Just tagged on to a Smith float 4/19-22. Hoping we'll catch it pre-runoff and have decent fishing, but looking for some must have suggestions for the fly box.
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Just tagged on to a Smith float 4/19-22. Hoping we'll catch it pre-runoff and have decent fishing, but looking for some must have suggestions for the fly box.
Congratulations that is a definite must do trip! We pulled a September permit for this year as well, keeping my fingers crossed for good flows. Should be ok since it is after the irrigation levels drop.
I floated it about 8 years ago in May and it was a black wooley bugger all day, every day... Sorry but that is seriously the only fly we used and we slayed em.
That April window on the Smith can be hit or miss as far as fishing and the weather go. Go prepared and you will have a great time regardless.
As far as bugs, standard freestone stuff will get you going.
Nymphs: Rubber legs( pats, jj's, bitch creeks etc) various color/size, buggers dead drifted-black, olive, brown, Zonkers dead drifted, Prince stuff, worms, PT, lightning bugs etc.
Streamers; Sparkle Minnows, JJ Special (dead drifted or twitched), Buggers, Home Invader etc.
Dries: Skwala Stones- smaller chubbies, BWO- para Adams or Purple Haze will cover you.
The Smith fishes well subsurface when it has color as long as it is not rising dramatically. If high and off color, get out of the boat and fish soft, inside water.
If you have other questions let me know. I have done close to 100 Smith trips, so I'm pretty familiar with that stretch. Glad to help out if I can.
I hate to ask this and it makes me feel dirty, but how is the cell service these days? Current life circumstances dictate that I stay connected to the outside world so I have been trying to figure out if I need a sat phone for the trip...Quote:
If you have other questions let me know. I have done close to 100 Smith trips, so I'm pretty familiar with that stretch. Glad to help out if I can.
Teleee,
The garmin inReach mini is a bad ass piece of equipment. I've been planning on picking one up for my hunting adventures. Allows you to text via your phone to the outside world.
Cool! That might be a good option!Quote:
Originally Posted by Phall
Teleee, cell service still non existent from before Camp Baker until you get back to Ulm. Sat Phone is a good option if you need to stay in touch with work/fam etc.
can I haz a job?Quote:
Originally Posted by Row Jimmy
SFB, I don't do the hiring, but if you are serious I can put you in contact with someone who does. We usually need some peeps.
PM if ya want or your pops has my digits.
We did the Smith about 12 years ago. Very hit or miss mid April, we went around the same time as you are going. Bring plenty of layers. I remember buggers working well for us too. Such a great float
I kind of figured you were going to say that. Sat phone it is. Phall dress warm! Row Jimmy, what is your thoughts on the flow in late September?Quote:
Originally Posted by Row Jimmy
teleee, September trips are awesome if you have the water. If you are going in rafts you can launch with flows as low as 160-180 cfs. In a hard boat you want 350-400 and it is still boney. Check Smith flows below Eagle Creek as that is just below the Camp Baker put in. Unfortunately fall flows don't bump up with the end of irrigation as much as they used to. This is due to more pivot irrigation and elimination old school flood irrigation upstream.
As far as fishing, it can be incredible. Dries, streamers, nymphs will all work well. The water will likely be clear and the fish concentrated in the prime water.
There is a good snowpack in the Smith basin currently. Hope for a cool damp summer in central MT to keep flows good all summer.
I hope you get to do your September trip. That is a special time on the Smith.
Thanks all. Really excited for this adventure.
I have done the Smith several times. April can be excellent, or it can be a nightmare. About 10 or 15 years ago we were 2 days away from putting in when a deep freeze hit and the river froze over. We were not allowed to launch and National Guard helicopters went in to pull out the stranded floaters.
We ended up going over to Craig and fished the Mo for a week instead.
we're crossing fingers for good weather, but are a hearty bunch. If we get in a situation like that I'll retreat to my buddies house in Ennis and drink away the sorrows.
Phall, I think that is the attitude you need to have. From what I have heard a back up plan is essential. I hope you dont mind me jumping in on this thread with questions for our trip? Are you bringing your own rafts or renting? I am torn on whether I want to drag a raft all the way from Colorado or just rent one when I get there.... What do you know about firewood? Do we need to plan on bringing firewood?
You definitely need to bring your own firewood.Quote:
Originally Posted by teleee
Check out Capital Sports in Helena for raft rentals as well as renting the required bearproof gear...they have electric fence, etc. I'm sure you guys have checked out the regs regarding bearproofing all your coolers and food. (black bears)
Teleee, for sure.
I've never done a river trip period so I'm just showing up with rods and party supplies. Raft logistics are on my buddies up in MT. All I know is we'll have an un-framed gear raft, one flycraft, and one framed raft if I'm not mistaken.
Nice, I cant wait to hear about your trip and see you pictures! Unfortunately I am the prime organizer here. So I am in the early stages of planning. We have a group of 6 with 2 pretty inexperienced river dudes (Florida salt water guides). The other dudes are good, so I am leaning towards 3 rafts as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Phall
Thanks Yeahman, its been a while so I could remember about the firewood, I was guessing that we would need it though.
Couple other options for gear rental in Helena are Cross Currents fly shop and Montana Outdoor Sports.
Good call on bringing firewood. The campsites are heavily used and picked clean of anything burnable!
There is a tree at the Lower Sunset campsite that has branches removed about 30+ feet up the trunk from campers. Every season the branches get even higher! Always wonder how people get the next branch.
