Freestone · Mixed · Montana

Rock Creek

Slough Creek venue image
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Rock Creek is a blue-ribbon freestone just east of Missoula, and it's the kind of water people get protective about — browns, rainbows, cutthroat, and bull trout you leave strictly alone, all packed into a tumbling pocket-water stream you fish from a gravel road.

Species

A proper day on the water

River high but settled. Match the colour and fish the seams.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Cool — slow
9.5°Cideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature9128% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity5612% weight
Conditions
Level
2.03 m
Water temp
9.5°C
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
24°C
Wind
W 17 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1012 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Rain · ahead
0.6 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good — water clarity is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Montana licence
  • Bull trout strictly protected — do not target
  • Seasonal float restrictions apply; check FWP
  • Native westslope cutthroat — handle and release gently.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Rock Creek is a blue-ribbon freestone just east of Missoula, and it's the kind of water people get protective about — browns, rainbows, cutthroat, and bull trout you leave strictly alone, all packed into a tumbling pocket-water stream you fish from a gravel road. The salmonfly hatch in late spring is the headline act and it draws a crowd. The rest of the summer it's quieter and just as good: an attractor dry bounced through the pockets, a cutthroat rising to meet it like it had nothing better to do.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • TroutThird Saturday of May → Last day of February
Other water nearby · 3