Sign up for our email newsletter for great articles, tips and news from our adventures. I have been to Argentina on a trip, but this one was the best. A raft floats past a towering cutbank while floating the upper North Fork of the Flathead River in late July. It can be either a lively or serene way - depending on the section of the river - to soak up the jaw-dropping vistas one may otherwise never have the pleasure of experiencing. Build lasting relationships with your best clients or reward your key employees with one of our custom built corporate fishing retreats. We dedicate our river time on this trip to fishing for one of the purest strains of Westslope Cutthroat trout in the world. 65 miles from the origin to Hungry Reservoir and almost all of it flows through remote wilderness. If you just have a day or two to spare, day trips are a great way to experience Montana's legendary fisheries. The South Fork of the Flathead is known in the fly fishing world as the mecca for dry-fly cutthroat trout fishing. It is one of the three main forks of the Flathead River, a tributary of the Clark Fork River. The focal point of these unique fisheries are the South Fork of the Flathead River and its tributaries. One excellent float is between Big Creek and Glacier Rim, a float of about 13 miles. South Fork Flathead River is a river in Hungry Horse, MT in Flathead National Forest, Bob Marshall Wilderness, Rocky Mountains. Backpacking and packrafting southfork of flathead river, Montana For the first few days of the trip, the water meanders lazily through a sweeping glacial valley and grand Ponderosa Pines. The entire river is made up of three portions, the North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork. We caught more fish than I can count. It is one of the three main forks of the Flathead River, a tributary of the Clark Fork River (the Pend Oreille River).The north-northwest trending river is about 98 miles (158 km) long, making it the second longest tributary of the Flathead River. The remaining three and a half days of your trip will be enjoyed travelling down river in rafts, enjoying both guided wade and float fishing, great meals on the river, and comfortable backcountry accommodations. Flathead National Forest and private lands border the south bank, river left, and Glacier National Park borders the bank on the north, river right. These coolers and containers must be the same size for balancing mule loads. Young’s Creek at Confluence of the South Fork of the Flathead River. Gorgeous scenery, interpretive guiding. The South Fork Flathead is one of the most beautiful and productive trout streams in North America. Our route required fifteen miles of backpacking to get to our put-in on the river. From the headwaters to Schafer Meadows, a narrow channel and log jams make the river generally unsuitable for floating. I would recommend this trip to any fly fisherman who craves a unique experience. Ages 3-103! The float season on the lower Middle Fork extends from mid-May to early September. It is one of the three main forks of the Flathead River, a tributary of the Clark Fork River. Midges #16-20 (Black & Green body, white wing) Dry Fly – Griffiths Gnat, Poly wing midge, purple haze Nymph – Brassie, Green machine, shop vac. $3200.00 base rate Check/ACH payment $ 1600.00 deposit required to hold your dates. Midges #16-20 (Black & Green body, white wing) Dry Fly – Griffiths Gnat, Poly wing midge, purple haze Nymph – Brassie, Green machine, shop vac. The South Fork originates from the Bob Marshall Wilderness, at the confluence of Young’s Creek and Danaher Creek. Experience the wilds of Montana on a multi-day horse pack adventure. These "do it yourself" rafting drop floats in the Bob Marshall Wilderness can put you right in the middle of the best fishing in Montana. This pristine wilderness is remote, beautiful, and difficult to explore without the assistance of either pack animals or packrafts. This river cuts through the middle of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, offering unbelievable dry fly fishing for cutthroat, and streamer fishing for bull trout. Options include unique fishing lodges, exclusive ranch stays, riverside vacation rentals, and affordable hotel packages. The South Fork of the Flathead, located in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, is a horsepack in/float out trip of 5-7 days, putting you over feisty Cutthroats to 22″ and “Bull Trout” to 15 pounds. Explore the largest wilderness complex in the lower 48 on these all inclusive fly fishing adventures to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. In addition to guided fly fishing, we offer drop float trips on the South Fork of the Flathead River. Fish over 20 legendary Montana rivers across multiple valleys or get off the beaten path on our exclusive private access ranch leases, Plan for your Montana fishing trip. Six Montana paddlers took a five day backpacking and packrafting trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to float about 56 miles of the South Fork of the Flathead River in mid-July. The South Fork of the Flathead River is a major river in Northwestern Montana. We offer Rafting Drop Floats to the upper end of the South Fork of the Flathead River starting June 21st. What is included in the base rate: 1 packer, 6 animals, either pack or ride. I also caught four bull trout with the largest being 32 inches. Flathead River Fly Fishing Patterns. View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. Maximize your time on the water and make great memories on one of our deluxe overnight river camping trips. The Bob has been on my radar for years, because inside The Bob is one of the greatest multi-day float trips in America: the South Fork of the Flathead River. 2 log jams on the South Fork. The third day of the trip will be spent wade fishing the upper reaches of the South Fork as the gear team transitions gear from the horse pack to floating portion of the trip. We navigate these waters using rafts with custom built fishing frames instead of the traditional drift boat. Anglers will fly into Kalispell and drive or get shuttled to the Wilderness Lodge near the Spotted Bear trailhead (or stay the night in a local hotel and drive to the trailhead early the next morning). The water was low, about as low as one would want if floating. This is a 2 day ride to the South Fork. The South Fork Flathead River drainage includes Hungry Horse Reservoir, the South Fork Flathead River and its tributaries. The headwaters of the North Fork of the Flathead originate in Canada and flow south into the United States. The Bob has been on my radar for years, because inside The Bob is one of the greatest multi-day float trips in America: the South Fork of the Flathead River. We pick you up each day at the hotel and in the evenings you can enjoy fun western towns like Bozeman and Livingston, Browse our large network of vacation homes and cabins that are either on the water or centrally located to great fishing. The South Fork drainage is the largest stronghold of these native Char in the Lower 48 states. These lunkers act like an anadromous species, migrating upstream every July from Hungry Horse Reservoir. If walking, it’s important to know that there are a few major creek crossings. The drive to Spotted Bear is about 2 hours from Kalispell. This is truly one of North America's great camp-float adventures. To access the road section above the reservoir, you still have several hours of dirt road just to get there. The South Fork flows through the Bob Marshall wilderness and is home to incredible numbers of native West Slope Cutthroat that rise to a dry fly with vigor and Bull Trout that reach massive proportions. The river is divided into several distinct sections. Let us help you build the perfect lodging and fishing package. On the morning of departure, the pack string with your gear will go over Hahn Pass, a 29 mile ride to the confluence of Young’s Creek and Danaher Creeks which form the South Fork of the Flathead. Questions or concerns about USGS streamflow data in Montana and Wyoming can be directed to Kirk Miller (kmiller@usgs.gov; 307-775-9168).Updated September 18, 2020 - USGS water-resources monitoring activities were restored effective August 17, 2020 at the following site:. Site cast to trophy trout cruising the shallows of several productive lakes. Most of our trips include rods, flies and we rent waders. The price is the same for a 5 or 6 day trip you can decide which is best for you. 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. Six Montana paddlers took a five day backpacking and packrafting trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness to float about 56 miles of the South Fork of the Flathead River in mid-July. Unit three is the 15-mile stretch from West Glacier to the confluence with the South Fork of the Flathead River and is fairly heavily used by floaters. perhaps one of the finest floats anyone can do in the lower 48. Truly epic fishing! Listen to the River, from Wild Confluence Films, is the story of a classic summertime river adventure gone awry. The rugged area includes the landscapes of Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness areas. Please be mindful of this when making up your gear for the trip. 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