When I arrived in Missoula, MT, after a three-day bus ride, one of the first landmarks I saw was the Clark Fork River. A friend and I had left our homes in Westchester, NY, to attend the University of Montana. We were on our way to the campus when we crossed this very large river. That’s when my antennae went up—a trout river right next to the university!

As with any dedicated angler, it did not take long for me to learn the best trout streams around this northwestern Montana city. In addition to the Clark Fork, there was the Bitterroot, Blackfoot, Lolo Creek and, of course, Rock Creek. During the time I was in Montana, all those rivers were lightly fished with abundant populations of cutthroat, rainbow, brown and Dolly Varden trout, along with Rocky Mountain whitefish.

During my first week at the university, I visited Bob Ward’s sporting goods store in Missoula. That’s where I learned about Rock Creek. I found that Rock Creek was about 20 miles east of Missoula, and was a tributary of the Clark Fork River, sourced in the Sapphire Mountains, and flowing through Lolo National Forest. Rock Creek is over 50 miles long, and since it is mostly in a national forest, it is easily accessible for fishing. 

When I was in Montana, Rock Creek paralleled a good-quality, non-paved road.

As the name implies, Rock Creek is studded with large rocks in some sections and is not easily waded. In addition, some reaches flow through a steep-sided, narrow canyon, where the creek is constricted in width, with deep pools and runs.

I don’t remember the first time I fished Rock Creek, except that it was on the opening day of trout season, which began on May 22. If my memory is correct, runoff had already started, so the water was high and a bit off-color. 

Through inquiries with local anglers and sports shops, we learned that live salmon- fly nymphs were the best bait to use. So the day before the opening, we collected a large number, storing them in the fridge overnight. We caught a lot of trout on that opening day!

Keep in mind that it was legal to collect and use aquatic insect nymphs, taken from Montana rivers, for bait when I was fishing in the 1960s. A recent call to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks confirmed that taking aquatic insects from Montana trout waters for bait is still legal, provided that the particular river is not under artificial lure-only restrictions. Frankly, I was surprised to hear that. 

Looking back, I can now see that while legal, it was certainly not ethical to take and use aquatic insects for bait. But that’s how we fished in those days. Limits were the goal, and all legal means were used to achieve that result.

I fished live salmon-fly nymphs using four-pound test monofilament and a six-foot Silaflex spinning rod with an Alcedo Micron reel mounted to the grip. The nymphs were hooked under the wing pads, using a number 10 light-wire hook. Enough split shot was added to allow the nymphs to bounce along the river bottom. Fishing Rock Creek, using live salmon-fly nymphs with this type of tackle, was an absolutely deadly combination. Fortunately, I got the message, and fly fishing became my preferred way of fishing Montana rivers—sooner, rather than later. 

Although I don’t recall the first time I used artificial flies while fishing Rock Creek, there was one fall day when the trout really cooperated. On that day, I parked near a small bridge that I believe led to a working ranch. The property wasn’t posted at the time, and there was a beautiful deep pool just upstream. I crossed the bridge and walked to the head of the pool. After looking over the water, where there was no surface activity, I attached two Isonychia nymphs to my leader—one at the very end (the tail fly), and the other about 18 inches above (the hand fly). Between the two, I added a large split shot so the nymphs would fish near the river bottom. 

Fishing in this manner does not involve fly casting, because of the weight the split shot adds. Instead, the leader and a short length of fly line are “chucked” upstream, where the nymphs are allowed to sink, and drift back, while the rod tip is raised. Using this method, the flies fish close to the bottom, and are extremely effective in moving trout. While it takes time to learn the subtleties of fishing this way (with no strike indicator), it is the best way to catch trout that I know of—live bait being the exception. 

I don’t know how many brown and rainbow trout and whitefish were landed that day; I didn’t count. But I did manage to hook a brown in the four-pound range and to miss another of about the same size. The highlight of that fall Montana afternoon, which now seems like another lifetime, these many years later.

My guess is that Rock Creek, due to its notoriety and close proximity to Missoula, receives its share of pressure, particularly during the salmon fly hatch. Nevertheless, there are miles of water available to anglers, and fishing there should not be missed if the opportunity arises. I know I’ll never forget that fall Montana day and all the trout that came to my fly. Fond and treasured memories, to be sure!