Small mountain streams in the United States.

[Jessed]

I’ve been doing a lot of reading up on trout habitat and ecosystems and it has me thinking about certain places we have here in the US. When you hear about good fishing you always hear of the big “world class” rivers and lakes (respectively so) but, what about the backcountry streams? I think this question is for western states but I can think of some places with amazing tailwater fisheries and world class fishing but, not a whole lot of trout opportunities outside of the tailwater. This also could be said about some places that offer tons of small stream (for out west ) fishing opportunities for wild/native trout that is not in the middle of that golden trout river with thousands of YouTube videos in a big town. What state do you think has the best trout streams in terms of quantity and why (Outside of pa) ? High elevation, glacier runoff, I’m thinking Montana, Wyoming, Idaho , Alaska and maybe Colorado. Those places certainly do have big amazing trout streams but also tons of small mountain cutthroat streams as well.

 

[Acristickid]

That’s really too much to think about... my reaction is Alaska since there are hundreds of streams full of native fish that never see anglers because you reasonably just cannot access them.

Have had the privilege to spend several weeks to months almost every year for the better part of 20 years traveling all over to fly fish.

I’ve fished many of the “famous waters” Bighorn, Madison, Yellowstone, Williamette , Deschutes , Metolis , Trinity, Bitterroot, Colorado, Green, Hat Creek, S Platte and on and on. Don’t leave out
WI, CA or Nevada.

My impression is some days I did terrific on those rivers and there’s times that they’re going to be unparalleled but on the whole the lesser famous rivers for example the Greys in Wyoming is excellent as his hundreds of other smaller lesser-known waters which again I found to perform better on the whole than the famous waters.


This year heading back to remote waters in the Sierra to catch Kern, Little Kern and Golden trout. Hopefully be able to fish a really remote creek for a Paiute cutthroat!!

 

[troutbert]

Small mountain streams is a HUGE topic.

Where to begin? I've done a great deal of that type of fishing here in PA.

And a fair bit in the west. The most in CO, but also some in MT, WY, and ID.

The mileage of small streams is enormously higher than the mileage of large streams.

I don't know which western state has the most/best small stream fishing. All the states named above have more mileage than anyone could fish in a lifetime.

 

[Swattie87]

If talking strictly small streams, Appalachian small mountain streams have a distinct advantage over western Rocky Mountain small streams IMO...They’re fishable for a much longer portion of the year. Many times they’re fishable all year really.

The problem with small streams in many sections of the Rockies is many years they’re only accessible and/or fishable for a few months of the year...July through October generally, maybe include June and November depending on location and conditions that year. In the Winter/Spring months you literally can’t get to them, nonetheless fish them. I was in Colorado in mid-July a few years ago, and other than the SW corner of the state (which was in a severe drought) everything was quite high from runoff still. This coupled with the gradient (Rocky Mountain small stream gradient is completely different than Appalachian streams) made small streams very difficult to fish. Again, this was mid-July. Next time I go, I will probably shoot to go in early August.

IMO the best states for small mountain stream Trout angling in the U.S. are actually in the East. PA and NC at the top of the list probably. The West wins hands down for larger stream or river Trout fishing. While the East has a relatively small handful of tailwater or larger limestone rivers, nearly every big river in the Rockies holds Trout. Some better than others of course.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

Utah has to be the most overlooked state in the West.

As for the East, it's a tough call for me but I'd have to roll with NC because of the higher elevation, followed by TN and VA. I fish all three states every year, and there is more water to explore than one could in three lifetimes. From Skyline Drive on down through the Blue Ridge Parkway, GSMNP, there are countless streams. Each of those states also have the tailwater fisheries. I definitely consider NC/TN/VA as offering world-class fishing. I have yet to make it down to the High County of South Carolina or Northern Georgia, but plan to soon as I read that it equals its neighboring states.

 

[Jessed]

Over the summer was my first time being in those states. I didn’t do a ton of fishing with only having Minimal gear with me and driving past the big names rivers I saw tons of people fishing . what amazed me was hiking in the mountains and fishing small streams and thinking I could fish these for the rest of my life and not care about the crowded golden streams!

 

[Jessed]

The one thing that sucked about my trip was I didn’t catch a cutthroat! Fished a couple streams that had cut/brook trout but caught all brookies. I talked to a guy near a campground who said he spilt about have brooks half cutthroats but first time in my life 12 inch brook trout Trout were disappointing to a degree. Of course being from pa seeing any 8 inch plus brookie is awesome!

 

[Prospector]

My buddy from PA has a son that settled in Alaska. He travels there every year for a month. Says it’s amazing with the salmon runs but the Char, Dolly’s and grayling are where the big numbers are. Told me his record was catching 21 grayling on consecutive casts on a dry fly. He missed the fish on cast 22 and picked up from there, but never got up to 21 straight again.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

As mentioned I think the primary drawback for small stream fishing in the west and Alaska would be the harsh winter conditions that make those waters inaccessible and runoff also cutting into the length of the year that they are "fishable".

While some small streams in PA may be iced in for 2-3 months on a hard winter, you would still likely be able to find enough small streams in SCPA or limestoners to keep you busy. It would take you years to fish every trout stream in the Kettle and Pine Creek watershed alone. We are pretty lucky, but I still find myself longing to adventure to Alaska or the west for more remote adventures.

 

[PennKev]

Swattie87 wrote:

The problem with small streams in many sections of the Rockies is many years they’re only accessible and/or fishable for a few months of the year...July through October generally, maybe include June and November depending on location and conditions that year. In the Winter/Spring months you literally can’t get to them, nonetheless fish them. I was in Colorado in mid-July a few years ago, and other than the SW corner of the state (which was in a severe drought) everything was quite high from runoff still. This coupled with the gradient (Rocky Mountain small stream gradient is completely different than Appalachian streams) made small streams very difficult to fish. Again, this was mid-July. Next time I go, I will probably shoot to go in early August.

