Selway Float

[Beignet]

A few of us entered the Four Rivers lotteries this year and my buddy managed to draw a Selway permit. We launch on Tuesday. Looks like there’s about five of us Missoula folks going and another four coming up from Colorado. Splitting everyone up between three round boats and one cataraft. We’ve got some experienced oarsmen in the party, including one who has run the Selway before and currently guides in Colorado, and another who used to guide on the Middle Fork.

I’d been a little nervous as I have a healthy respect for water, but looks like the flows are coming down and staying at a well manageable level.

Personally, I’m really hoping there’s a salmonfly or two around and looking forward to fishing at our camps.

Bit of a rare one, but does anyone has hot tips on favorite campsites? Any beta for past runs at similar flows?

I’ll hopefully keep my phone intact and have some photos and stories to share once we all arrive safely home.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Jealous. Have a great trip!

 

[TheTone]

I wouldn’t worry about any hatches effecting the quality of the fishing

It’s a crazy technical river. I’ve done it, hells canyon and the middle fork. The Selway was the most challenging by a long shot IMO

Lots of cool campsites but I’m terrible with names for them

Watch out for rattlesnakes

 

[mtmuley]

A few of us entered the Four Rivers lotteries this year and my buddy managed to draw a Selway permit. We launch on Tuesday. Looks like there’s about five of us Missoula folks going and another four coming up from Colorado. Splitting everyone up between three round boats and one cataraft. We’ve got some experienced oarsmen in the party, including one who has run the Selway before and currently guides in Colorado, and another who used to guide on the Middle Fork.

I’d been a little nervous as I have a healthy respect for water, but looks like the flows are coming down and staying at a well manageable level.

Personally, I’m really hoping there’s a salmonfly or two around and looking forward to fishing at our camps.

Bit of a rare one, but does anyone has hot tips on favorite campsites? Any beta for past runs at similar flows?

I’ll hopefully keep my phone intact and have some photos and stories to share once we all arrive safely home.

Friend of mine did it last week. mtmuley

 

[BackofBeyond]

Tone is right, hatch or not if you can’t catch fish on the Selway it’s you, not the fishing.

Make sure you tie stuff in well, you’re gonna dump it somewhere. Guarantee you’ll have fun.

 

[Beignet]

Make sure you tie stuff in well, you’re gonna dump it somewhere.

Even in my lazy river float tube?

 

[BackofBeyond]

Even in my lazy river float tube?

Yes. But if you go to Schwab’s and got a black inner tube you may just make it.

 

[Beignet]

Yes. But if you go to Schwab’s and got a black inner tube you may just make it.

I’ll take my chances. Them black ones don’t have cup holders.

 

[Beignet]

Friend of mine did it last week. mtmuley

They have a good time with it? River seems to be in great shape.

 

[Irrelevant]

Awesome sauce. On the list, though admittedly near the back. Enjoy the hell out of it.

 

[mtmuley]

They have a good time with it? River seems to be in great shape.

I know they had a good trip. River was ripping he said. I work with a bunch of river freaks. mtmuley

 

[BAKPAKR]

Tone is right, hatch or not if you can’t catch fish on the Selway it’s you, not the fishing.

Make sure you tie stuff in well, you’re gonna dump it somewhere. Guarantee you’ll have fun.

I recently posted this on the Biggest Fish thread but I can attest that it is amazing what you can catch on the Selway.

BTW - I haven’t floated it but I have hiked along it/driven along it from Gold Pan Creek to White Cap Creek and from Bear Creek to its mouth. It is a beautiful river.

 

[PNWGator]

Friend of mine did it last week. mtmuley

#metoo

 

[old270hunter]

A few of us entered the Four Rivers lotteries this year and my buddy managed to draw a Selway permit. We launch on Tuesday. Looks like there’s about five of us Missoula folks going and another four coming up from Colorado. Splitting everyone up between three round boats and one cataraft. We’ve got some experienced oarsmen in the party, including one who has run the Selway before and currently guides in Colorado, and another who used to guide on the Middle Fork.

