Jefferson River Facts

Location:

The Jefferson River is formed by the confluence of the Beaverhead River and Big Hole River near the town of Twin Bridges.  It empties into the Missouri River 82 miles later.  Access to the Jefferson River is good, as several roads follow the entire course of the river.  Because the river is surrounded by agricultural land, irrigation does take its toll on the Jefferson.

Features:

The Jefferson River holds some very big brown trout.  Unfortunately, the river holds few of these trophy browns and few of any other kind of trout.  Browns and whitefish dominate the roster at the Jefferson.   Despite the blue ribbon fishing just upstream on the Big Hole River and decent fishing on the Beaverhead River, fishing on the Jefferson River is somewhat disappointing.  Trout numbers are down, so the fish are spread out. 

Floating is the best way to fish the Jefferson.  The river is well suited for it, and you can cover a lot of water, which is the best strategy.  The Jefferson River has had problems with low water since Lewis and Clark navigated it in 1805.  Now, with irrigation and the drought, flows can be reduced to a mere trickle, literally, on the lower river.  The Jefferson may not the best place to catch large numbers of trout, your odds of catching a massive trout are pretty good.  Five to seven pound browns are caught every year.  Most of the browns are in the 12-14 inch range, but the monsters are there,

Seasonal Strategies:

Spring produces good hatches of Baetis and midges on the Jefferson.  After runoff, before summer really hits, is a good time to watch for mayfly, stonefly and caddis hatches.  When late July rolls around, it is hopper season.  A large hopper pattern with a prince nymph dropper floated along an undercut bank works really well. 

Fall is a wonderful time to fish the Jefferson River.  The weather cools, irrigation slows, and the big browns begin to really cruise.  Fall provides the most consistent fishing on the Jefferson.  Any time of the year is a great time to fish streamers like Buggers on the Jefferson.  Fish these when the sky is cloudy and dark for the best results.

Special Regulations:

The Jefferson River is open all year. 

From the confluence to Williams Bridge the daily combined trout limit is three brown trout, only one over 18 inches, catch and release all rainbow trout. 

From Williams Bridge to the Missouri River, the combined trout limit is five brown trout, only one over 18 inches, catch and release all rainbow trout. 

Access and River Mileage:

The Jefferson flows 82 miles to its confluence with the Missouri River.  The best way to fish the Jefferson is by floating it.  There are 12 official fishing access sites along the river, so it is easy to find a place to fish. 

Special Cautions:

Watch out for several stretches of rough water during runoff. 

The Jefferson River is very popular with tubers and recreational floaters. Please hold your temper in check when dealing with them.