Blodgett Creek Fish and Hike

Bitterroot National Forest, Montana

The calendar says it is spring but temps near 80 felt like summer. With the local rivers at or near flood levels the first week of fishing season was in danger of being a being a washout. Under cloudless skies I headed back to Blodgett Creek to see if the fishing spots I had located last week were still looking good, besides it was a great day for a hike. What I found on the way up canyon was snow being turned into whitewater by the sun.

Getting to my fishing hole turned into an adventure. Blodgett Creek was flowing fast enough that it was out of its banks. Sometimes the trail looked like it was the creek while the normally tranquil creek was a whitewater torrent. I found my way around the flooded trail sections by scrambling over scree up the slope a ways.

Finally got a good picture of Horsehead Arch. Been trying for over a year for a clear enough day to get this photo. It is the only arch I know of in the Bitterroot Mountains. If there is another one I need to find it.

Local fishing guides always tell me that fishermen will not hike more than 2 miles in search of fish. I am willing to hike a lot further to find some, today I went more than 7 just to play with really small trout. Biggest trout today was 10 inches, and this little one was the smallest at a little over 6 inches…but it was the first of the season on a fly. The water was crystal clear so I was casting right to the fish and was able to watch them gulp the fly every time.