Clark Fork River Facts

Location:

The Clark Fork River is born at the Anaconda Settling Ponds (officially Warm Springs in the Warm Springs Wildlife Management Area.  This large river flows almost 350 miles to the Idaho border. 

The Clark Fork River flows through the Montana cities of Deer Lodge and Missoula.  MT 200 runs along the upper river, while I-90 follows the Clark Fork for most of its run to the Idaho border.  Access is easy due to the proximity of major roads and designated fishing access sites.

Features:

The Clark Fork River has a bad history.  Deep shaft mining for gold and silver and the resulting smelting process have badly polluted the Clark Fork and several of its important tributaries.  Arsenic and heavy metals have been present in the Clark Fork’s history since the 1840’s.  However, despite the pollution, the Clark Fork River features some fantastic fishing. 

The river holds massive trout along its entire length.  Many run over 20 inches.  Rainbows are the predominant species, but the Clark Fork has a healthy number of browns as well.  The upper river, from the Anaconda Settling Ponds to the town of Deer Lodge fishes and acts like a spring creek, bring your 3-weight.  Most of the trout taken from this section are between 10-14 inches, but larger fish are not uncommon. 

The Clark Fork continues to grow larger as it flows toward Missoula.  Trout are few and far between from Deer Lodge to Rock Creek. The two most important rivers that join the Clark Fork are Rock Creek and the Blackfoot River.  The lower river below Missoula features spectacular scenery and the only real whitewater of the Clark Fork, at Alberton Gorge.  The Flathead River joins the Clark Fork below Missoula, making the river very large.  The lower river is best fished from a boat.

Seasonal Strategies:

It is a good idea to bring a well stocked fly box to the Clark Fork, as it features myriad hatches throughout the year.  Pre-runoff fishing is best with attractors like Royal Wulffs, Stimulators, and the like.  Never visit the Clark Fork without Elk Hair Caddis.  The runoff is usually May to late June, but it varies from year to year depending on snow pack and temperatures. 

As the runoff dies down, the Clark Fork features some of the regions best Caddis hatches.  This hatch peaks in July, but continues to a lesser degree for the rest of the year.  The upper river offers the chance to fish dry flies all season long.  Starting in July, terrestrials such as hoppers, Chernobyl Ants and Stimulators work wonders on the Clark Fork.  On slow afternoons, try hanging a #12 Prince nymph off of a large Stimulator.  The terrestrials are hot until October during most years, but have been known to last later.  Fall fishing is the time to break out your sinking line and your streamer patterns.

Special Regulations:

Float fishing is allowed along the entire river except upstream of Perkins River Bridge (near Warm Springs). 

Access and River Mileage:

The Clark Fork River flows almost 350 miles from its source to the Idaho border.  For most of that distance, large roads offer easy access to wade fishermen.  There are state maintained fishing access sites at reasonable intervals along the entire length of the river.  Boat launches are also easy to find, access and use.

Special Cautions:

Wade fishermen need to be wary of the lower river; it is wide, deep and powerful. 

Boaters should be careful when floating the Alberton Gorge rapid section.