[Home] [Up] [1997 Pictures] [Day 1 - 3] [Day 4] [Day 5 - 6]

Al & Andy left Seattle early Saturday morning driving east on I-90. Al had heard several good reports on the St. Joe River of Northern Idaho, so that’s where we headed. Through Spokane & Coeur d’ Alene, to Wallace, Idaho. At Wallace we turned south off the freeway, through town and onto a gravel road into the mountains. The road had previously be an old railroad bed leading over the mountains. Fourteen miles up & fourteen miles down through old railroad tunnels we came to the beautiful St. Joe River surrounded by steep wooded mountains. Al was told that the upper portions of the river were the best, so up river we went on a one lane road. We found the upper road closed by mud slides, preventing access to Spruce Camp, some 11 miles upriver.

(Subsequently, in 2000, Andy took a horse back pack trip with Don McAfee as the guests of St. Joe Lodge Outfitters http://www.stjoeoutfitters.com/The_Lodge/the_lodge.html some 2 hours by horse up stream from Spruce camp and discovered a 35 Wild Cutthroat per day paradise. This Lodge had been selected as the Orvis 1998 Expedition of the year. But, that’s a whole other adventure.)

After a bit of exploring we settled into a section of the river with a deep slot and steep rock sides. Many small cutthroat couldn’t resist our Stimulator fly. After several hours of catch & release fishing, we moved down river to explore more of the river. We found a deep hole, a very deep hole next to a huge bolder below the St. Joe Lodge and decided if there were big fish in this river at all, this is were they’d be. An hour later had produced no fish, but several heart stopping passes by huge fish. The day was ending and our attention turned to a place to stay for the evening.

We drove back up river to the St. Joe Lodge (not the same as St. Joe Lodge Outfitters). The St. Joe Lodge is a pleasant family oriented facility located on the river. It consists of a Restaurant, Bar, Store and Cabins. We were pleased to find that there was one room left. After a nice meal at the Lodge, we retired to our cabin.

The next morning we were up early, had breakfast at the Lodge and discussed the plan for the day. Al had heard good things about a stream near Missoula, Mt. called Rock Creek. Touted as a Blue Ribbon Trout Steam. Rock Creek it was. Up 14 miles and down 14 miles over the mountains to St. Regis, Mt. and on to Rock Creek 20 miles east of Missoula. All along the way we speculated about the trout that must be in the Clark Fork River that paralleled I-90 for miles on the way to Missoula. Arriving at Rock Creek, the first thing we sited was a sign erected in a field by the local Trout Unlimited Chapter. Made us feel like we had friends in the area. Our first stop was at the Rock Creek Mercantile and Fly Shop at Rock Creek for G2. Then next door was a Lodge with cabins and a restaurant for lunch. A rustic and pleasant place with good food – Ekstrom’s Stage Station. We also noted another Lodge just north of the fly shop and noted its name, saying this looks like a nice place to stay on future trips.

After lunch we headed out to explore the area. Rock Creek produced several fish in the lower stretches, but nothing significant. In the afternoon we fished a couple sections on the Clark Fork river. A few whitefish, but no luck.

By now we were in need of a place to stay, so we returned to the cabins etc. down where we started the day on Rock Creek. No luck. Then down to the Rock Creek Lodge that hosts Montana’s Annual Testicle Festival! No Vacancy here either but they placed a call 20 miles down the road to the East. They had a vacancy.

We hit the road and found the place. A weekend Rock Concert was just breaking up as we arrived. The bar was crowded but we did get a table for a good dinner after obtaining a room from the bartender.  Now it turns out that not all Montana residents are actually from Montana but many seem to have migrated there.  We heard several stories from the bar denizens that evening that suggested that going "back home" was not a social option or a legal option.  In any event, the fire place smoke in the bar certainly had that characteristic bite of cannabis - must have been some green wood on the fire.   Fortunately we had an excellent room located just below the dance floor of the bar along with the juke box and its heavy bass.  The room was reasonably priced when you factored in the free in-room all night sound entertainment from above. 

After breakfast we were off to fish Rock Creek. We stopped at the Fly Shop to pickup a little more G2, a few flies, and a map. We were also told that there was construction up high on the road along Rock Creek.

Fishing our way up Rock Creek, we found some nice fish.

We continued up river and the road got worse, as promised. At one curve we had to pull the mirror in on the truck to clear a rock wall without going over the edge of the road. Just as we rounded the curve, we spotted a Moose along the side of the road, took his picture and kept going.

Quite a few miles of muddy road later, we came out onto a highway at the top of the road and drove toward Anaconda and the Big Hole River.

At the Big Hole, the road came to a tee. Left or Right? We turned right and headed toward the town of Wisdom. (Wisdom was the name Meriwether Lewis had given the Big Hole River, today only the town bares the original name) Wisdom is a small town at some 7000 feet elevation right next to the Big Hole River. Our first sight as we entered town was the Nez Perce Hotel. We pulled in and secured a room for the night. A great little place, with friendly innkeepers. We then drove into town. Past the restaurant, gas station and pulled up in front of the General store. Back at the St. Joe River, our first fishing stop, Andy discovered that his hip boots had a leak. After two days of fishing in wet boots, we decided to see if the General store had hip boots. The lady in the store said , Sure, they’re in the back corner. Setting on the counter of the store was an old wooden box full of flies. While looking at the flies, Andy asked, "Any fishin’ around here?" The storekeeper said, "Would you like to catch some grayling?" Wow!, are you kidding, you bet!

Armed with a new pair of boots, a hand full of recommended flies, and instructions to the grayling hole, we were off. Down the road, across the bridge, left into the Grange Hall picnic area, thru a hole in the barbwire fence, walk up river, "Watch out for the Bulls" were our instructions. Within an hour we had caught several beautiful Grayling and a couple Brown Trout. Wow, what a find! We fished until dark and made it back to town minutes before the restaurant closed.