Good shuttle company: Jody@Smith River Shuttle- 866-500-3522. These guys wash and vacuum your rig while you are on the river. He lives about a mile from the Eden Bridge take out. Good folks.
Second the shuttle. Nice touch returning to a clean rig. These guys have you covered for info. We picked up a cancellation for memorial day weekend years back. It snowed for four days straight and we put on with only 2 other boats. Still had a blast(and our pick of spots).also brought a bunch of firewood. A boy scout troop who launched earlier evac'd at the golf course and we saw a flipped raft and its contents float by late one day. Still not sure how they flipped but they ended up hiking out and finding help. We did wish for buckets to drag in the current due to wind on last day.
I'd also offer a Riken bucket boat but sounds like you'd be better off renting.
Have fun guys!
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need everyone to do some warm weather dances for us.
Temporary Site Closure due to ice covering the river making it impassible. Boat camps are covered in 1-2 feet of snow. Staff will continue to monitor conditions.
Weather is......mediocre at best.
We will adjust our dance routines accordingly.
If you don't have a back up plan yet, these guys are putting in when you are pulling out and were considering alternatives... Backup plans for April 22 Smith River trip
I love spring in montana. Just bring good gear, more whiskey and lots of firewood. For me the Smith is more a fun lazy float, if you're really wanting better fishing just base camp in Craig and float everday.
If we get canceled I’ll drive to ennis, stay with my buddy who got me on the trip, and fish all weekend. If the weather is shit there too, I’ll stay in SLC and go to Highboy at Alta. Plans are all good either way.
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
FWIW the upper mad is fishing really well right now. Hope it all works out for ya.
We're game on. weather's looking pretty good minus some rain Friday PM/Saturday. Pics to follow.
Yeah buddy! Stoked for you. Have fun and stay warm
Awesome. Looking forward to some pics.
***SORRY for the sideways pics, I've tried my hardest to get them to fix, but fuck me, right?***
Buckle up, let's get weird. Rolled into Ennis ~7:30pm Wednesday, Grubbed up at the Gbar, then headed to my buddies where we did some gear prep/shot the shit until way too late.
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Woke up Thursday and "worked" for about 2 hours before loading the rigs and heading to BZN for some supplies, flies, etc. Headed to White Sulpher Springs, and ended up at a Patriots bar in the middle of nowhere
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Got to camp and exploded. We had a group of 5, two flycrafts, and one big NRS
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We're off Friday AM. 65 and sunny. A bikini hatch was beginning to happen on one group as they floated by, but alas, the weather would not cooperate. Water was high and off color, with the river around 900+CFS
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Again, sorry for the pics, they are correctly oriented on my comp, but uploader is fucking me.
Woke up to steady rain at Scotty Allen, and got rolling as we needed to make a 20 mile push to Crows Foot. Spirits were slightly dampened but with enough party favors from CO and enough booze to kill a horse, we giggled our way through the rain.
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One of the few (~12) fish caught all weekend, none by me. Fishing the tributaries was key. I had two long distance releases.
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We made it to Heaven on Earth in suprisingly good time, and they had the space heaters on to dry out. One Deep Creek turned into 3 and we stumbled to the boat. Giddy on gin, we continued on the last 4 miles.
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One of the team might have have gotten a little too loose at HoE
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Hank Shaw's venison Barbacoa tacos at Crows foot
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Day three started a little drizzly as well, temps warmed up, but it remained overcast and the river was high. Ended up splitting off and running into a group hiking to a high cave with Pictographs which was one of the highlights of the trip.
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Pulling into our last camp, the weather cracked, we made a huge fire, and drank to celebrate our last night on the river.
Day four awoke with plentiful sun, and we could feel the weather warming up. with the water high, we were optimistic the last 15 miles would be smooth sailing. The fishing still sucked, but we made the best of the last miles and enjoyed the sunshine. With water over 1k, we ended up floating the last 15 miles in roughly 3 hours. Made the long, dirt road drive back to White Sulpher, and back in Ennis around 9:30.
This river is a magical place, and I will be putting in for permits from here on out. If you can go, go. regardless of weather. 4 days was great with the high water and shit fishing, but 5 would be ideal if the fishing was on fire.
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Nice work. The pictographs cave looks bitchin and those tacos are next level!
Looks like you had a great time! The water kinda blew up this week.
The Deep Creeks at H on E will get you if you are not careful!
Nice man. Glad you made it to the pictograph cave.
I've always wanted to float it and have sent my contributions to Montana for a along time. Looks beautiful, starting to push the big 70 so hope it comes soon.
Phall, Row Jimmy, Anyone else who has done this float, it is starting to look more and more like our September trip is actually going to happen, with a good winter and a cool wet spring/summer to date things are looking reasonably good, so we are starting to get our plan together. What are some of the essentials you had along? What are some things you didnt have you wish you did? what are some things you brought that just took up space and you wish you hadnt brought? Any other ideas on what, not not to being would be very helpful! Thanks!!!
Definitely didn't need the pistol, bear spray should be enough. We brought too much food, but that's not a bad thing. Bring a spare big trash bag to line whoevers dry bag gets used as the bear bag, it will help with smells. We had a big awning/tent for the group in the rain, which was very nice. One thing that we had was a speaker and some tunes for the whole trip which made the rainy days go by easier. If the fishing is good, and the sun out, it would just be A+. We had 2x 4L gravity filters which made water filtering a super easy task, no pumping or squeezing. We could have also gone with ~10 less beers per person, but, better to be safe. Purple was the ticket in fly color due to the off color water. Being Sept in MT, you could see snow, so there's that.