Rattlesnake Creek

Rattlesnake Creek runs out of the Rattlesnake Wilderness, through the beautiful Rattlesnake Valley, and then dumps into the Clark Fork right in downtown Missoula.

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.

Rubus idaeus - wild raspberry

Rubus parviflorus - thimbleberry

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.

Wild Montana cutthroat trout going back home

Get out there!!

The spawn is on!

The rainbow and cutthroat trout of Montana are on the spawn.  Last week, I witnessed the massive trout orgy that takes place near Holter Dam on the Missouri.  There, the trout make dinner table-sized, community redds.  I can sit there and watch them for hours.  The big colored male and the female getting it on while three smaller males wait in formation for the opportunity to sneak in there when the big guy is distracted chasing away other males.  I was surprised to see that the other people around were oblivious to the redds.  People were fishing them (I honestly don't think they knew they were there) and dropping anchors and parking boats over them.  It was hard to watch.

Yesterday, I took a walk along the banks of Rattlesnake Creek in a local park here in Missoula. Rattlesnake Creek is a major spawning tributary for the fish in the Clark Fork around Missoula.  It is a beautiful creek that comes out of the Rattlesnake Wilderness.  It mostly gets ignored by fisherpeople but it is a fine trout stream all year long. Right now, the Rattlesnake is lousy with spawning fish.  They are everywhere!  

Go check them out and show the kids but do not mess with them.  The creek is closed to fishing for two more weeks to allow the spawn to take place.  It is a great way to see the WILD,  amazing, huge, and beautiful trout that live in the Clark Fork and watch real world biology in action!  Real fish porn.        

large male rainbow on redd

mating pair of rainbows on redd

Betula occidentalis - western water birch blossoms