the southwestern boundary of Glacier National Park. From Essex down to Moccasin Creek (a distance of 30 miles), only several small Class II-III rapids are found, depending on river levels. Discharge The fishing pressure in the wilderness section is very low compared to other Montana waters, and cutthroats themselves are not known as the most finicky fish around. Below Moccasin Creek to West Glacier, a popular whitewater section begins, with a number of Class II, III and one Class IV rapid (Jaws). The Flathead is unique because it remains one of the few primarily native Westslope Cutthroat Trout fisheries left. The Middle Fork Flathead River is one of the premiere wilderness rivers in Montana. We start the trip with a two-day ride (or hike) through spectacular scenery to access the starting point of the float, then spend five days fly-fishing some of the most pristine water in Montana. Full and half day trips are available on the Flathead River and our professional guides are eager to lead you down the river both on 1/2 day trips or on a full day of instructional and fun fly fishing. It’s also very convenient to Kalispell and Columbia Falls. This keeps the level of nutrients in the river low. Floating through the wilderness section of the river requires either a plane ride in or a long hike or horse pack. Bigfork Montana Fly Fishing Report - Fly fishing information for Bigfork and Whitefish Montana on area rivers like the Flathead, Blackfoot, Clark Fork Montana Fly Fishing. Flathead are definitely one of the easier species of estuary fish to catch on fly. Learn more about these versatile & durable inflatable kayaks. There are many access sites on the Flathead River. The Main Stem of the Flathead River runs through the towns of Columbia Falls and Kalispell. Flowing past huge mountains and through deep canyons, the Middle Fork, along with the South Fork, is Montana’s premier wilderness river. They will respond to a wide range of traditional and specialist flies and you will catch them as a by catch when your fishing small flies (from a flathead’s perspective) to species such as yellowfin bream and whiting and relatively big flies (from a flathead’s perspective) even when fishing for barra. Flathead River Fly Fishing Season. Even though the Flathead River has many access sites, the river is large and wide with a powerful flow. Your target species will be cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. These fish, which are illegal to intentionally fish for or take, are not picky about what they eat. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River, like its cousins the North Fork and the South Fork, is fed predominantly by snowmelt. So much has already been written about these predators but not much really focuses on fly fishing … The Flathead River is best fished from a drift boat with a qualified professional guide. Visibility: 60 inches. With a drainage basin extending over 8,795 square miles (22,780 km2) and an average discharge of 11,380 cubic feet per second (322 m3/s), the Flathead is the largest tributary of the Clark Fork and constitutes over half of its flow. Fly fishing the Flathead River system provides a healthy population of native Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Bull … Beginning in the Great Bear Wilderness area near Glacier National Park, the Middle Fork offers excellent fishing in its wilderness area and spectacular floats once the river leaves the wilderness area behind. As a result, the Middle Fork is not noted as a top trout stream. Generally, the bigger fish are found in the best structure, particularly in the many deep pools that are found behind the massive rocks that lie in the river, and as far away as possible from the easiest and most heavily used access sites. Full day trips include equipment, flies, and a stream side lunch or dinner prepared by your guide. Flathead River The Main Stem of the Flathead River is only minutes from the doors of the fly shop. The river from this point also forms the southern boundary of Glacier National Park. The river’s location lends itself to allowing you and your family to play a round of golf, sightsee, shop, enjoy a half day of fishing, and still make your dinner reservations in one of the valley’s fine restaurants. Numerous mountain goats are often seen here, as they travel down from their high peaks for the salt. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River begins just outside the Great Bear Wilderness, which is located south of Glacier National Park. Related Article : Photographs of the Middle Fork Flathead River. south fork flathead fly fishing Let our professional fishing guides show you one of the most remote, trout-filled rivers in Montana on a fishing specific South Fork Flathead trip. The beginner angler can have good chances to catch their first fish on a fly rod, and the expert can work a tough riser on tiny dries. Best stretch: Teakettle to Presentine. For the fly fisherman, pretty much any dry and bushy fly, floated around the usual likely spots will produce consistent results. Horses and mules transport us, our boats and gear 20 to 26 miles (depending upon which trail we take in and the itinerary). Additionally, around Moccasin Creek, lots of timber lies along the banks of the Middle Fork Flathead River. The Elk is the definition of “Freestone”. ELK RIVER. South Fork Flathead River Fly Fishing is the best you will find anywhere – period. This is about the main stem of the Flathead River. If you are searching for solitude, it is recommended to go somewhere else. Fly fishing the Middle Fork Flathead River ranges from easy to very difficult, depending on the section you choose to fish. On a hot summer day fly fishermen can catch 60 fish a day and rarely see anyone else on the river. The Middle Fork emerges from the wilderness area near Essex, where it flows past a unique place called the “Goat Lick.” Here, salt is found on the grounds surface high along the banks of the river. The Flathead River can fish well all year, but our summer months are best for dry fly fishing. Glacier Anglers offers day trips, overnight float trips on the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead River, and multi-day backcountry trips into the Great Bear Wilderness to fish the acclaimed upper Middle Fork of the Flathead River. The Flathead River system is a unique fishery located around Glacier National Park and is made up of three forks which eventually drain into Flathead Lake. Your target species will be cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. Hatches on the South Fork of the Flathead River include caddis, mayflies, spruce moths, and many terrestrials including hoppers, ants, and beetles. Join us for a full or half day of drift boating fly fishing on the Flathead River, Swan river, or float tubing one of our pristine permit-only mountain lakes. Flathead, lizards, frogs or crocs range in types but you will find them all over the country, known as many different names, they nearly all basically behave the same and are a year round option. for near mouth, at Perma, MT; max at Polson, MT While there are numerous cutthroats, most tend to be in the 8-10 inch range. When it comes to fly fishing, it doesn’t get much better than the wild miles of the Flathead River. Experience Montana fly fishing at its finest with Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness and National Forests as breathtaking backdrops. Box 636 110,000 cu ft/s (3,115 m3/s) The Flathead is a large river with flows up to 20,000 cubic feet per second early in the season. Note, a guide contacted me and said there was a “hidden channel” that allows you to float down the river to the take-out point at Moccasin Creek. Numerous designated and undesignated access points exist between Essex and West Glacier, allowing for easy access and countless potential campsites. That said, the wilderness portion of the Middle Fork contains a healthy amount of decent sized cutthroats up to 16 inches. For the wilderness portion, a heavy-duty inflatable kayak or raft is  needed, as they are by far the easiest to pack into the Great Bear Wilderness. Glacier Anglers: Fly Fishing Drift boat on Flathead River Blankenship Bridge to Coram, MT - See 84 traveler reviews, 43 candid photos, and great deals for West Glacier, MT, at Tripadvisor. Expedition level inflatable kayaks work well for fishing and are ideal for long floats down remote Montana rivers and whitewater. Here at Glacier Anglers, we fish both the Middle and North Forks. Hoppers, ants, and beetles are on the menu, and your guide will often have you throwing a hopper/dropper combination. Best for dry fly trout fishing throughout the summer about these versatile & durable inflatable kayaks catch on.! 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