YOU NEED A BOAT
I say you have to have a boat to fish this river because there is very , very , very little access for any bank fisherman looking to hook a couple trout . By the way , when I say “ a boat ”, I mean a jet boat . There will be spots throughout the river where your boat will be at full plane , and you are in 2-3 feet of water . Oddly enough , slowing down might get you stuck . A drift boat would be fun , but there are no places to easily put in . This is when a light , durable Smithfly raft comes into play . Weighing in at only 120lbs , two fisherman can easily lift this hardy raft over the metal beams at Avista Access , and enjoy an 8 mile float ( depending where you take out ).
LEARN THE WAY
If you are at all interested in learning how to navigate through the Clark Fork , you need someone to show you the way . There are specific channels to follow in order to avoid partially submerged islands , and large boulders . Unintentionally beaching onto an island in this unforgiving river is
16 the last thing you want to do , considering you will be left stranded until the flows rise . Luckily ... or unluckily , the flows rise and drop dramatically almost every day , which brings me to my next point .
WATCH THE FLOWS
Before ever thinking of hitting the Clark Fork , it is very wise to check the Water Data Site to see what the current flows are . It is normal for the flows to peak at 30,000 cfs then drop to 6,000 cfs in the same day during the summer because it is all controlled by the Cabinet Gorge Dam . The problem with this website is that it can only tell you what the flows are , and not what they will be . Do your best to try and predict a pattern from the graph of what the flows will rise to by the time you are on the water . This is still not a guarantee of what they will be . I have been fooled many times . I was fooled once so bad , that we actually had to make a run to Hope Marina in the dark because we couldn ’ t get up river . However , that is a story for another day .
CONCLUSION
Now that I have scared anyone interested in fishing the Clark Fork , I will say it is worth your time . There is definitely a learning curve , but once you figure out the ways of the river , navigating isn ’ t too difficult . Just be sure to always think safe , and be cautious . If you want to fish the Clark Fork , but don ’ t want to face everything I listed , fish in Montana . The river opens up with public access in Montana , and can actually be floated with a drift boat .