MA
Montana Angler
Bozeman, MT
Fishes Gallatin River, Smith River
River · Central Montana · Montana
Smith River Fishing Guides and Conditions, Montana
The permit-only, fifty-nine-mile wilderness float from Camp Baker to Eden through a limestone canyon, the trip Montana anglers enter a lottery to take.
Gauge location. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Guides on the Smith River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
About the Smith River
The Smith is the only river in Montana that requires a permit to float, and the reason is simple: fifty-nine miles between Camp Baker and Eden with no road access, one takeout, and a limestone canyon with thousand-foot walls and pictographs on the rock. Trips take four to five days, campsites are assigned with the permit, and the state runs a lottery every winter that draws far more applicants than it can accommodate. Outfitters hold a share of the launches, which is how most first-timers get on.
The fishing is good rather than legendary, and that is not the point. Brown trout and rainbows hold along the ledges and in the corners, they eat dry flies willingly in June and July, and the canyon scenery is what people remember for the rest of their lives. It is a float trip in the fullest sense: gear boats, camp kitchens, a schedule set by the permit, and no way out once you are past Camp Baker.
Flow decides whether the trip happens at all. The Fort Logan gauge is the standard reference, and the general rule is that the float needs a few hundred cfs to run comfortably; below roughly 150 the boats start dragging over the shallow ledges and the state may recommend against launching, while big spring runoff makes the canyon fast and the campsites wet. The window is usually late May through early July, and in dry years it closes early.
White Sulphur Springs is the launch town and Great Falls is the nearest city. Apply for the permit in the winter drawing, or book an outfitter a year ahead, and plan the trip around water rather than around the calendar.
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Access
Camp Baker: the only launch point for the canyon float, permit required.
Eden Bridge: the takeout, fifty-nine miles downstream.
Fort Logan area: upper river access near the gauge above the permit section.
Sheep Creek: tributary and upper river access.
Smith River State Park: the administering agency for permits and campsites.
There is no road access between Camp Baker and Eden; plan for a self-contained multi-day trip.
Seasons
Late May through early July: the normal float window, dictated by flow.
June: the best combination of water, weather and dry fly fishing.
July: still floatable in wet years, marginal in dry ones.
August through spring: flows are usually too low to float the canyon; the upper river fishes on foot.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Smith River?
As of Sep 6, 2:15 am, the USGS gauge Smith River bl Eagle Cr nr Fort Logan MT reads 71 cfs, the 29th percentile for this date, with water temperature 58.6 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Smith River?
Anglers target Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout on the Smith River in Montana.
Are there fishing guides on the Smith River?
GuidedFloats lists 1 guide and outfitters on the Smith River. Claimed profiles accept booking requests; unclaimed profiles are built from public records and link to the business.
Where can you access the Smith River?
Camp Baker: the only launch point for the canyon float, permit required. Eden Bridge: the takeout, fifty-nine miles downstream. Fort Logan area: upper river access near the gauge above the permit section. Sheep Creek: tributary and upper river access. Smith River State Park: the administering agency for permits and campsites. There is no road access between Camp Baker and Eden; plan for a self-contained multi-day trip.
When is the best time to fish the Smith River?
Late May through early July: the normal float window, dictated by flow. June: the best combination of water, weather and dry fly fishing. July: still floatable in wet years, marginal in dry ones. August through spring: flows are usually too low to float the canyon; the upper river fishes on foot.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Smith River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Montana agency site: https://fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations