Western State Float Trip Recommendations
A buddy and I are looking to trek a flycraft out west from the southeast this upcoming summer. We both have limited experience fishing in MT, ID, and WY but primarily fish in NC and TN. We are looking for a 2-4 day float trip in mid to late July, preferably where we see the least amount of people. Any insight or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
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by HSwat10
If you can get a permit, the Smith River in MT is awesome. The Gunnison River, in CO, is another great place. Yet again, a permit would be the issue. Virtually any river with the least amount of people will likely require a permit.
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by RockTroutz
I think least amount of people and July is going to be tough.
A float down the one of the forks of the flathead river might be a good choice. There will certainly be plenty of people but less then the popular rivers. The popular rivers will be bumper boats that time of year. I’ve done the middle fork and it is very scenic and fishing is excellent that time of the year. I think the north fork is the least traveled but I can’t confirm that, I’ve only heard other people’s stories.
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by LostWulf
We discussed the Flathead, but some logistics to get the flycraft back to less accessible areas seem tough. Especially areas of the Bob Marshall
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by HSwat10
I think the North fork of the flathead allows you to drive almost to the Canadian border then float down. It's not as famous as the other two forks but might be something to look into.
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by LostWulf
Float the Yakima in WA state. Flows are always good, fish get nice and fat, and it's always fun to adventure in a new state.
And as a MT resident, I'd recommend putting the Smith kind of low on the list. That permit isn't easy to get, and the amenities are definitely lacking compared to other rivers. If you've only got a few days, I'd really try to maximize them on permit-free water.
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by gc4life
Where would you suggest on the Yakima? We were thinking somewhere between 30-60 miles would be a good couple day trip.
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by HSwat10
It's all good tailwater river. If you have a few days, I'd float the whole thing. A lot of people stick with the lower stretches, but everything below of Cle Elum is good water. I will advise against leaving an unattended vehicle in Thorp due to the issues with break-ins. Sheriff's dept. doesn't do crap about it.
Just learn where the dams and closed sections are. There's only a few. And there are a lot of places to get out to use the bathroom and stuff like that.
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by gc4life
Try the wind river near Thermopolis WY. Browns up to 30 inches in there and not hammered like most rivers out west. It’s actually the upper Bighorn but not crawling with guides and boats. Probably not a 3 day float though.
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by troutmadness
How are your skills on the oars? The Colorado River from State Bridge to Dotsero might be worth looking into. It’s a 45 mile stretch and while you’ll probably see a few other boats it won’t be insane like the Pumphouse stretch right upstream. There’s also some amazing camping spots especially on the lower half.
It does have some decent rapids that demand respect though. Usually listed online as ll+ but myself and a raft guide buddy scouted one that looked like a legitimate class lll at low water.
Might not be be your best option in the west but I think it’s worth considering!
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by Ictguy21
Definetly not rookie oarsmen, but would like to keep the whitewater to a minimum especially with gear for a couple day trip.
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by HSwat10
Might check out this info page on the section.
https://org.coloradomesa.edu/~jerry/guide/c14.htmRodeo rapid was the one that looked a bit bigger to me. I’ve personally floated Pinball to Dotsero and can confirm it’s a pretty fun float. A+ scenery, crowds aren’t awful, and while the fishing isn’t the best in the west it’s still good.
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by Ictguy21
Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out
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by HSwat10
Second state bridge to Dotsero-picked up some huge browns off rr structure.
Lee's Ferry in AZ on the Colorado river is a great place for fly fishing. One of the favorites for AZ. The next choice is the San Juan River in NW New Mexico. There are 20,000 catchable size Rainbows and Browns in the first mile below Navajo Dam. A year ago in August, I introduced my two sons and their sons to the "Juan". They watched a guy fight a 34 and 1/2 inch Brown for 90 minutes with a #22 size fly.
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