The things is, the characteristics that hamper small stream fishing in the Rockies are the very characteristics that keep the larger waters fishing well and holding loads of trout. Those high country streams supply not only enough water to keep the trout alive in the lower elevations, they supply enough cold water to keep them thriving.

With that in mind, many smaller streams in the lower elevations still fish well in the western states. In fact, quite enjoy fishing small streams in the broad valleys rather than high up in the mountains. The fish are bigger, just as plentiful, and the style of fishing is suites me well.

 

[troutbert]

Good points PennKev. The really alpine streams, where the streams are at an altitude of around 9000 to 10,000 feet, really do have a short season. August is typically best. But if you know that, and go at the right time, the fishing can be very enjoyable.

But there is a huge mileage of small streams at lower altitudes, in fact most of the stream mileage is at lower altitudes than that. Many places you are fishing streams at an altitude of 6,000 to 7,000 feet or so.

Every 1000 of altitude makes a big difference in the climate.

The west is a very big place. In Arizona and New Mexico and California there are many wild trout streams that are far enough south that the climate is pretty mild so the season is long.

Also, there are spring fed streams in the west, just as in the east.

 

[peteG41]

as a former Montanan [32 years) out there I can tell you that there are many small streams that get little pressure- why , well ,its fun catching a couple dozen 12 inchers but it becomes a "so what" when you find out the where and when to catch a couple of four pound plus ones.
I spent many hours on the small waters the first ten years or so but never bothered with them the last 20 + years as there is NO WAY the smaller fish can give you the charisma of the bigger ones..So I climbed mountains and rode mountain bikes until the magic time- Sept. until runoff- prayed for Chinooks in late winter and early spring -the water would be SOOO clear you flatlanders wouldn't believe it....lol

 

[JeffK]

There are too many variables to discuss, many cultural. On one trip to CO was fishing the Frying Pan and it was cool - the trout there can be like salmon. But I fished a local small stream that was a rough scramble to get to - no trails into a very narrow valley. Hit one small beaver pond and it had a number of 15" to 18" trout that really fought hard. It was good for 45 minutes of fabulous fishing then had a tough walk out. Bigger rivers offer all day fishing for good sized fish. In general, I don't think there are as many wild trout folks in CO. I wanted to catch cutthroat and most people I asked said why do you you want to do that? Finally found a pond with small natives in a beautiful setting - but most people wanted the big tailwater trout.

There are places where trout culture dominates and every trickle that holds good trout is fished. I would say PA, ME, The Catskills, Rockies etc.are places where trout fishing is the main attraction. Then there are places where some other fishing dominates. For example, in central NYS IMHO most guys want to go after walleye and yellow perch and leave stream trout alone. When fishing for supper walleye, perch and crappies outdoes trout. One NYS warden I know thinks the Genegantslet is the most under appreciated trout stream in NY and the Cohecton and central NYS limestoners have good fishing few people outside the area have heard of.

My son lived in Reno and Nevada being a desert state doesn't have a deep trout fishing tradition. Sure there are some trout fanatics and Pyramid Lake has its own culture, but trout fishing is not like in PA where it seems half the population in the rural counties is out on Opening Day. The Truckee and Walker Rivers start in CA and flow into Nevada and I have seem a big difference in crowds and skill levels between the CA and NV sides. However, more of the CA fish heads are heading to the less utilized NV side over time. Underutilized fisheries don't stay unknown forever.

In some trout areas the locals keep a few streams to themselves. In Maine there are spots locals will never take a tourist to. One friend from an old Maine family had the family ostracize his one brother for taking an out-of-state friend to their favorite pond. My in-laws lived in ME and my father-in-law was the local pastor, which offered me some local info, but not about fishing. I was always steered to so-so streams, but found a great one on my own. When ever I mentioned it to a local I universally heard there hadn't been trout in that stream in years. Holding secret spots is pretty intense up there. In Montana my guide turned me on the a stream 30 minutes from Missoula with great fishing that wasn't in a single guide book I read.

Lately with fly fishers they seem to flock to special regs areas and rarely step foot into similar open water. Some great spots really see a good fly fishermen. Many people think trout don't hit flies in open water stretches I guess.

 

[troutbert]

JeffK wrote:

Lately with fly fishers they seem to flock to special regs areas and rarely step foot into similar open water. Some great spots really see a good fly fishermen. Many people think trout don't hit flies in open water stretches I guess.

That's not the case just lately.

I began flyfishing in PA around 1970, and it was the case then, and has been all along to the present.

The only places crowded with flyfishers are special regulation areas. There may be exceptions, but I can't think of any off hand. Can anyone think of any?

I believe it was RLeeP who said that most flyfishers like to fish "between the wires." Back in the day many special regs areas had a wire across the creek with a sign at the top and bottom of the stretch.

 

[Swattie87]

I think that’s in part because most (all?) of the large well known limestoners in PA are some form of special regs for much of their lengths. FFers tend to like larger, open, easier to cast on streams with good hatches. These streams fit that bill. And I suspect they’d still be popular with FFers even if they were managed under general regs.

A few of the larger NC freestone creeks do too, and they are also popular with FFers. But, holding to the pattern, their most popular sections are the special regs sections. Even when there’s as good, or better, water in sections under general regs.

I’ve heard a rumor around here that FFers don’t like spincasters? Maybe that’s it?

 

[afishinado]

Two other factors are involved in angler crowding in special reg waters, IMO.

C&R regs give an angler the impression that more fish will be present and most anglers don't want to have to search streams for places that are open to fish (not private) and have fish present.