Most people have no idea how important this little creek is for the trout in the Clark Fork. This is a heavily used spawning tributary for the Clark Fork and a source of cold and clean water which enters the river right in the city. The creek also has many resident trout and some holdovers from the spawn available for catching throughout the season.
There is some confusion about the Rattlesnake though because there is a closed section in place to protect Missoula's back-up domestic water supply. Here's the deal: during the regular MT fishing season (3rd Sat. in May - Nov. 30th), you can fish from the mouth all the way to 100 yards below the Mountain Water Co. reservoir. The next six miles are closed to fishing all the way up to Beeskove Creek. After Beeskove, the creek is open and there is nobody around except the bears and the trout.
Unless you want to walk the 6 miles (12 miles round trip + at least a couple miles of fishing), you'll want a bike to ride up the old road from the trail head. You'll know your getting close once you start to see lots of raspberries on the left side of the road at the bottom of a talus slope.
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| Rubus idaeus - wild raspberry |
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| Rubus parviflorus - thimbleberry |
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| Sexy water on Rattlesnake Creek |
There are tons of cutthroat and some rainbows and browns mixed in. There are also huge bull trout which are illegal to intentionally fish for. Just watch out for shark attacks.
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| Wild Montana cutthroat trout going back home |
Get out there!!
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