# Smith River MT Run off..?



## basinrafter (May 12, 2009)

I've only been lucky enough to go down the Smith once. We goofed up in the lottery application, put in for mid-April, and oddly, got a permit. Weather was fantastic, which caused some early runoff, which turned the river into chocolate milk. Went from about 250 cfs to 900 cfs in our first couple days. Between 3 of us, we caught 3 fish in 5 days. That being said, once we accepted that our fishing trip was going to be more of a drinking trip, it was AWESOME! Considering how hard it is to get a permit for the Smith, I would say go for it, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.


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## Sembob (Feb 27, 2014)

Yes it will likely (not definitely) be a non fishing trip. I recommend you still do it as it's still a great float. Just leave a few days to fish the Missouri up around Craig or Cascade. Fishing is always awesome there.


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## Meichorn (Aug 9, 2013)

YEa hard to pass up the spot for sure!


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## taylorian64 (Mar 18, 2014)

I say go for it, you might not get the chance again. (especially your friend travelling along way for it) Its a beautiful float and I would say unless you own property on the smith, 8 out of 10 private fishing floats are on muddy water


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## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

What day is your putin? 8th? Looks like the snowpack is 150% over there.


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## Meichorn (Aug 9, 2013)

would be joining a group june 2, yea big snow year..now if we could get some more of that white stuff down here in the SW!


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## mtriverrat (Jan 29, 2012)

Go - Even if you don't catch fish it's a wonderful float. Like the someone previous said - plan a fishing trip day float from Wolf Creek to Craig and get some fish on when you're done. Need another boat? Ha!


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## mdconner (Feb 1, 2011)

You can catch 'em if you know how to nymph 'em: I saw guides catch 50 fish a day every day of the 5 day muddy water trip we took 2 years ago...we had maybe 18" of clarity...Wooley Buggers with a San Juan Worm dropper seemed to work. The Brown Trout there are special. Of course, if you want to dry fly only, who knows. You could catch a cold spell! The river does very quickly clear up on a drop. It's a small stream after all. I am going with 7 guys from a fly fishing club in Seattle. We launch May 22. I feel absolutely blessed just to be able to go. I say that if you die on the Smith and go to heaven you will not even know that you are dead!


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## Sembob (Feb 27, 2014)

18" of vis. That is not muddy it is perfect. You hope for that.


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## Sembob (Feb 27, 2014)

It is true the Smith is a great float. I think I like it better when the water is to brown to fish. I can relax and enjoy the beauty of the canyon. I sometimes get a sort of tunnel vision when the fishing is good. If there is 6-8" of vis the fishing could be good. 12" or more it could be great. Bring along a lot of rubber legs 8-10s SJ worms and some streamers. If you fish the Mo. afterwards Craig has more fly shops per capita than anywhere else I can think of. The Trout Shop is my favorite but all will steer you right and provide shuttles. There is lots of car camping on the river as well.


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## taylorian64 (Mar 18, 2014)

Sembob said:


> 18" of vis. That is not muddy it is perfect. You hope for that.


Couldn't have said it better myself!!!


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

I agree with everyone. Go, whether its chocolate brown or crystal clear. I personally enjoy it more when it's dirty. It gives you time to sit back, check out the scenery and relax. Too many times we get to camp and talk with the other boats just to find out no one even looked up from the water... And as Sembob said it fishes better when off color. It's really not very deep in most places and if too clear fish can get a bit spooky.

You can catch fish in most water conditions but do you really need to thrash the water for 5 days straight?


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## basinrafter (May 12, 2009)

Sembob said:


> 18" of vis. That is not muddy it is perfect. You hope for that.


We would have KILLED for 18" of visibility! Heck, we would have killed for 6 inches of visibility. We joked that the visibility was actually negative....your flies disappeared as soon as they got CLOSE to the water.


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## Meichorn (Aug 9, 2013)

I am going, can't pass it up. I have no qualms ripping streamers all day and night. Will get creative in tying up some patterns. Cannot wait. If you get a chance after your May 22 trip i would love to hear about it.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

Ill take your spot


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## Dietze (Jan 15, 2013)

Meichorn said:


> Hey all, trying to decide whether or not to keep a spot on a trip down the Smith River, MT the first week of June. A friend would be travelling a long way to join, and I am concerned that run off will deem the river almost unfishable due to the large snowpack this season in those parts. Any advice from those who know the river?
> 
> Cheers!


