The North Fork, Middle Fork, and South Fork have different origins and personalities, each a different river until they merge to form the main stem of the Flathead River. Come hunt the way hunting was meant to be out of our Big Slide base camp located 20 miles from the trailhead. A short section below the Hungry Horse Dam makes up the final stretch before the confluence. The South Fork Flathead River is home to an incredible number of Westslope Cutthroat, and the huge Bull Trout (Dolly Varden). The South Fork of the Flathead River is a different beast. Listen to the River, from Wild Confluence Films, is the story of a classic summertime river adventure gone awry. I began my exploration of Monture Creek, Danaher Creek, the South Fork of the Flathead River and the Big Salmon Creek/Lake drainages at the Monture trailhead north of Ovando, Montana approximately an hour and a half northeast of Missoula. We dedicate our river time on this trip to fishing for one of the purest strains of Westslope Cutthroat trout in the world. If you fish after mid-October, carry appropriate winter clothing and survival gear. In years of heavy precipitation it may not fall into shape until after the July 4 holiday. North Fork Flathead River is a river in Glacier National Park, Flathead National Forest, MT. The three forks offer opportunities for day floats from vehicle accessed sites, thrilling white-water stretches, and permitted guided trips for day and overnight experiences. I ascended the Monture Creek watershed to Burnt Cabin, then hiked up the East Fork of Monture Creek to Limestone Pass on the first day. 8-Day South Fork Fly-fishing Trip ~ $5900.00 *Price subject to 7% Forest Service User Fees. It is essentially the same river today as it was 100 years ago. View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. Included: We provide transportation from Kalispell to the river and back to Kalispell at the end of the trip. We offer Rafting Drop Floats to the upper end of the South Fork of the Flathead River starting June 21st. The South Fork Flathead is one of the most beautiful and productive trout streams in North America. Young’s Creek at Confluence of the South Fork of the Flathead River. Our Flathead river rafting scenic tour gives you the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the spectacular beauty of Glacier National Park and the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. A raft floats past a towering cutbank while floating the upper North Fork of the Flathead River in late July. There are 3 main reasons for this as I see it: 1. 2. For years now, the South Fork of the Flathead River has sat squarely at the top of that list. The South Fork of the Flathead is a freestone stream, vulnerable to the nuances of runoff, and typically unfishable until mid to late June. The east side road (through Martin City) is straighter but gets more traffic. The South Fork has good numbers of 8”- 16” cutthroat. The South Fork, which is located east of Flathead Lake and south of Glacier National Park, is one of three major forks of the mainstem Flathead River. A Trip Down the South Fork of the Flathead Cedar Flats July, 2015 Click on any image for a larger view; Contact garya at this domain if you would like the high quality image for printing . South Fork Flathead River : Wayne Fishing : We camped for the night a few miles below the Black Bear pack bridge. To access the road section above the reservoir, you still have several hours of dirt road just to get there. 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 Young’s Creek at Jumbo Creek: $2500.00 base rate Check/ACH payment $ 1350.00 deposit required to hold your dates. This 15 … 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. View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. Gorgeous scenery, interpretive guiding. For me, it ticks all the boxes for great trout fishing: fish willingly rising to dry flies, a combination of wading and boat fishing, backcountry travel and camping all set within a stunning wilderness setting. Der South Fork Flathead River hat seinen Ursprung im Powell County, wo verschiedene Quellwasser zusammenströmen. It is also very remote. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. It is very scenic. Steele Williams/Flathead Beacon. General South Fork Flathead trip rates: inquire here or call us at 208-756-3959. We also offer Drop Floats to the South Fork of the Flathead River. Camp below Black Bear : Sunflowers Drying : Waders Repatched : We had a fish dinner planned but had only kept one fish and needed another. The deep green water and the canyons make for some great pictures. For the first few days of the trip, the water meanders lazily through a sweeping glacial valley and grand Ponderosa Pines. The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. Zu ihnen gehören Gordon Creek, Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek. Rafters paddle over a rapid on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Another service we offer is custom packing or summer drop camps into the interior of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, and, last but not least, we guide Montana Wilderness elk and deer hunting trips. 