Welcome to our Missoula, MT Fishing Home Page
Missoula is a good-sized city and one of the largest in all of Montana. Missoula is home to the University of Montana. This area is a popular tourist destination, especially among fly fishermen. Missoula is located in a deep valley near the Clark Fork River, the Bitterroot River and the Blackfoot River, which gives fly fishermen a lot of options during their trip to this area. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and shopping to go along with numerous fishing guides and outfitters to help you catch that fish of a lifetime.
Primary Species of Fish
Cutthroat Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Missoula is home to some very good fishing for many different species of fish. With so many rivers in this area, you have a lot of options to target many different fish. Cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and brown trout are most popular with brook trout, bull trout, cutbows and grayling are possible here too.
Area Waters
Bitterroot River
This river is another good river with good numbers of fish and some big fish too. Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout and you may also catch an occasional brook trout. The upper part of the Bitterroot River is known for its cutthroat trout fishery while the lower section is known more for its rainbow trout and usually bigger fish too.
Blackfoot River
The Blackfoot River is very scenic with its large rock formations, swift rapids and canyons. There are guides that fish this river and the fishing can be very good and the overall trip should be a nice adventure. You will find westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, rainbow trout and cutbows are here too.
Clark Fork River
With the Clark Fork River in your backyard, anglers here have it made. Many people travel to fish this river. This river fishes kind of like 2 different rivers. The upper stretch of this river is known for its excellent brown trout fishery. Rainbow and cutthroats can be caught here too. The lower Clark Fork River is known for its good rainbow trout and cutthrout trout fisheries. You will most likely run into some cutbows and an occasional brown trout too. Whether you choose to fish the upper reaches or the lower section, they both offer some very good fishing opportunities.
Missouri River
This is the river people go to if they are looking for a big fish. The Missouri River has so many fish swimming in it that you can catch good numbers of them with the average size a lot bigger than most of the other rivers and some big fish are considered common here. Rainbow trout and brown trout are both here.
Rock Creek
Rock Creek is a good fishery and the guides that fish this stretch of water will usually do so on float trips. The scenery is gorgeous and the fishing can be very good too. Anglers target cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, bull trout and brook trout. It’s more of an action fishery with some big fish mixed in.
Smith River
The Smith River has some special regulations on it where all recreational floating is limited by a state legislated permit system. This makes it more difficult for the average angler to access. If you want to plan a trip here, your best bet is to hire a guide who has a permit to fish these waters. This river gets less fishing pressure because of the special regulations, so you can expect to catch a lot of fish here. Some big fish are here too. Anglers target rainbow trout and brown trout.
Big Hole River
The Big Hole River has some special regulations as well. Fishing guides are limited to how many days they can fish here in the summer months, which creates less fishing pressure here than there would be. The river provides plenty of scenery with good fishing for rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and even grayling.
Georgetown Lake
Georgetown Lake gives anglers a nice break from fishing the rivers. Enjoy the the scenery with some awesome fishing for rainbow trout and brook trout. There are good numbers of fish in this lake with some big fish mixed in too. For many anglers, a trip to Georgetown Lake is ideal when the river conditions are not so good, but if you want to make this lake a priority when you come here, don’t feel like you’re missing out too much by passing up the awesome river fishing for a day. If you hook into a big rainbow or brook trout, you will be glad you made the trip.