When it comes to the best rivers for fly fishing, it is very difficult to compete with the many rivers that the western part of the United States has to offer. Compiling a list of the great fly fishing rivers in the western part of the United States would take forever, as almost every river in the west is full of chalk and fish waiting to pounce on a perfectly cast fly.
However, there are some western rivers that seem to be a bit better than others. These rivers have seen many fishing records drawn from them and for a fly fishing enthusiast, there is simply no substitute. These are some of the main fishing rivers in the west:
• Ogden River: The Ogden River in Ogden, Utah, is full of all kinds of fly fishing favorites, like tiger trout and salmon. The river is a constant breeding ground for fish and there is rarely a bad day of fishing on the Ogden River.
• Clearwater River: The Clearwater River in Lewiston, Idaho, is another western river that should be getting top billing. This river is one of the best in the state of Idaho for those who like a good game fish. The rainbow trout is a mainstay in the river and the size of the ‘steelies’ in the Clearwater River will make you think you are fighting a wild stallion.
• Snake River: The Snake River is unique in that it runs through the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. This incredible river ‘snakes’ a staggering 50 miles through all three states and offers incredible fishing no matter what state you are fishing in. Definitely for any fisherman.
• Rock Creek River: Located in the ‘Big Sky’ part of the country, this Missoula, Montana river is the place ‘locals’ go when they fish for brown trout. For nine of the twelve months, this is Montana’s river for fly fishing, which says a lot considering all the wonderful fishing rivers in the great state.
• Gallatin River: Another impressive Montana river worth noting is the Gallatin River located in Bozeman, Montana. If you like fly fishing or even drift boat fishing, this is a must-fish river. No matter which part you fish, you are sure to get some big ones.
• Truckee River: The Truckee River, located near Lake Tahoe, Nevada, is a river that may require a hike to get to the sweeter spots, but it will be a worthwhile hike. Here you will find many ‘feeder’ streams offering spectacular fly fishing with some of the clearest waters you have ever seen.
You really can’t go wrong with a fly fishing trip out west. However, you can increase your chances of not only landing fish, but huge fish as well, when you visit any of these major west fly fishing rivers. One word of caution here, make sure your vacation is long because you likely want to visit more than one of these western fishing spots while on your next fly fishing adventure.
