Montana Fly Fishing
South Fork Flathead " Bob Marshall Wilderness", Montana
This trip is all about spending a little time away from the hustle & bustle of everyday life & enjoying a great, & beautiful wilderness. Just imagine, no pagers, no cell phones, no traffic jams, no worries .Just spending a week in the Rocky Mountains in Montana, clean air, beautiful country, great food, great camaraderie sitting around an evening camp fire with friends old & new.
All of this is topped off with world class Montana fly fishing.
Salmon Forks Outfitters invites you to try Montana fly fishing. Their Montana wilderness camp is located on the South Fork of the Flathead River in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and is reached by a horseback ride through some of the most spectacular scenery in Montana. See pictures in Photo Album.
Home of the native westslope cutthroat trout, the South Fork Flathead is born in the nation’s most beautiful wilderness in Montana, the “Bob Marshall Wilderness".
The South Fork originates at the confluence of Danaher Meadows and Youngs creek in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, flows north for its first unimpeded 40 miles through the heart of the Bob Marshall between the Continental Divide on the east, the Swan Range on the west.
Untouched by human development, it is truly nature as God intended it. This is one of the last pure native Westslope Cutthroat trout fisheries in the world.
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the population of Westslope cutthroat trout in the South Fork is the strongest and most vibrant in Montana, and perhaps in the entire West.
The westslope cutthroat feed almost entirely on insects and love to rise to dry flies. When you have seen & able to feel that healthy 16 - 17 inch cutthroat take your #10 or #12 dry fly on the end of a number 5 fly rod , you will then know you are in fish heaven.
The best thing about this river is that the access is limited & not easy, you will see others but not near the numbers that you will compete with on Montana"s other great rivers. If you come in late August, or September you will pretty much have the river too yourself.
The South Fork is a great river for the elite as well as the novis & the beginner, very easy to wade, lots of gravel bars, easy casting almost everywhere & you will catch nice fish!!
The trout are all wild - no hatchery grown fish will be found here. As the fishing pressure is low, the trout aren't horribly picky about what they will take. Pretty much any caddis fly or mayfly imitation in size 10 to 16.
Check out our fly fishing videos on our video page.
White River
The White River joins the South Fork Flathead just 3 miles from our main camp, it is also known for its great cutthroat trout. We usually take day trips to fish the White River. The White River is known for its white limestone colored rocks, thus its name. Although it flows through a huge limestone deposit, the water is still crystal clear . It is a smaller river than the South Fork , you can wade it most anywhere.
Big Salmon Lake
The lake is so crystal clear that often you can go fishing and see the fish swimming up for a strike. Ride along the lake, where you can look down on a sunny day and see the fish swimming along the shoreline, and the mountains reflecting in the lake. This is a picture you will have in your memories for years to come. Spend a day at the head of the lake and wade in among the bull trout as they gather to head up Big Salmon Creek to spawn.
Our Camp
From July through October, our tent camp keeps you within 2 minutes of the river and some of the best fly fishing in Montana the South Fork has to offer. Access to the river is unlimited, you can fish for miles or just several hundred yards.Some of our fly fishing guests never go farther than thirty minutes from camp and catch 20 to 40 plus feisty, thick-bodied 14 to 20 inch cuts daily. Prime time to fish these waters is August through September. One of our fly fishing guests, John P., who had floated the South Fork three times, said “we floated right past the best fly fishing spots on the South Fork, now I can fish them all the time, and come back to a great meal and a comfortable place to sleep.”
You will stay in our comfortable camp overlooking the Flathead River. Sleep in our large and spacious wall tents, with comfortable cots, foam pads, heating stoves, and plenty of room to hang your clothes. We also have very comfortable dome tents for couples and singles. Take a hot shower in our shower tent.
Enjoy tasty home-cooked meals, steaks on the grill, turkey dinner with all the trimmings, roasts, full course breakfasts, desserts and breads baked in the dutch oven. Spend the evening sitting around the camp fire enjoying the solitude and camaraderie of camp life in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness. See more stars than you have ever seen. There’s no “light pollution” here!
Salmon Forks Outfitters is located in Montana’s Columbia Falls, Glacier Park area. We provide transportation to the trail head from Glacier International Airport in Kalispell, Montana, to which Delta and Northwest fly daily. Pre and post trip lodging arrangements can be made by filling out our Contact Us form or by calling
Toll Free 800-228-7806.
Check out our About Us page for more good information on Montana Fly Fishing Trips!
Click here to make your secure payment for your trip with Salmon Forks Outfitters.
