wise river

Fly Fishing the Wise River, Montana — A Spring Alternative to the Big Hole When spring runoff hits southwest Montana, the Big Hole River can become high, fast, and difficult—or even unsafe—to wade. But that doesn't mean the fishing season has to stop. In this video, we're heading to the Wise River in Montana, one of the Big Hole River's major tributaries, to see what this smaller river can offer when the Big Hole isn't wadeable. The Wise River flows through the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and the Pioneer Mountains, offering a very different fishing experience from the broad, powerful waters of the Big Hole. The river is smaller, more intimate, and provides opportunities to get away from the heavy flows of the main river. The Wise River is also an important cold-water tributary to the Big Hole. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks identifies rainbow trout as the dominant trout in the lower Wise River, followed by brook trout, with fewer brown trout. Farther upstream, brook trout become more prevalent, along with some cutthroat-rainbow hybrids. The river also supports mountain whitefish, burbot, longnose suckers, and Arctic grayling. For an angler watching the Big Hole rise during spring runoff, the Wise River is worth putting on the list of places to investigate. Why fish the Wise River in spring? The idea isn't that the Wise River will magically remain low while the Big Hole is running high. Instead, the Wise River offers a different type of water to explore when the main river becomes difficult to fish. Smaller water can provide more manageable wading opportunities in suitable conditions, and the river's tributaries, structure, banks, deeper runs, pockets, and slower water can give anglers additional places to look for trout. Spring fishing can also mean changing conditions from day to day. Water temperature, snowmelt, weather, and runoff can all make a difference, so always check current conditions before getting in the river. And remember: high spring water can be dangerous anywhere. Never assume a smaller river is automatically safe to wade. The Wise River camping advantage One of the great things about this area is that camping options aren't limited to one campground. The Wise River Ranger District lists numerous Forest Service campgrounds throughout the Wise River area, including: