The South Boulder River is a small tributary that joins the Jefferson near Cardwell, MT. The South Boulder is primarily a Brown Trout fishery with a smattering of Rainbows thrown in. Public access is scarce on the South Boulder, meaning the fish do not see much fishing pressure.
Fishing is best here during the summer months, as dry fly fishing is the main attraction. The stream is located in open, ranch country that is the perfect habitat for grasshoppers. The water is well suited for dry fly fishing. Long, choppy riffles and glides give way to deep bends along grassy banks. We will often add a small beadhead dropper to get down into some of the deepest holes.
In addition to the excellent hopper fishing, the stream has a good Trico hatch late in the summer. The trout tend to pod up when feeding on the Trico's, and it is not uncommon to see 20-30 fish rising simultaneously in a run. The fish can be a bit wary under these circumstances, and fishing the Trico's presents many of the same challenges as fishing a spring creek.