Blackfoot River : Fly Fishing &
Overview .gif)
 The
Blackfoot River is one of the finest rivers in Montana. Exceptional
scenery, classic trout water habitat and a wide variety in
the river all combine to make a fly fishing trip on the Blackfoot
River a memorable one.
Prior to the 1992
release of the moive A
River Runs Through It, the Blackfoot River was not
well known by out-state anglers. Today, the Blackfoot River
is one of the more popular rivers in Montana, for fly fishing,
rafting and just relaxing. An angler floating down the Blackfoot
River will find whitewater enthusiasts running the numerous
rapids, many wade fisherman, and in the lower stretches of
the river, people floating down the river on inner-tubes and
other various things that happen to float. The rivers close
proximity to Missoula, which is part of the fastest growing
region of the state, has also led to an increased use of the
river.
While the Blackfoot
River is indeed popular and receives heavy use, actual fly
fishing pressure is not as heavy as some other notable Montana
rivers. Much of the use on the Blackfoot River is for non-fishing
uses. As a result, the fishing on the Blackfoot is excellent,
helped in large part by excellent management by the Montana
Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP).
The Blackfoot River,
for more than 30 miles on the lower stretch of the river,
flows through the "Blackfoot River Recreation Corridor."
This corridor is a cooperative land agreement between FWP
and the private landowners along the river, which has allowed
for excellent access to the river while reducing the impact
from its heavy use.
The Blackfoot River
begins along the continental divide in the mountains outside
Lincoln, and flows through scenic and diverse countryside
for 130 miles before its confluence with the Clark
Fork near the town of Bonner.
 In
the upper half of the river, the Blackfoot runs slowly through
dense forests with brushy and timbered banks. Numerous logjams
are found in the river. Access is excellent above Lincoln,
as much of the river flows through National Forest land. Below
Lincoln, several fishing access sites exist, in addition good
road access is found just off of Highway 200 for much of this
stretch.
Beginning near
River Junction Fishing Access Site, about the halfway point
on the river, the Blackfoot picks up velocity and continues
with quick to moderate flows all the way down to the Clark
Fork. For the first twelve, the Blackfoot River flows
through a broad, sparsely wooded plain. A wildlife preserve
exists on the far side of the road to the north of the river.
This section of the river is an excellent spot to observe
wildlife. Elk, moose, deer and bears can all be found along
this section.
The river then
flows through a beautiful canyon, which has some whitewater
at the tail end of it, and then soon joins the Clearwater
River at Clearwater Junction. Beneath Clearwater Junction,
the Blackfoot River then enters the mountains and the protected
river corridor. The pace of the river through this section
is quick, with many moderate rapids and deep pools. Many designated
campsites exist along this section of river. One thing to
keep in mind is that camping is not allowed except at designated
campsites in the Blackfoot River Recreation Corridor.
The river emerges
from the mountains just a couple of miles above the Clark
Fork. All use of the river ends a half-mile above Bonner,
as a small dam blocks the way. Below the dam, the river flows
for another mile and a half before the confluence with the
Clark
Fork.
Next
Page: Fishing
the Blackfoot River
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