On the Clearwater and Off the Beaten Path

If you were to plan a fly-fishing trip to Idaho, some highly regarded streams like Henry’s Fork or Silver Creek might come to mind.  There are a daunting number of options in the Gem State which is home to wild trout, steelhead, and salmon.  Kelly Creek is one I find myself drawn back to time and time again. 

As a young college student at the University of Idaho, I fell in love with the Clearwater River drainage.  Several years later, my brother started fly fishing and asked me to plan a trip.  Only one place would do, I thought, Kelly Creek.

Despite being relatively well known, Kelly Creek has been referred to as Idaho’s “best kept secret.”  An even better kept secret is the number of wild trout streams in the area, including the North Fork of the Clearwater itself. 

Depending on weather, one can even spend a few days fishing steelhead on the Clearwater River near Orofino, ID in the Fall.  Then, make a drive over the mountain from Pierce to fish the October caddis hatch. 

It was mid-June when my brother and I set out.  This is the time of year when big bugs entice big trout.  We headed straight to the upper North Fork and Kelly Creek in hopes that we had timed it right for the salmonfly hatch. These large stoneflies make for amazing dry fly fishing.

Our first day on the water was spent traveling along the North Fork of the Clearwater as we made our way to the cabin.  While Kelly Creek is known to harbor 20+ inch cutthroat, the North Fork is a spectacular stream that should not be passed by.  We gave it the attention that was due and were rewarded with some healthy west-slope cutthroat eagerly feeding on the large salmonflies.    

We were able to use a rustic ranger cabin near the confluence of Kelly Creek and the North Fork.  A welcome step up from a tent, the cabin came equipped with gas lamps and a five-gallon bucket to fetch water from the creek for flushing the toilet!

After a long, productive day of fishing we finally made it to our cabin.  Both of us were too excited about the location of our base camp on Kelly Creek to worry about any shortcomings of our home for the next two days.

On the second day, we fished the lower reaches of Kelly Creek along with a couple other nearby tributaries to the North Fork.  Early morning brought lower insect activity and a little tougher fishing.  We landed a few trout on streamers but were impatiently waiting for rising fish. 

One of my favorite attractor dry flies is the rather unassuming “renegade.”  This easy to tie pattern comprised of peacock herl and hackle could imitate a midge cluster and possibly other insects, but nothing very distinct.  Most importantly, it flat out catches trout!  The old faithful renegade kept us on fish through the early morning.  Before we knew it, the samonflies were out and we started offering big deer hair bugs with great results.

Renegade:

Hook: size 14-18 dry fly hook

Thread: 8/0 Black

Body: Peacock herl

Front Hackle: White rooster

Rear Hackle: Brown rooster

Tag (optional): Flat mylar gold tinsel

Seeking a little more adventure and solitude, a hike into the upper reaches of Kelly Creek was our mission for day three.  After some amazing views from the hillside, and a couple miles of solid hiking, the Idaho Centennial Trail descends back down to Kelly Creek.  You are welcomed with a gorgeous stretch of water that sees far fewer visitors. 

Hike even further and you will come to the confluence of Kelly Creek and Cayuse Creek, another tributary worth exploring.  The trout kept getting prettier the further off the beaten path we went.

Kelly Creek Trailhead can be accessed by several different routes.  No matter where you start, a beautiful drive through the mountains is required.  You will want to pay attention to winter weather conditions even in Spring and Fall.  A National Forest Service map or quality atlas is recommended. 

One of the more direct options is a 2.5-hour drive from Missoula International Airport via I-90W to FR 250 which heads south into Idaho.  Dispersed camping is allowed in the National Forest and many primitive campsites can be found on a first come first serve basis.  Seek out a Forest Service office for the latest information including weather or hazards.               

The Clearwater’s North Fork and Kelly Creek make an exceptional destination for wild, native trout fishing.  My brother and I still take annual fishing trips and most of them take us somewhere we have never fished before.  Kelly Creek is the exception.  It is one of those majestic places that keeps us coming back. 

This article was written for the Mad River Drift. A quarterly newsletter published by Trout Unlimited Mad River Chapter #477.