| I'm going seriously out on a limb by naming the top | | | | Reservoir. The reservoir is home to big rainbow, |
| 10 trout rivers in the country. I will doubtless leave | | | | brown, and lake trout, but it's deep waters are hard |
| out some rivers that are worthy of mention. But | | | | to handle with conventional tackle, especially if you |
| when it comes to a list like this, you have to | | | | prefer to fly fish. The tailwater (which is actually in |
| eventually pick the streams, and I'll apologize in | | | | Utah), however, has some of the best trout |
| advance if I don't put you're favorite river down. I'm | | | | populations on Earth. Some estimates show nearly |
| sure these aren't actually the ten very best streams | | | | 20,000 trout per mile in the first 7 miles below the |
| around-there are dozens of backcountry Alaskan | | | | dam. The tailwater is best known for it's cutthroats, |
| streams and private trout waters that are probably | | | | but it also fishes well for rainbows and browns. This |
| better than any of these. But these are all rivers that | | | | river flows through a beautiful desert canyon. The |
| are easily accessible and provide awesome trout | | | | water is air-clear, and site fishing is very popular. |
| fishing. These are all well known streams, and they'll | | | | Further down, there are a few less trout, but the |
| be crowded from time to time. Still, they're all long | | | | browns and rainbows can grow much larger. If you |
| rivers and there is room to spread out. It's no | | | | don't have a boat, we recommend hiking in to some |
| coincidence that Montana is well represented in the | | | | of the lesser known areas. You'll find wilderness |
| list;it is full of long, beautiful trout rivers. | | | | fishing on one of the most productive trout streams |
| 1. Gallatin River (Yellowstone National Park and | | | | in the country. Local fly and tackle shops will be able |
| Montana) | | | | to point you in the right direction. Just watch out for |
| This will come as a bit of a surprise that I'm listing | | | | Rattlesnakes! There are also formal accesses where |
| this as #1. It's one of those streams that everyone | | | | you can fish, including one right below the dam. You |
| loves, but usually plays second fiddle to other famous | | | | can catch fish in these areas, but the wilderness |
| rivers in the Yellowstone area. Most folks spend most | | | | experience is mostly lost. Most people who are new |
| of their trip on the really "classy" trout streams, like | | | | to the Green float it in a driftboat with a guide. The |
| the Madison, Yellowstone, Firehole, or the Paradise | | | | guide will safely bring you through the whitewater |
| valley spring creeks. The Gallatin is just that friendly | | | | and put you over fish. Just don't expect it to be |
| little river that courses through gorgeous mountain | | | | cheap. |
| territory and produces some small trout. The beautiful | | | | 6. White River-Bull Shoals Tailwater (Arkansas) |
| mountain meadow water in Yellowstone National | | | | Arkansas's White River is the only Southern stream |
| Park, and for a few miles below holds several | | | | on our list, and it's also the only one that's mostly put |
| hundred small rainbows and cutthroat in it's plentiful | | | | and take. This tailwater flows out of Bull Shoals Dam |
| riffles. You won't find the thousands of trout per mile | | | | high in the Ozark Hills. The cold plume from the |
| that you'll find on the Madison, or the 20" browns, | | | | bottom of Bull Shoals Lake, combined with the cold |
| but it doesn't get any more beautiful and the fish | | | | flows of the North Fork River allow trout to survive |
| usually aren't at all fussy. Access is easy and ample. | | | | for nearly 100 miles below the dam. It's a tailwater |
| Downstream, it gains power and roars through a | | | | with rapidly fluctuation flows, and it can be downright |
| whitewater canyon. It's no longer an easy going | | | | dangerous. It can be waded at low flows, but bank |
| meadow stream, but the trout numbers, and size of | | | | and boat fishing are the only options when there the |
| the fish, get steadily better. Below the canyon, the | | | | dam is releasing a lot of water. Your first time |
| stream spills out into a wide sagebrush valley | | | | floating, a guide will be helpful. |
| populated by elk and moose. Especially below the | | | | There are about 5000 trout per mile on the river, and |
| mouth of the East Gallatin, big browns begin to show | | | | the majority are rainbows. Rainbows are stocked by |
| up in good numbers under the undercut banks. This is | | | | the millions by the Arkansas Game and Fish |
| good float fishing water, although waders can do well | | | | Commission. Rainbows swarm almost all parts of the |