2018 Packrafting South Fork of the Flathead River - Bob Marshall Wilderness There are only a few outfitters with permits to float, and we are not one of them. Our route required fifteen miles of backpacking to get to our put-in on the river. 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. Aboard this 2-3 hour trip an experienced guide will share interpretive information and history of the area while escorting you down one of the most pristine watersheds in the world. 65 miles from the origin to Hungry Reservoir and almost all of it flows through remote wilderness. The river starts in Canada and flows along the west edge of Glacier National Park. Flathead River. It begins deep in the Bob Marshall and, ultimately, flows more than 40 miles through wilderness designation and another 20 miles through National Forest Service lands before losing itself to Hungry Horse Reservoir. The rugged area includes the landscapes of Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness areas. South Fork Flathead River Floats While we did not get high numbers of fish, we caught good-sized fish on the walk/wade outing. A safe time frame to fish the river is between July 15 and October 15. If you close your eyes and imagine a perfect Western river, you are thinking of the South Fork. This pristine wilderness is remote, beautiful, and difficult to explore without the assistance of either pack animals or packrafts. ONE WAY DIY SOUTH FORK FLATHEAD FLOAT DROPS: Destinations and Rates: Young’s Creek at Cabin Creek: $2250.00 base rate Check/ACH payment $ 1250.00 deposit required to hold your dates. From there we float the approximately 50 miles out over the course of 4 – 5 days. The South Fork is one of the very few places in the lower 48 where we may legally fish for these carnivorous monsters. Jim Klug photo. The designated river includes the North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork above Hungry Horse Reservoir and features recreation, scenery, historic sites, unique fisheries and wildlife such as grizzly bears and wolves. The South Fork of the Flathead River is home to native Westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout. At the end of Wayne's and my float down the wilderness portion of the South Fork of the Flathead, the portage around the top half of Meadow Creek Gorge about did us in. A scenic float in Glacier National Park is the perfect way to unwind on a raft. SOUTH FORK OF THE FLATHEAD DROP FLOATS MULE PACKING SERVICE FOR YOUR BOAT AND GEAR The Wild and Scenic South Fork Flathead River offers spectacular scenery and some of the best Cutthroat and Bull Trout fishing that can be found anywhere. 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. Ages 3-103! Der Fluss folgt einem grob nördlichen und nordwestlichen Kurs und sammelt verschiedene Nebenflüsse ein, zu denen White River, Big Salmon Creek, Little Salmon Creek, Gorge Creek, Spotted Bear Creek und Sullivan … The South Fork of the Flathead runs through the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, just south of Glacier National Park. The next two days were slated for floating upper and lower sections of the south fork. Wayne had a leaky dry bag and had to dry out his sunflowers. I found more leaks in my waders and patched them again. One of the best flyfishing streams but it’s a long, dusty 50-mile drive on bumpy gravel roads to Spotted Bear. Years of guiding in western Montana during the summers provided me with great exposure to Montana's fabled waters, but the idea of fishing for pure strain Westslope cutthroats in the heart of the Bob Marshall Complex nagged at me right into retirement. This popular nine-mile segment from the Swinging Bridge to Hungry Horse Reservoir is the only portion of the Flathead River with some motorized boat use. Although the same river, the sections had their own character when it came to the Cutties. The bull trout is a threatened species and can reach 40 inches long. However, we want to point out, that although a float on the river can be very enjoyable, we believe the fishing options with Salmon Forks Outfitters offer a superior angling experience and here is why: Young’s Creek and Danaher Creek come together to form the “confluence” and headwaters of the South Fork. In late summer hopper and ant patterns can be very effective. This entire float is within the Bob … South Fork, rec stretch. Many guests ask if we provide float trips on the South Fork of the Flathead river, we do not. Best fishing is late June through October. 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