I’d been a little nervous as I have a healthy respect for water, but looks like the flows are coming down and staying at a well manageable level.

Personally, I’m really hoping there’s a salmonfly or two around and looking forward to fishing at our camps.

Bit of a rare one, but does anyone has hot tips on favorite campsites? Any beta for past runs at similar flows?

I’ll hopefully keep my phone intact and have some photos and stories to share once we all arrive safely home.

Gotta say that’s pretty cool. Good on you.

 

[theat]

I'm trying to get on a trip thats putting on next Friday. You will have a blast. They give out so few permits that you will likely not see hardly any other people. I've only done it post season in my packraft. That was about 1' at Paradise. Looks like its bouncing around 3' right now. Should be a great level. I flipped a handful of times and walked my packraft around a couple rapids, but that was by far the most aggressive water I had pack rafted at that point. The fishing was pretty good at the mouth of many of the side creeks.

We stayed at Upper Archer Flats the first night. Its only 8 miles down, but it was a nice flat site with an easy landing and good shade trees. We stopped at Little Goat Creek Camp at around mile 12 the next day and it was a very nice sand spot with a few big trees for shade. There was rocks/cobble between the river and the beach, but I bet at this level the water will be up to the sand.

Upper Archer Flats


The second and third nights we stayed at small group sites that wouldn't work for you guys. The lower end of the float has a decent amount of nice beaches if you like beach camps. We stayed on a beach on RL near mile 42 just above Hidden Creek Rapid. Really nice spot, but it had sun late which was not great in August, but might be just what you want this time of year.


The river will look a lot different at current levels compared to this


I believe this is the bottom of Double Drop Rapid


Looking back up into Laddle


Wolf Creek Rapid. There was a super nice camp on RR just above this rapid.


Make sure you are locked down tight through the Moose Juice. There is not much time between big rapids once in there.

 

[TheTone]

Wolf Creek Rapid. There was a super nice camp on RR just above this rapid.
View attachment 279353

.

that rapid tried to eat me. We spent a long time hung in it with the boat pointing up at a really bad angle. I was kinda perched on the top trying to bounce us loose and also scouting where I planned to jump in and swim out. We were able to get a pull from the others that got through. When our raft broke loose we shot out fast and backwards. Good times!

 

[BAKPAKR]

Yikes! My back problem (big yellow streak) would keep me from doing that.

 

[Beignet]

I'm trying to get on a trip thats putting on next Friday. You will have a blast. They give out so few permits that you will likely not see hardly any other people. I've only done it post season in my packraft. That was about 1' at Paradise. Looks like its bouncing around 3' right now. Should be a great level. I flipped a handful of times and walked my packraft around a couple rapids, but that was by far the most aggressive water I had pack rafted at that point. The fishing was pretty good at the mouth of many of the side creeks.

We stayed at Upper Archer Flats the first night. Its only 8 miles down, but it was a nice flat site with an easy landing and good shade trees. We stopped at Little Goat Creek Camp at around mile 12 the next day and it was a very nice sand spot with a few big trees for shade. There was rocks/cobble between the river and the beach, but I bet at this level the water will be up to the sand.

Upper Archer Flats
View attachment 279348

The second and third nights we stayed at small group sites that wouldn't work for you guys. The lower end of the float has a decent amount of nice beaches if you like beach camps. We stayed on a beach on RL near mile 42 just above Hidden Creek Rapid. Really nice spot, but it had sun late which was not great in August, but might be just what you want this time of year.
View attachment 279349

The river will look a lot different at current levels compared to this
View attachment 279350

I believe this is the bottom of Double Drop Rapid
View attachment 279351

Looking back up into Laddle
View attachment 279352

Wolf Creek Rapid. There was a super nice camp on RR just above this rapid.
View attachment 279353

Make sure you are locked down tight through the Moose Juice. There is not much time between big rapids once in there.

This is the good stuff right here!

 

[44hunter45]

Watch out for rattlesnakes

This
So many good memories on that river.

 

[Hammsolo]

This sounds like an awesome adventure! Have an amazing time and keep us posted.