| also. Finally, the Gallitin finds it's way to Three Forks | | | | river, and they never seem to be difficult to catch. |
| where the it helps form the mighty Missouri. The | | | | These trout average about 13 inches, so they're fun |
| Missouri itself is an awesome trout stream, and it's | | | | to catch. Still, the browns are what draw many |
| the next stream on our list. | | | | anglers to the White. The browns are mostly wild, |
| 2. Missouri River (Montana) | | | | although their numbers are supplemented by stocking. |
| The Missouri River begins as a high plains river at | | | | A new 24" minimum insures larger browns, and there |
| Three Forks, Montana. From the river's headwaters | | | | are also several catch and release areas on the river. |
| downstream to Holter dam, the river flows slowly, | | | | A White River brown isn't considered large until it hits |
| both as a free-flowing river and as reservoirs. This | | | | five pounds; it's not a trophy until it hits 10. To give |
| portion of the river has some excellent trout fishing | | | | you a frame of reference, on our last trip to the |
| during the spring and the fall. The fish here are | | | | White, a fly shop owner showed us a picture of an |
| almost all browns, although a few rainbows come up | | | | honest, weighed and measured brown that he had |
| from the lakes that are located on the river. During | | | | just caught that weighed 29 pounds. He didn't seem |
| the summer, whitefish form most of the action. | | | | all that excited about it. |
| Browns can still be caught, but they mostly become | | | | 7. Manistee River (Michigan) |
| sluggish, or even move to the deep waters of the | | | | Michigan's Manistee River is one of the best in the |
| lakes. | | | | world. It starts deep in the lower Peninsula of |
| Below Holter Dam, the Missouri becomes a tailwater | | | | Michigan as a small, spring-fed brook trout stream. |
| stream. This is where most people go to fish the | | | | This isn't the place to come for trophy trout, but the |
| Missouri. The cold outflow from Holter Dam creates a | | | | brookies are beautiful and jewel-like, always ready to |
| habitat where trout can survive well throughout the | | | | provide a wonderful experience. A few browns do |
| year. Rainbows are much more common than further | | | | make their way into this section, and they can grow |
| upstream, but browns are also present. The fishing | | | | surprisingly large. While most people fly fishing, spin |
| remains excellent downstream to Cascade;it fishes | | | | fishing is both legal and productive. |
| decently all the way to Great Falls. | | | | From the M-72 Bridge downstream to the CCC |
| 3. Madison River (Yellowstone National Park and | | | | Bridge, the river is fly- fishing only. There are good |
| Montana) | | | | numbers of both browns and brookies here, and |
| The Madison River begins as an odd spring creek in | | | | trophies are much more common than further |
| Yellowstone National Park. The reason it is so odd is | | | | upstream. This is famous trout water, and the |
| that it is fed by both cold and hot springs that make | | | | hatches, as well as the fish are plentiful. The |
| their way into it's two feeder streams, the Firehole | | | | restrictive regulations insure top quality fishing. The |
| and Gibbon. It fishes best in this upper portion in the | | | | fishing remains good for a few miles downstream |
| late spring, early summer, and fall. During the summer, | | | | from the special regulation stretch (mostly for |
| the water often grows too warm to allow the trout | | | | browns), before the river forms Tippy Pond. |
| to feed, because of the hot springs. Rainbows and | | | | Below Tippy Pond, the river is a mixed fishery. While |
| browns in the 10-14" range are the primary | | | | smallmouth bass and pike are the main species during |
| residents,but in spring, large rainbows move up from | | | | the summer, migratory trout, salmon, and steelhead |
| Hebgen Lake. In the fall, large browns, also from | | | | form the cool-weather fishery. King Salmon and |
| Hebgen, do the same. Dry flies are standard fare for | | | | brown trout are present in good numbers during the |
| the residents. The migratory rainbows and browns | | | | fall. As a matter of fact, a brown trout caught in the |
| prefer gaudy streamers and wet flies fished deep. | | | | lower Manistee last fall is the current world record. |
| Below Hebgen Dam, there is a run of a few miles | | | | Steelhead are in the river mid-fall- mid-spring, and |
| before the Madison slows back down into Quake | | | | they are quite plentiful. |
| Lake. There is a resident trout population in this | | | | 8. Connecticut River, (New Hampshire and Vermont) |
| stretch which is augmented by spawning runs from | | | | The upper Connecticut River is an Eastern stream |
