# Main Salmon fishing, hiking



## Bobby Ladd (Jan 28, 2014)

What's the fishing like for Main Salmon in June - in river or side creeks, and which ones? Any hikes you suggest as good ones? Lastly, is the camp right at Whiplash, I think Groundhog, really hard to hit for med-med high water levels; also how hard is the Barth camp below/left from the super-hot springs to hit at fairly high levels?


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## mdconner (Feb 1, 2011)

*Smallmouth bass*

Pretty decent fishing for Smallmouth Bass on the Main - they take a dry fly pretty readily. Catch an occasional Rainbow.


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## Grifgav (Jun 20, 2011)

Bobby Ladd said:


> What's the fishing like for Main Salmon in June - in river or side creeks, and which ones? Any hikes you suggest as good ones? Lastly, is the camp right at Whiplash, I think Groundhog, really hard to hit for med-med high water levels; also how hard is the Barth camp below/left from the super-hot springs to hit at fairly high levels?


 
Like the middle fork, if the river is high and muddy the fishing will be pretty horrible, otherwise it should be good.


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

I've been floating the Main Salmon for about 16 years and have only caught whitefish in the main part of the fish. But I wasn't trying all that hard. I've seen folks hike up several of the bigger tributary creeks and they say the fishing is good. Chamberlain comes to mind. If the water is high, then I wouldn't waste my time on the main river. I don't think of the Main Salmon for fishing.....now the Middle Fork is another story.

I've only stayed at Ground Hog camp at medium to low water. I know that Whiplash is a real pisser at high water. Seems like a friend told me that he was picked up by jet boat at Ground Hog once for a jet back at really high water.


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## rivh2o (Jan 17, 2013)

fishing in june at the entrance of side streams to the main is best unless of course it gets muddy then forget about it, some rainbow and whitefish or grayling can be caught also smallmouth. Getting into groundhog isn't to bad unless it's super high then it's pretty much gone. At Barth it is a swift water landing and rocky bank, you want someone that's able footed and strong to hold the boat maybe 2 people, your best person in the bow ready to jump out and hold on. It has a big flat shelf with lots of good sites to set up camp. Back in the day we used to pull off multi day camps here and hike back up to the hot springs up river from the super hot one's about a mile or so along the rocky shore no trail pick your way up river. We would leave a line around the ledge jutting into the water with a little inflatable attached and then pull ourselfs back up to go soak in the hot springs. Out the back door and over the hill behind camp will take you to warm springs creek where there are numerous hot water sources. Don't try to hike up warm springs creek from it's confluence with the main at high water just go behind camp. At the right water levels (in warm creek) you can find these sources and build your own temporary grotto to hang out in. I have always liked this camp for that reason. Finding the hot h2o isn't too hard if you have a good nose for that sort of thing.:grin:


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## jamwin33 (May 20, 2008)

There's a great hike to the top of the mountain out of Blackadar - to find the trail, go downstream from camp, stay along the river until you pass the big dead fir (about a quarter mile), then scramble up the hill for 50 yards or so. The trail will take you downstream past Motor camp (across the river), then turns back and starts to climb. At a slow jog it's about 2.5 hours round trip to the top and back, at a steady walk probably 3.5-4 hours.

Another good hike is out of Reed camp - trail is right behind camp, and you can hike upstream, past Groundhog camp all the way to Jim Moore homestead - nice 2 -3 hour hike.

Take yellow jacket traps for when you're in camp.


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