Any fish you catch while in the wilderness area will have to be eaten there. Fly reels do more than just hold line. The South Fork of the Flathead River begins deep in the heart of Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, one of the nations largest designated wilderness areas. First, Montana Fish & Game imposed strict special wilderness limits years ago. Camped out along the South Fork Flathead River. About the closest you can get to the river by vehicle is by using the long and curvy West Reservoir Road that crosses the Hungry Horse Dam and meanders around Hungry Horse Reservoir. The South Fork of the Flathead River is one of the few places in the Lower 48 where it is legal to target bull trout. the South Fork of the Flathead River should remain a favorite for the explorer type of angler for a long time. I will not hesitate recommending you guys to friends. Sprawling more than 1.5 million acres, the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex (known to locals as “the Bob”), which also includes the Great Bear Wilderness and the Scapegoat Wilderness, is perhaps the wildest location in the lower 48 states. in Packrafting, Trip Report, Photography, Camping. Aug 7, 2019 #1 But first the horseback ride. The South Fork is the favorite of the Flatheads. Prior to this modification, all water released came from the bottom of the dam – where the water was coldest. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. Coleman…well I actually took pictures of the meals…and I don’t do that shit. We’re here to ensure that you end up in the right place, at the right time, and with all the right information… at no additional cost to you. Up until reaching Meadow Creek Gorge 40 miles later, described later, the river presents no special challenges to a rafter. Failure to take these precautions is likely to lead to uninvited and probably unwanted guests with large claws and teeth probing your campsite during the night. Always clean and dry all your gear after each trip. And in case you did not hear Scott caught 2 Bulls and Jay caught this monster! Go. Special regulations and limits apply when fishing in the wilderness portion of the South Fork. Just be careful not to spook the fish—the waters of the South Fork of the Flathead River are crystal clear. × Announcement: Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the state of Montana has declared that mask or face covering use is required for ages five and older. Trip Report: Packrafting the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Additionally, from Meadow Creek Pack Bridge (near the wilderness area boundary) down to Spotted Bear footbridge, it is all catch and release and only artificial lures may be used. Story by Eric Hanson, Photos by Jacob Moon. However, the Bob is not like most other wilderness complexes, which you can simply hike across in a day or two. Montana's South Fork of the Flathead River: Information provided by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks: The South Fork Flathead River originates at the confluence of Danaher and Youngs creeks in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area and flows north, unimpeded for over half its length. Thread starter myt1; Start date Aug 7, 2019; myt1 Well-known member. Being from the desert, the idea of hauling a raft deep into the wilderness was fairly novel. South Fork Flathead River. But when photographer Jacob Moon and his wife Natasha invited me to go packrafting on the South Fork of the Flathead… Below the dam, the South Fork flows for 5 miles before entering the Flathead River just downstream from the town of Hungry Horse. The fishing in this stretch, however, has a chance to become a much better fishery in the years ahead. Hungry Horse Dam was modified in the mid 1990’s to allow it to draw water from any depth of the reservoir. Regardless of where you enter the Bob, the South Fork is a wade fisherman’s dream. Access to the wilderness complex is excellent, with dozens of trails threading their way from easily accessible trailheads along the perimeter of the wilderness. It's a river offering a return to our fly-fishing infancies when camping and camaraderie, incredible scenery and seclusion, and catching naïve trout on bushy dry flies was more paramount than the opportunity for a 20-incher. 1; 2; 3; First Prev 3 of 3 Go to page. Unlike other wilderness floats (such as on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho), the river is not over-run by rafting parties, since the only way to put a raft into the South Fork of the Flathead is by packing it in. This is about 2 miles south of the Trailhead, and requires a short walk to the river. Copyright 2002 - 2020 Big Sky Fishing.Com, Introduction to the South Fork Flathead River, Photographs of the South Fork Flathead River, How to Choose the Best Inflatable Boat for Your Needs, How to Protect Your Phone While Fishing or Floating, Big Prairie Ranger Station Pack Bridge: 92, Black Bear Ranger Station Pack Bridge: 69.5, Takeout to avoid Meadow Creek Gorge: 61.6, Log Landing (take out point before Reservoir): 40. South Fork of the Flathead River Long before I had a bucket list and two pack donkeys, I yearned to hike up the South Fork of the Flathead River. They are all intelligent and great young men and went above and beyond to make things interesting fun. There is one rapid section below the dam called Devils Elbow, with two short Class IV rapids. CLIENT REPORT | SOUTH FORK OF THE FLATHEAD September 24, 2014 “My hopes for the trip were (if you recall) in order of importance. 2 thoughts on “ South Fork Flathead flow guide ” Sam Barber July.6.2015 — 13:16 We are planning on taking 3 14′ rafts in, and floating from Gordon creek to Mid creek the 13th – 18th of July. The South Fork of the Flathead River begins deep in the heart of Bob Marshall Wilderness complex, one of the nations largest designated wilderness areas. Packrafting opened up a world of adventure for me. This has important implications. The result is that anglers now sometimes struggle to catch fish that are small enough to keep. The North Fork creates the western boundary line of Glacier National Park and provides some spectacular views inside the Park. Thread starter Salmo_g; Start date Aug 11, 2018; Prev. July 15, 2019. by John Nestler. To simply reach the interior of the Bob frequently requires hikes or horse packs of several days. The second, and somewhat obvious, reason is that in order to reach the river in the wilderness area requires considerable time and energy, as it lies in a very remote setting by any standard. A Seat with a View on the South Fork Flathead River. Section: Schafer Meadows to Paola Access Area. South Fork Flathead fishing-specific trip: July 18th – 25th, 2020. The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. We just received a great report from our clients on their South Fork of the Flathead adventure. The South Fork of the Flathead River is a truly remote stream. While the river is deep in spots, the river should pose no challenges to the alert wade fisherman. Streams. Grizzly bears, moose, elk and wolves all call the Bob home. There are some parts of the Middle, North, and South Fork Flathead River areas, which are part of government lands, so Montana Fishing Guides does not offer trips in those areas. The distance from the Dam to the trailhead at Meadow Creek Pack Bridge is about 50 miles, which takes about two hours. Summer also registers a fair amount of backpacking and horse packing visitors, although a person is unlikely to see more than a couple parties of people once away form the popular day hiking trails on the edge of the wilderness area. Day 2 – Relax. This should lead to significantly better fishing in both the South Fork below the dam and for the Flathead River in the years ahead. With this modificationt, the dam now releases water that has the same temperature as the Flathead River five miles downstream. Backpacking gear is needed for the angler without a horse to fish the South Fork above the Hungry Horse Reservoir, as the only access to the river is by trail. One of the best flyfishing streams but it’s a long, dusty 50-mile drive on bumpy gravel roads to Spotted Bear. Leave from Benchmark Trailhead to Youngs Creek and Danaher River confluence for 2 nights. Access to the South Fork is by foot or horseback. 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 … CLIENT REPORT | SOUTH FORK OF THE FLATHEAD. Any rafts will need to be brought in either on your back or on horse. The river is a dry-fly mecca, and it’s one of the few places in America where you can legally target bull trout. To even contemplate going through this gorge will require a very small, tough raft, whitewater inflatable kayak or hard shell kayak, as any large raft is quite likely to get frequently stuck and require countless portages. The east side road (through Martin City) is straighter but gets more traffic. The trail had been cleared to the Jenny Creek / Young's confluence and was in good shape. Take a look below. The South Fork of the Flathead River is Montana’s crown jewel in terms of remote rivers. 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