Fly Fishing Smith River Montana
Type Water:
Freestone
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Brook Trout
(Wild Trout)
Size
Medium – over 118 miles long
Location
Southwestern Montana
Nearest Towns
White Sulphur Springs
Season
3rd Sat. May – Nov 30th
State Park, 59 mile section, open
year-round
Access:
Poor
Non-Resident License
State of Montana
Seasons: Fly fishing the Smith River depends on the water levels more than anything else.Spring: Springtime fishing is purely at the mercy of Mother Nature. Heavy snowpacks mean the river may stay high from runoff well into June.
Summer:
The latter part of June can be good, July is normally good and low water conditions normally affect August in a bad way.
Fall:
Early fall can also be affected by low water. If the water levels are suitable, fishing can be good.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2016 James Marsh
Smith River Montana Fishing Report, April 29, 2024
Stream levels are near normal and the water clear. Good Midge, Little Black Caddis, March Browns, BWO’s and Skwala stonefly hatches are taking place. We continue to get good reports from customers when the levels are okay. Shoot us an email or give us a call at 800 594 4726 and let us help you with fly and gear selections. https://fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/smith-river
Stream Conditions:
Rate: 195 cfs
Level: 3.21 ft
Afternoon Water Temperature: 48 degrees
Clarity: clear
USGS Real-Time Stream Flow Data Fort Logan Mt
Weather:
Recommended Trout Flies:
Brown Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Blue-winged Olives: size 16, 18 nymph, emergers, duns and spinners
Aquatic Worms, size 12, pink, red, and others
Midges: Cream and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, work good here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippet
Skwala Stoneflies: 10, nymphs, adults
March Browns, 12/14, nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Little Black Caddis: 18, pupa, adults
Fly Fishing On The Smith River In Montana: The North and South Forks of the Smith River flow together near the little town of White Sulfur Springs, Montana, forming the main river. From there, it flows well over a hundred miles before its confluence with the Missouri River.The Smith River lies between the Little and Big Beltmountain ranges and flows mostly through open prairie. The first forty miles of the river can be accessed at the Smith River public fishing access. It is located about nine miles upstream from the main put-in-point at Camp Baker that begins the sixty mile float section. The river is rather small and shallow in its upper section. It can be waded up or downstream from the Smith River access but most all of it flows through privately owned land.The only way you can fish very much of the Smith River is to float it. You have to draw a permit to fish the river. It is the only river in Montana that has this requirement. This website provides the details. The section of the river that falls under this rule is sixty miles long.There are remote campsites along the river, but it has no access via a public road throughout the entire sixty miles. It has one public put-in and one public take-out. This can mean a four or five day float trip. The boats that are used by the outfitters are rubber rafts. The reason for this, we are told, is that the curves and boulders in the canyon sections of the river would destroy a wooden drift boat. The Smith is not a fast water river as such. Its flows are rather moderately at normal water levels. Never-the-less, we are told the canyon sections can be tricky to maneuver. The flows vary greatly depending on the amount of rainfall.
Smith River Montana Fly Fishing Guide: The best way to fish the river is to get lucky and obtain a permit and drift it. I really don’t know the details that lead up to the state permitted lottery system. I understand the river was very crowded before that system existed. From discussing this with several people that are familiar with the Smith River, before and after the system existed, it seems that the permitted system came about as a result of the outfitters wanting it. It seems totally ridiculous to me. I won’t be filling out an application for the drawing. Although Montana has the best trout fishing in the United States, the Smith River permit deal is a bad deal for everyone but the outfitters as far as I am concerned. From the rivers start near White Sulphur Springs, downstream for forty miles to the only a very few access points. Most of the property along the river is privately owned. This is mostly agricultural country and fields surround the river most of the way. The Smith River Fishing Access is one of, if not the best place to access the stream in this forty mile section. It is located roughly 31 miles downstream from the river’s beginning or about 9 miles above the Camp Baker Fishing Access which is the beginning of the 60 miles permit only section of the river. In addition to the rainbow and brown trout, you will find a few brook trout in this area. Most all of the fish average a small size. According to the few anglers we have talked to, the fishing is very good in the sixty mile permit only section of the river. The fish average a larger size with browns representing the highest percentage of the trout. There are several campsites along the way that were created for the overnight stays of the drift boat parties. There are a few canyon sections but none that are extremely dangerous or the serious white water types. This 60 mile section ends at Eden Bridge. The short distance from Eden Bridge down to the river’s confluence with the Missouri River flows slowly and isn’t recommended although it is supposed to have some brown trout. This river is a freestone stream subject to the forces of Mother Nature. When there is little rain, the flows can become low and the river slows down. After heavy rains, it can be come high and tricky depending on the amount of rain. Irrigation demands of the farmers also affect the flows.Note:This area of Montana is so huge, we thought we were lost one day and stopped to ask a rancher exiting a gate just off the road for directions. He was extremely nice and noticing all of the fly fishing gear in our vehicle, invited us to fish on his property. He even insisted we take keys to the particular gate that he directed us to. He owned a few thousand acres and a great deal of the river. My point here is that it is possible to obtain permission to fish from the local farmers and ranchers provided you ask or get lucky like we did. Just make absolutely certain that you don’t damage or misuse their property in any way. I would advise against that in a big way.
Smith River Montana Hatches and Trout Flies: Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in Smith River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. 1-800-594-4726. The hatches on the Smith River are as varied as the fishing conditions and diversity of the water in its hundred mile plus course. As with almost any western trout stream, the Blue-winged Olives are important and hatch twice a year. These little mayflies start hatching in the later part of March and last through the month of May. They hatch again starting around the middle of September and last through October. One of the most praised hatches on the Smith River are the Salmonflies. These large stoneflies start hatching around the middle of May. They last until about the middle of June but can string out to near the first of July depending on the weather and the part of the river you are fishing. About the first of June you will also find hatches of Golden Stoneflies. They can last to near the end of June. Remember, both of these stoneflies are more common in the riffles or run sections of the river. There are also hatches of Little Yellow Stoneflies. These take place from about the middle of June until the end of July depending on the section of the river you are fishing. Pale Morning Duns are another important aquatic insect. These little mayflies can hatch from about the first of June through the month of August, depending on the section of water. Brown Drakes inhibit the pools and the more moderate sections of the stream. They can hatch from about the first of June for most of the month. There are Tricos hatches that occur in the slower parts of the river from about the first of August through September and into the first of October. Caddisflies are very plentiful on the Smith River. There are several species of them but the most prevalent are the Spotted Sedges. Different species of these caddisflies hatch from May through September. There are isolated hatches of Little Black Caddis, or Brachycentrus caddisflies, that occur in late April and early May, depending on the weather. Little Short-horned Sedges are plentiful during June and July. Green Sedges hatch during June and July and into August. These are mostly found in the fast water sections of the river. Make sure you have some Rock Worms. The large October Caddis hatch from about the middle of September through the middle of October depending on the section of the river. Streamers are very important flies to have with you any time on the Smith River. They work best early in the morning and late in the day near dark but also, anytime the water is high or slightly off color. The river has plenty of sculpin and minnows for the trout to eat. Terrestrials may be the most important of all insects. They start showing up in large quantities around the first of July and last until the end of September. Grasshoppers are very plentiful due to the large ranches and farms surrounding the river throughout its length. Imitations of ants and beetles are also plentiful. You may encounter some flying ants but predicting when, is next to impossible. August would be the best chance to find the water covered with them but you should carry some flies anytime during the summer.The very best trout flies you can purchase are our own “Perfect Flies”. They are not only the most realistic, they are the most effective. If you haven’t done so, please give them a try. You will be glad you did.