Musselshell River Historic Haven

Experience the beauty of 3 miles on the Mussleshell River outside of Harlowton, Montana. This river is the longest entirely within Montana and holds historical significance dating back to Lewis and Clark's exploration in 1804. The Montana Mexican John Ranch opened up this section of the river for the first time in August 2019. This is basically virgin fly fishing water. The river gets its name from the abundance of freshwater mussels observed by the explorers. The property owner has preserved historic cattle structures and ensured the land's beauty.

The Musselshell River resembles a spring creek, with its narrow width, twisty nature, shallow water, and bushy banks. Because of this, anglers need to approach the river carefully. When wading, walk slowly and carefully. Regardless of what you catch, it will be a great experience seeing wildlife and many different bird types. The best time to fish is early morning and the evening. Fishing for the brown trout in the Musselshell is similar to fishing in other brown trout waters. Use streamers and nymphs, floating them along undercut banks, downed timber, and into the deep pools. The Musselshell River can provide fine top-water action using hopper imitations. Float the hoppers along the undercut banks and other areas that provide cover for the trout.

Accessing the river can be difficult, if you have mobility issues this property could be frustrating for you to get around. It can be a workout to access the water and fishing holes. The banks have brush and tall grass to contend with. Much of the river is accessible using waders but there will be deep holes or other obstructions that force you to walk through the brush before accessing the river again. In other words, you need to be in decent shape to fish this river. Enjoy a slice of history and nature's wonders along the Musselshell River.

Montana stream access law allows navigating the river up to the high water mark. However, there is no access above or below this property. It is all private land. There will be nobody fishing the river, other than those booked at the ranch.

Due to livestock and other concerns, dogs and other pets are NOT permitted on this property.

The riverbanks offer diverse vegetation, winding through farmlands that bring some unpredictability to its flow and clarity. On good days, you can discover tranquil pools and bends with a respectable number of brown trout, with sizes averaging around 14-16 inches and sometimes reaching over 20 inches. Do not fish this section of the river expecting to catch a lot of trout. And this river fishing is not for the beginner. Roughly 85% of the trout are browns and the rest are rainbows. The trout you’ll catch rarely see an imitation fly because of the lack of fishermen on this stretch of river. If you are an experienced fly fishing angler, expect to catch 4-8 fish in an outing, with a very good chance to get one 18” plus in size. The presence of beavers enriches the habitat but might alter accessibility.

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Sunrise to Sunset

Don’t forget your local fishing license, you can grab one online here.

Check your local flow report here. CFS: 500 - Ideal. 2000 - Too High. Under 100 - Too Low.

Know the local regulations.

Fishing Season: April - October. The best months typically are April and May, and the first half of June as well as September and October.

Recommended Rod: Rod Recommendations: 6/4 weight, utilizing dry fly, nymphing, and streamer fly fishing techniques.

Lodging fees. 300.00 per person + taxes and a $60.00 cleaning fee. Minimum 2-night stay. The Cabin is well-maintained and has enough room to sleep 4 comfortably. Comes with a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedrooms, along with a downstairs that has all the same amenities as the upstairs. Fishing within 100 yards of the cabin. This cabin can and is also split up to allow for two separate groups to stay at the same time. Either the main floor entrance (will sleep 3-4 folks- two twins and a queen) or the finished basement with its own entrance (3 bunk beds, with full bathroom and shower, refrigerator, and a microwave). The perfect sleeping situation for the basement is to put gear on the top bunk and sleep in the lower bunk. Would handle 3 folks well.

Dog Regulations: Dogs may be kept inside the fenced area at the river ranch house, approximately 1/3 acre. To minimize wildlife impact in the river corridor, dogs may not roam outside the fenced area or be allowed on the river when you’re fishing. At night dogs must be confined to a dog kennel on the outside porch. They are not permitted inside the house.

This property now has a boat launch to put in or take out a small raft or drift boat. You can put in a raft or driftboat 100 yards from the main bridge on the property. Allowing anglers to float for 9.5 miles of river and take out at the Montana Fishing access point 1/4 mile below the Hwy at Harlowton.