Three Trips on the Smith River: Steve’s 2024 Reflections

Nov 9

Written by STEPHEN MACKEY

Three Trips on the Smith River: Steve’s 2024 Reflections

Tough fishing, new friends, a tent rescue, and an evening of brown drakes.

Steve Mackey · July 14, 2024

The Smith River winds between forested hills and limestone cliffs.

CAMPFIRE STORIES

THREE TRIPS. ONE EPIC RIVER.

Steve Mackey · Healing Waters Lodge

When I first talked with Mike Geary about the legendary trout waters that Healing Waters Lodge has to offer, I had never heard of the Smith River Expedition. Upon hearing Mike’s description of the Smith, I became super excited and discussed the Smith River Expedition with several people including guides, gear-boaters, and clients. I heard the words “amazing”, “spectacular”, and “epic” used over and over to describe the experience.

And now, after three Smith River Expeditions under my belt in 2024, the word I choose to describe the experience is “epic” and I truly believe that the Smith River Expedition is “The Ultimate Montana Fly-Fishing Adventure.”

May 17: More Than the Fishing

Our first trip of the year launched on May 17th, and we were greeted with high (about 1,100 cubic feet per second) and cold water from snow runoff triggered by several unusually warm days prior to the launch. We had a mix of nice and not-so-nice weather along with tough fishing. And, I had an epic time as did the rest of our clients and crew.

I was fortunate to have my first experience be tough fishing and mixed weather conditions to be able to understand that the Smith River Expedition offers far more than fishing—it’s the remote nature of the river that allows you to be completely disconnected from our electronic tethers and immersed in the natural beauty of the canyons. It’s the history of the area captured in the Native American pictographs along the rock walls. And it’s the camaraderie of sharing the expedition with friends, family, and colleagues.

Sunlit limestone cliffs above the Smith River.

Anglers float beneath a forested limestone wall on the Smith River.

Canyon walls and time on the water. Photography from HWL’s Smith River collection.

May 29: Sharing the Experience

An angler stands in the Smith River beside a raft and limestone cliffs. — On the Smith River.

My second trip of the year launched on May 29th and was with a family group of clients and a photographer friend, Susannah Dowel. We were greeted with favorable water levels (about 550 cubic feet per second), more nice than not-so-nice weather days, and solid fishing. Our client group from Texas, who we met at the Dallas Safari Club convention, had never experienced fly-fishing in Montana and they quickly learned how to catch the browns, rainbows, brook trout, cutthroat and whitefish of the Smith.

I was able to enjoy sharing the experience with Susannah, whose awe and enjoyment mirrored my own reactions a couple of weeks earlier during my first trip. Susannah captured over 3,000 images during our expedition and managed to learn how to fly fish and catch some browns and rainbows of her own.

An angler fishes beside tall Smith River canyon walls. — Fly fishing in the Smith River canyon.

June 26: A Tent Rescue and an Evening Hatch

My third and last trip of the year launched on June 26th and was with another family group—this time hailing from Georgia. On this rare occasion, I was going down the Smith as one of our guides under the continuing tutelage of our experienced team leader, Tim Flynn, and seasoned Smith and lodge guide, Todd Throckmorton. We were greeted with extremely low water (about 156 cubic feet per second) and mostly pleasant weather other than a very rainy, windy, and cool Day 3.

This particular group had many returning clients that had done the Smith River Expedition 20 years earlier. When the fathers (two brothers) and their sons were discussing having another outdoor adventure, they unanimously chose to do the Smith again. The low water made fishing slightly inconsistent, but both the number and quality of fish throughout the trip were very good.

On Day 2, we had a super strong wind burst that shredded our “Big Top” tent that we use for cooking, staff sleeping quarters, and as an eating space during inclement weather. Fortunately, we were able to use a Garmin in-Reach to text the team at the lodge and have them bring another tent to the Heaven on Earth Ranch, the only stopping point on the Smith where we are able to get outside resources.

Day 3 was our rain, wind, and 55-degree day. Needless to say, we were all very happy to see the new “Big Top” tent set up, warm and dry, as we rolled into camp the evening of Day 3.

After dinner on the evening of Day 4, we were treated to an amazing hatch of brown drakes that came off the river in swarms for the 90 minutes leading up to dark. Everyone enjoyed some great dry-fly wading right in front of the camp.

Tents in a grassy riverside camp beneath the Smith River canyon walls. — Riverside camping is part of the Smith River expedition.

Guests share a meal at a riverside camp table. — Dinner together at camp.

An elevated view of the Smith River winding through wooded canyon walls. — The river and canyon, seen from above.

An Epic Season on the Smith

Our trips throughout May, June, and early July had some outstanding fishing. Our guides, some of whom have been floating the Smith for decades, described both the fishing and the quality of the fish as some of the best they have ever seen. A consistent and important theme throughout the season was how much our client groups enjoyed their experience on the Smith. The food, the accommodations, the scenery, and the fishing made for an epic adventure that created memories that will last a lifetime and that they are able to share with friends and family.

Until the next rise,

Steve Mackey & The Healing Waters Lodge Team

ON THE RIVER

From the HWL Team

What Do Those Flow Numbers Mean?

River flow is measured in cubic feet per second, or cfs. Picture a cube of water one foot wide, one foot long, and one foot tall. One of those cubes passing a fixed point each second equals 1 cfs.

CFS tells you how much water is moving downstream—not how deep the river is or how fast it is moving at every spot. The same flow can spread across a wide, shallow stretch or pass through a narrow, deeper channel. It’s a useful starting point for understanding conditions, not a score for how good the fishing will be.

A cube of water measuring one foot on each side passes a fixed point each second: one cubic foot per second, or 1 cfs. This measures volume over time, not depth. — One cubic foot passing a fixed point each second equals 1 cfs. Concept diagram, not a flow estimate for the Smith River. How USGS measures streamflow.

TRIP PLANNING

Planning Your Smith River Trip

From the HWL Team

Time Away: You’ll spend five days and four nights on the river. Allow travel time on either side, and ask us about arrival and departure arrangements before booking flights.
Nights at Camp: You’ll sleep in a tent with a cot beside the river. Our crew sets up camp and prepares meals; you won’t be returning to the lodge each evening.
Your Group: Coming with family or friends? Send us your group size and the launch dates that work for you. Let us know if anyone is new to fly fishing or has questions about camping.
Finding a Launch: Check the Smith River launch calendar and select a date to send an inquiry. We’ll confirm space for your group before you make plans around it.

YOU’RE INVITED