Skip to content
Home » Your Streams & Waters » Fly Fishing On The Yaak River, Montana

Fly Fishing On The Yaak River, Montana

Yaak River Montana Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: 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.

We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.

Type of Stream
Freestone

Species
Rainbow Trout
Cutthroat Trout
Brook Trout

Size
Small to Medium

Location
Northwestern Montana

Nearest Towns
Yaak Village Montana
Troy Montana

Season
3rd Sat. May – Nov 30th

Access:
Access is great in upper section and
difficult in the lower section

Non-Resident License
State of Montana

Weather
National Weather Service Link

Seasons:                 
Fly fishing the Yaak River is best during the Summer but it can be good any day of the season.
Spring:
Springtime is a good time for fly fishing the Yaak River except during the time of the runoff.
Summer:
Summertime is the most popular time to fish the river.
Fall:
Early Fall can provide some good fly fishing opportunities

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.

Copyright 2013 James Marsh


Fly Fishing The Yaak River in Montana
The Yaak River reminds me of the Great Smoky Mountains with respect to the fact the streams were at one time, almost destroyed by excessive logging. It has taken the Yaak River many years, but it’s becoming once again, a great little trout stream.

You will probably never see the river on the front page cover of a fly fishing magazine because it is in a very remote location. Fly fishing the Yaak River won’t ever be done under crowded conditions. It’s a sleeper stream that’s practically never fished.

The Yaak River, also called the Yahk River, originates in the Purcell Mountains in southeast
British Columbia. The river flows into Montana. There it receives the East and the West Fork Yaak Rivers. Just below the West Fork, it receives the South Fork tributary.

There are many more smaller size tributary streams such as the Hellroaring Creek, Burnt Creek, and Spread Creek. It flows into the Kootenai River near Troy, Montana. The Yaak River and majority of its tributaries are in the Kootenai National Forest.

The river is divided by Yaak Falls into what’s considered the upper and lower sections. The upper section above the falls and up to Yaak Village provides some very good fly fishing opportunities. The stream in this area is suitable for wading in most places.

The lower section below Yaak Falls flows through a canyon. Access is difficult in this nine mile stretch of the river. It consist of very fast water with plenty of rainbows but is rather difficult to negotiate.