I fish the Clark Fork more than any other river in Montana,because
it is close to where I live,.It has an enormous amount of different
species of fish to catch,My favorite fish to catch is the Northern Pike.
It also has Trout,Burbot,Bass,Whitefish to name a few species.
The Clark Fork River has its headwaters in the Silver Bow
(or Highland) Mountains, originating at the confluence of
Silver Bow and Warm Springs creeks near Anaconda, Montana.
The river flows north and west 350 miles through broad,
semi-arid valleys, high mountain ranges, and steep-sided
valleys and terminates in Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho.
The Upper Clark Fork, bordered on the north by the
Garnet Range and on the south by the Flint Creek Range,
meanders most of its first 38 miles through the flat plains
of the Deer Lodge Valley. Vegetation is sparse, due partly
to the effects of the mining boom, the greatest historical
influence in the Upper Basin. Downstream from the mouth
of the Little Blackfoot River, the river flows through a steep,
narrow canyon. Between Garrison and Jens the river
channel has been shortened by highway and railroad
construction activities, but past Jens the Clark Fork
meanders away from the transportation corridor and
native trees and shrubs appear along its banks.
From below Flint Creek the river runs 26 miles through
Bearmouth Canyon to emerge and widen to 150 feet for its
final miles to Milltown Reservoir. The Middle Clark Fork
River extends about 115 river miles from Milltown Dam to its
confluence with the Flathead River and is entirely free
flowing. Its drainage is mountainous and covered with large
forested tracts, broken by grazing and cropland areas in the
lower valleys. From Thompson Falls Dam, its upper
boundary, the Lower Clark Fork River flows through
sedimentary formations and a landscape sculptured by the
massive outflows of glacial Lake Missoula. It runs into
Cabinet Gorge Dam, just outside the Montana border.
Between the backwaters of Cabinet Gorge and the
tailwaters of Thompson Falls Dam the river is inundated
by Noxon Rapids Dam. When the Clark Fork crosses the
Idaho border, it is Montana's largest river, carrying an
average 22,060 cubic feet of water per second.
Stillwater River
The Stillwater River begins high in the mountains of the
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness area. The river flows for
more than twenty miles through the wilderness area before
leaving the mountains behind and spilling out into the rolling
prairie and canyons that lie outside the wilderness area.
Once it leaves the wilderness area, the Stillwater River flows
for another 45 miles through a mix of canyons, prairie and
forest until meeting up with the Yellowstone River near the
town of Columbus, Montana - which is about 45 miles from
Billings,Montana
The Stillwater River is an absolutely beautiful and wild river.
The Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains provide a stunning
backdrop to any fishing or float trip. Fishing pressure on
the Stillwater River is moderate - most out of state anglers
venture to the much more popular and well known nearby
rivers such as the Yellowstone River. That said, lots of
locals ply the waters of the Stillwater in search of the
plentiful rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout that are found
in the river.
Since the first twenty miles of the Stillwater River are in the
wilderness area, access is excellent, although it requires a
hike or horseback ride in to reach it. Once the Stillwater River
leaves the wilderness, access for most of its length is good
due to numerous road, bridge and designated fishing access
sites.
