The North Fork of the Musselshell is a small tailwater fishery located below Bair Resevoir. Montana Angler has unique access to over 10 miles of the stream, which is located east of White Sulphur Springs, MT. Extensive stream and habitat restoration has taken place over the years, returning this once neglected stream into an outstanding fishery.
Throughout it's length, the North Fork averages 10-15ft in width and twists and turns endlessly. Most of these bends feature classic undercut banks, choppy riffles, and slick tailouts. Brown Trout are the primary catch on the North Fork, with the occasional nice Cutthroat thrown in the mix. The fish here average 12-15", with 18" Browns being fairly common. You will be surprised at the size of the fish that lurk in the depths of such a small stream!
The early part of the season sees good subsurface fishing with nymphs and streamers. Streamer fishing is a great option here because Brown Trout are very carnivorous and aggressive feeders. After a short period of runoff, the water drops and the dry fly fishing really picks up. The main event on the North Fork is the hopper fishing in July, August, and September. The stream is tailor made for grasshoppers, as it is set in open fields with overhanging grass banks. When the hopper fishing turns on, fish rush out from beneath the undercuts to crush your foam imitations. This creek is one of the best, most consistent hopper fisheries in the region. As the weather cools in the fall, streamer fishing begins to pick up again as the Browns get closer to the spawn. In September and early October we often fish streamers in the morning and turn to hoppers after lunch as the sun warms the water and the insects become more active. The same ranch also has several great lakes on the property that can be coupled with stream fishing on the North Fork.