| Quake Lake during the spring and fall. The summer | | | | with a western feel. Coursing through the beautiful |
| fishery is somewhat better than the river above | | | | Appalachian country of Northern New England, the |
| Hebgen, but the spring run of rainbows, and the fall | | | | scenery will not be beat. The headwaters portion of |
| run of browns are still the main event. Below Quake | | | | the river flows through 3rd Connecticut Lake, 2nd |
| Lake, the Madison becomes a beautiful freestone | | | | Connecticut Lake, 1st Connecticut Lake, and Lake |
| trout river. It begins a run to Ennis Lake known as | | | | Francis. This portion of the river is full of eager brook |
| the 100 mile riffle. This is all fast water, but serious | | | | trout, and in the spring and fall, Atlantic Salmon run |
| rapids are rare. Rainbows and browns hold in the slow | | | | upstream from all of these lakes, and provide |
| water along the banks, as well as behind the many | | | | excellent sport in the river. There is some water that |
| mid-stream boulders. The scenery is breathtaking, | | | | is legal to fish with a spinning rod, but it's mostly fly |
| with the lush Madison valley in the foreground, and | | | | fishing only. |
| the towering mountains of Yellowstone in the | | | | Below Lake Francis, the river mostly becomes open |
| background. This is the 100 most fabled miles of | | | | to spin fisherman, although fly fishing is still most |
| trout water in the country, and possibly in the world. | | | | popular. The Connecticut provides excellent fishing for |
| It can be floated or waded. | | | | rainbow and brown trout for many miles |
| Below Ennis Lake, the river drops into Beartrap | | | | downstream. You can wade, fish from the bank, or |
| Canyon. The canyon is full of big rainbows and | | | | float this water. This area gives you your best shot |
| browns, but it's a long hike to get to the river. Still, | | | | to catch large trout. The fishing is good along the |
| it's probably worth it, as this relatively unfished water | | | | New Hampshire/Vermont border all the way down to |
| provides nearly as good of fishing as the water | | | | Hanover, the home of Dartmouth College. It should |
| above Ennis. Below the canyon, the river drops into | | | | be noted that there are several slow, dammed up |
| an arid valley, where it meanders from one undercut | | | | sections of stream in this part of the river that are |
| bank to another. This is excellent brown trout water, | | | | warm-water fisheries, but where you find good |
| but it gets too warm in the summer. Spring and fall | | | | current, you'll find some trout. |
| are good times to target the good numbers of | | | | 9. Niagara River |
| browns here. | | | | Did you know that below Niagara Falls, this mighty |
| 4. Yellowstone River (Yellowstone National Park and | | | | river is an excellent trout and salmon stream? This is |
| Montana) | | | | a totally migratory fishery with good numbers of |
| Yes, this is the fourth Montana stream on the list. | | | | steelhead, brown trout, and various species of |
| The Yellowstone simply can't be left out of any list | | | | salmon. As you may have guessed, this is not an |
| of top trout waters, as it provides 250 miles of | | | | easy river to fish. There are probably some areas |
| some of the most beautiful and heartstopping trout | | | | that can be fished from the bank, but it would be |
| fishing in the world. The fishing begins deep in the | | | | safe to say that wading is out of the question. There |
| Thoroughfare region of Wyoming. There's no easy | | | | are many guides in the area that will help you out on |
| way to reach this water. It take's a long hike and a | | | | this beautiful, dangerous river, and we reccomend |
| dedication of a week or so to fish this water the | | | | their services to insure a safe trip. This isn't a |
| way it should be fished. This is cutthroat water, with | | | | summer fishery for the most part. Any time during |
| both resident fish and migratory trout from | | | | the spring and fall, you'll find some sort of salmonid |
| Yellowstone Lake. This is as deep in the wildnerness | | | | running up the river. In summer, switch your attention |
| as you can get in the lower 48, and you must be | | | | to smallmouth, which are abundant and large. |
| sure you can be totally self-sufficient. In the case of | | | | 10. Beaverkill River |
| an accident, you'll be on you're own. Also, Grizzlies, | | | | Is this one of the 10 best trout streams in the |
| black bear, moose, and other dangerous creatures | | | | country? Well admittedly, it probably isn't. It's just |
| are common. That can be a deterrent or an | | | | that the tradition on this stream is so rich that it |
