Smith River Draw Odds

[Deleted member 28227]

4 buddies and I put in for a Smith permit as a potential bachelor party trip, does anyone know if they publish official draw odds anywhere? I know the odds can be long but I have no idea what that means practically, like sheep hunt bad?

 

[Art Vandeley]

I think the odds are pretty decent if you don't need to go during the peak season. No idea if they put the odds out there anywhere though.

 

[406LIFE]

You can request from helena the draw numbers and do your own math. Ive never seen real odds put out.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

You can request from helena the draw numbers and do your own math. Ive never seen real odds put out.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Kaitum]

Go here: http://stateparks.mt.gov/smith-river/ Scroll down to Smith River Plans and Reports. Second PDF will tell you how many applied last year for each launch date.

 

[mdunc8]

Don’t apply for June 26th, please

 

[Deleted member 28227]

29th... looks like it’s gonna be rough, we only have 5 though so

 

[mdunc8]

Four adults and four kids who can’t put in here...

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Anyone know why you can’t bring dogs? It’s a float on a public waterway and all the camping is public land, how is that a thing?

I wasn’t planning on bringing mine if we draw, but it seems absurd that the state can even make that a rule...

 

[MThuntr]

There was likely multiple negative issues with people bringing their misbehaved dogs up to and including dog bites, fights, and shits in camping areas. I for one appreciate a camp clean of all three.

 

[wyoelkfan15]

We drew the Smith last year, we were willing to put in for non-peak season and drew. We had it the last week of July.

I would HIGHLY recommend this trip to anyone into overnight rafting trips. That being said, the late season tags are very easy to draw for a reason, as the river gets super low after mid July. The week before we were on the water the flow was around 400-550 CFS, dropped to mid 100's a couple days before we showed up. We did it on duckies and paddleboards and had a blast, the bigger boats we saw in other parties were having trouble on the water at that low of flow.

PM me if you have any specific questions on logistics or anything.

 

[Yellowstoner]

Last year the water was very high late into the season. Normally rafts are done by the 1st week of July. Since the snowpack is up above the 120% mark, I put in for end of june and the first week of july, hoping to catch some good fishing before the water is too low.

 

[Kaitum]

Draw results are posted. I drew my first choice date. How'd others do?

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I didn't draw but my buddy did!!, 6/29/2019

 

[406LIFE]

Negative for me...

 

[PrairieHunter]

Wow, that's crazy to have to put in for a draw to float a river. And even a super tag option.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Wow, that's crazy to have to put in for a draw to float a river. And even a super tag option.

There are actually a bunch of rivers/ sections of rivers that require them... it's all about preserving the resource for future generations.

Colorado Whitewater - River Trip Permits

 

[nrpate05]

Congrats! My buddy just told me today that he drew for mid September. May have to move some things around to make room for that trip.

 

[Pelican]

Wow, that's crazy to have to put in for a draw to float a river. And even a super tag option.

Drawing permits for some rivers (Selway, Middlefork Salmon, Smith, Grand Canyon) seem like drawing a sheep tag. Not quite that hard as you can get a bunch of folks together and all go if one draws, but sometimes it seems that impossible.

 

[mdunc8]

No luck here.