You will like it with some more water in it. just got off the smith yesterday . Lots of raft dragging. More water less dragging would be great!!


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## zercon (Aug 30, 2006)

*Smith*

What was it running?


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Meichorn said:


> Hey all, trying to decide whether or not to keep a spot on a trip down the Smith River, MT the first week of June. A friend would be travelling a long way to join, and I am concerned that run off will deem the river almost unfishable due to the large snowpack this season in those parts. Any advice from those who know the river?
> 
> Cheers!


Worst day of fishing still beats the best day at work every time!
Go!


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

zercon said:


> What was it running?


looks like the 150's at eagle creek and only 170's at eden. That is really low. Usually there is at least hundred more cfs at eden br than at eagle creek. Looks like the river is still running on groundwater discharge and waiting for some run-off... 150 at eagle creek is fine for a put in but with out much coming from rock creek and the tenderfoot it had to be damn shallow in places down low. I don't think I've ever really run into that scenerio this time of year... Latter during irrigation season it's the norm, but not this time of year.

edit: I guess it's a little earlier than I've ever payed attention. But it's definitely not normal for late april and beyond.


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## Meichorn (Aug 9, 2013)

DoStep, no truer statement has been made


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

zercon said:


> What was it running?


 I was with dietze, it was around 170 at baker and slightly more at the take out. Drink a beer, hit a rock, look up at the canyon, hit a rock, too much talking, hit a rock, light a smoke, definitely hit a rock. Best weather I've seen on the smith yet though. Lots of work but it was fun. The rocks are boat magnets for sure and pop up out of nowhere.


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## Sembob (Feb 27, 2014)

spider said:


> I was with dietze, it was around 170 at baker and slightly more at the take out. Drink a beer, hit a rock, look up at the canyon, hit a rock, too much talking, hit a rock, light a smoke, definitely hit a rock. Best weather I've seen on the smith yet though. Lots of work but it was fun. The rocks are boat magnets for sure and pop up out of nowhere.


so you took your spider not your 18er?


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

no I took the 18er. Floor paid the price but I'll patch her up. Without the aluminum floor I would have been fine but she got pinched. Lots of wood and extra gear from the leaking hillbillies boat did not help. Still had fun.


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## patrick l (Mar 8, 2012)

I'm curious, how many days did it take you guys to get to eden?


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## afraid (Jun 8, 2011)

Let's here more about the hillbillies


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

5 days to Eden. Lets see, hillbilly broke a valve at the put in, the group got it fixed after finally getting the Chinese replacement to seat (old Riken military style) then busted another one that was replaced with a cork. She ran pretty flat, I had an extra beer cooler thrown on my boat along with the hot tub machine and more wood. Wish I had a pic, it was a floppy looking mess. Made it though.


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## Dietze (Jan 15, 2013)

spider said:


> 5 days to Eden. Lets see, hillbilly broke a valve at the put in, the group got it fixed after finally getting the Chinese replacement to seat (old Riken military style) then busted another one that was replaced with a cork. She ran pretty flat, I had an extra beer cooler thrown on my boat along with the hot tub machine and more wood. Wish I had a pic, it was a floppy looking mess. Made it though.


Here's a pic of the rafts . You can't see hillbillys cause mine is in the way. But she was floppy! Can't remember what camp this was. But if you were looking for a spot that wasn't muddy you camped on the ice.


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## Dietze (Jan 15, 2013)

Dietze said:


> Here's a pic of the rafts . You can't see hillbillys cause mine is in the way. But she was floppy! Can't remember what camp this was. But if you were looking for a spot that wasn't muddy you camped on the ice.


Found one of hillbillys flat ass raft!!


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## afraid (Jun 8, 2011)

Looks like Neff got a new tent. Did he tell you about the one he tried to wash in Belt?


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

yeah I told that story. Funny stuff.


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## Dietze (Jan 15, 2013)

afraid said:


> Looks like Neff got a new tent. Did he tell you about the one he tried to wash in Belt?


Haha !! yes, sorry I missed that one.


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## spider (Jun 20, 2011)

there is only two rules, don't die and don't pee in the fishtank! I broke neither.


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