Continued from Waters We Fish

West Boulder River

and some very nice brown trout. The fast pocket water of the upper West Boulder holds mostly smaller rainbows, but you can usually catch a lot of them. A good hiking/horseback trail runs from the campground at the upper end, all the way up the West Boulder, and over into the Yellowstone drainage. For energetic hikers, the fishing in the big pools below the falls is almost always terrific. The rainbows average 8-10 inches up here, and a big one will go a foot long. What they lack in size, they make up for in numbers! Attractor drys like a Royal Wulff or Elk Hair Caddis are all you'll need to catch a ton of fish.

West Boulder River

The West Boulder Meadow water offers opportunities to catch some very nice browns as well as rainbows. The lower reaches of the West Boulder are populated mostly by browns, with some rainbows and a few cutthroats. This is one of the prettiest streams in Montana, and worth fishing just to see the country.

West Boulder Meadows

If you're up for hike and like to get away from elbow to elbow chaos this is the place for you.  Access to the trial is at the end of the West Boulder Reserve, about 7 miles from the Swingly Road.  To reach the meadows you're looking at an easy to moderate three mile hike.  Here you will find rainbows, cutthroats, and browns cruising in the slower flows, and holding in deep clear runs.  If you enjoy stalking and site fishing you couldn't be in a better spot. 

Look for fish in a deep slot at the beginning of the meadow (shown at the right).  From there keep fishing up river until you reach the timber.  This is where you will find deep runs, log jams, and small riffles.  Expect to see some PMD's in the summer, but small foam hoppers and beetles should be your go to flies.  

If you like to camp, there are some beautiful meadow sites next to the river.  Camping would allow you to hike even further up the trail to the West Boulder Falls which is a must see for nature lovers.  Also the higher up stream you go, the less fishing pressure so the fish really slam attractors like trudes and wulffs.  Also worth exploring in the area are the Crystal Caves, but be careful not to get lost or hurt as they are over a mile deep! 

    The West Boulder Meadows

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          Take a hike...