When it comes to top fly fishing rivers, it is very hard 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 nearly every river in the west is chalk full of fish that are just waiting to pounce on a perfectly thrown fly.
However, there are some western rivers that seem to be just a bit better than others. These rivers have seen many records setting fish pulled out of them and for a fly fishing enthusiast, there simply is no substitute. Here are some of the top fishing rivers in the west:
• Ogden River: The Ogden River in Ogden, Utah is one that is filled with every type of fly fishing favorite such as tiger trout and salmon. The river is a constant breeding ground for fish and there is rarely a bad day of fishing in the Ogden River.
• Clearwater River: The Clearwater River in Lewiston, Idaho is another western river that should get top billing. This river is one of the best in the state of Idaho for those who like a good fighting fish. The steelhead is a mainstay in the river and the size of the ‘steelies’ in the Clearwater River will have you think you are fighting a wild stallion.
• Snake River: The Snake River is unique in that it stretches through the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. This amazing river ‘snakes’ an astounding 50 miles through the three states and offers amazing fishing no matter which state you find yourself fishing it. It is a definite for any fisherman.
• Rock Creek River: Located in the ‘Big Sky’ part of the country, this Missoula, Montana river is where the ‘locals’ go when they fish for brown trout. For nine out of twelve months, this is the river in Montana for fly fishing, which is saying a lot considering all the wonderful fishing rivers in the great state.
• Gallatin River: Another stunning Montana river worthy of mention is the Gallatin River located in Bozeman, Montana. If you are into fly fishing or even drift boat fishing, this is a must fish river. No matter what part you fish, you are sure to pull out some big ones.
• Truckee River: The Truckee River, located near Lake Tahoe, Nevada, is a river that may require a hike to reach the sweetest spots, but it will be a hike that will be worthwhile. Here you will find many ‘feeder’ creeks that will offer up some spectacular fly fishing with some of the clearest waters you will ever feast your eyes on.
Really, you can’t go wrong with a fly fishing trip out west. However, you can increase your odds of not just landing fish, but huge fish, when you visit any of these top western fly fishing rivers. One warning here, make sure your vacation is a long one because you will likely want to hit more than one of these western fishing locations while you are on your next fly fishing adventure.