| attraction. You decide for yourself. | | | | would seem a sin to leave it off. This famous Catskill |
| The river is much more civilized below Yellowstone | | | | River begins as beaver flowage high in the mountains. |
| Lake. Although it flows through country that has | | | | It's full of eager brook trout up there, and few folks |
| been left in it's natural state by Yellowstone National | | | | fish it. This water is on public land, so if you'd like to |
| Park, it's far from wild. The park water is heavily | | | | hike in, you may be pleasantly surprised. The first |
| fished, especially in the popular Buffalo Ford area. | | | | place most people begin their fishing is at the |
| Cutthroat trout fishing isn't as glorious as it used to | | | | Beaverkill Campground. Browns and brookies both |
| be, but it's still quite good. The river drops into the | | | | reside in the beautiful fast water environment here, |
| Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and then the | | | | and it's always a pleasant place to fish. Also, it |
| Black Canyon. Those stretches are essentially | | | | doesn't get nearly as warm in the summer as the |
| unfishable. When it enters Montana, it once again | | | | lower reaches, so you can probably expect to catch |
| becomes a great trout stream. It is a very readable | | | | a couple if you have to come in July or August. |
| mountain stream just below the park, with many | | | | The river is mostly private, and therefore off of our |
| pools and riffles that hold both rainbows and | | | | radar screen all the way down to Roscoe, New York |
| cutthroat. Below, it enters yet another canyon, this | | | | (also known as Trout Town USA). At this point, the |
| one called Yankee Jim. The canyon is hard to hike | | | | Willowomec (also a nice trout stream) flows in to |
| into, but the pocket water holds some rainbows, and | | | | form the Junction Pool. Many people come all the |
| they aren't fished very often. | | | | way out here just to fish that pool;it's synonymous |
| Below Yankee Jim canyon, the Yellowstone settles | | | | with American dry fly fishing. After this pool, the river |
| into the character it will hold for another hundred | | | | remains mostly accessible and has many other areas, |
| miles or so. It flows through a beautiful valley | | | | such as Cairn's Pool, Horse Brook Run, Cook's Falls |
| (although you can see the beautiful Absaroka | | | | Pool, Horton Pool, and the Acid Factory that are |
| Mountains most of the time), and the river has a | | | | legendary in the minds of fisherman. This is all famous |
| steady, but not rapid current. This is rainbow and | | | | trout water, and it fishes well whenever the water |
| brown trout water in the main, although cutthroat | | | | temperature is below 70 degree. Sometimes it will be |
| are pretty common as well. The water around | | | | in good, fishable shape all summer long, and at other |
| Livingston is most famous, but the fishing is very | | | | times the water is so warm it is both irresponsible |
| good for many miles up and downstream from that | | | | and unproductive to fish it. |
| popular western trout town. The trout fishing holds | | | | There are only about 300 trout per mile on the |
| up all the way downstream to Billings in Eastern | | | | Beaverkill, and given it's fairly large size, that's not a |
| Montana. Below there, it is a massive prairie river | | | | terribly high number. Neither is it much of a trophy |
| home to pike, smallmouth bass, and catfish, but few | | | | stream, although admittedly some fine browns are |
| trout. | | | | caught from time to time. And therein lies the |
| 5. Green River (Wyoming and Utah) | | | | mystery to it's fame. It's real value lies in the fact |
| The Green River is a stream with many faces. In it's | | | | that it was one of the streams where American dry |
| upper reaches in Wyoming, it's a high plains river | | | | fly fishing was pioneered. A trip here is more a lesson |
| home to large brown trout. This is western ranchland | | | | in history than an excursion to world class trout |
| country, and all through the summer trout hug the | | | | water. |
| undercut banks in search of hoppers. That's where | | | | These are just ten streams that for one reason or |
| you should be casting, with a Letort Hopper and | | | | another, we think are worthy of mention. As we said |
| maybe a Hare's Ear dropper for good measure. The | | | | earlier, it's highly debatable whether these are really |
| access isn't great here, but there are places where | | | | the ten best. But it is true that these are ten fine |
| visiting anglers can get on productive water for free. | | | | trout streams, and they all have some aspects to |
| The upper Green finally flows into Flaming Gorge | | | | them that are beautiful. |