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The
Judith River isn’t exactly a prime destination
river in Montana. Indeed, few anglers from either in-state
or out-state probably even know it exists. The lack of knowledge
about the Judith River really isn’t surprising, considering
its location and lack of “visibility.”
The Judith River begins its life in the Little Belt Mountains,
which are located to the southwest of Lewistown,
Montana.
The river flows for 125 miles to where it ends at the junction
with the Missouri
River. In the upper stretches, the Judith
River flows through some wide, scenic agricultural valleys
that are flanked by the scenic Little Belt Mountains. Following
this, the Judith flows through the broad and arid plains
on its way to the Missouri River.
The
Judith River forms at the confluence of the South Fork
Judith River and the North Fork Judith River, near the
small
town of Sapphire Village. I’m not familiar with the
North Fork, but the South Fork, well, don’t plan on
going there for a fly fishing trip. The reason for this is
because lately, due to low snow years and drought conditions,
portions of the South Fork Judith River simply run dry – which
of course is not exactly helpful to the fishing conditions.
While some brook trout undoubtedly manage to hang on in the
deeper pockets, a fisherman in search of them is likely to
have to travel far and wide to find them. Additionally, the
South Fork Judith River is incredibly narrow – hardly
more than a yard wide in many spots.
However, once the South and North Forks join, the Judith
River begins to have enough water to support fishing, although
heavy irrigation use during the summer can really draw down
the water levels. The Judith River has a surprisingly diverse
fish population, with a mix of brook trout, rainbow trout
and brown trout found on the upper end of the river while
warm water species such as catfish are found on the lower
part of the river.
Unfortunately,
access on the Judith River isn’t the
greatest. The best access spots on the upper part of the
river (upstream from the town of Utica), will be found in
a few spots where the dusty Judith River Road parallels the
river. Other access spots will be found on the middle stretch
of the river at the frequent bridge crossings that exist.
The Lower Judith River, due to remoteness, has little in
the way of access.
For
the angler in search of trout on the Upper Judith, fishing
will require some active stalking. In particular, anglers
will want to search out the holes that are found in the river – especially
during the warmer months. There are some sizable fish in
the Judith River, but there numbers of fish are not that
high. And much of the river will have no fish at all due
to low water levels.
Approach
and presentation are important when fishing the Judith
River. In some ways, fly fishing on the Judith River
is like fishing on a spring creek. Long, wimpy tippets, careful
approach and solid presentation are all needed if you want
to have a decent chance of tagging some of the larger trout
that can be found in the river. As for fly patterns, the
standard assortment of dry flies and nymphs all can work – and
not work – depending on the season. So come prepared
to experiment. Also be sure to bring a nice selection of
hoppers beginning in July – the Judith flows through
superb hopper country.
Overall, the Judith River can make for an interesting diversion
away from the more popular and well-known rivers. However,
the relative lack of access, combined with erratic fishing,
is not going to make the Judith River a prime destination
spot anytime soon. By and large, the Judith River today is
primarily used by locals who fish for the warm water species
that inhabit the river. Few people put in the effort to fly
fishing the Judith River for trout.
More
Photographs of the Judith River
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