Belt Creek

What Fish Eat

March-April: Skwala stonefly, black winter stone, midges, BWOs. May-June: March Browns, Salmonflies, Goldenstones, Yellow Sallies, Caddis, PMDs, Green Drakes, Brown Drakes. July-August: Tricos, Caddis, Craneflies, Terrestrials, Spruce Moths. September-November: BWOs, Mahogany duns, October Caddis, Midges.

From the headwaters at Kings Hill to the mouth at the Missouri River, Belt Creek has gained a reputation for producing above average sized fish, as well as good numbers of average size fish, and is considered one of our favorite little streams in the area. With its healthy populations of Rainbow, Cutthroat, Brooke, and Brown trout (in the lower reaches) and the plethora of aquatic life, it isn't uncommon to hook into a 16+" Brown trout on the sections below Logging Creek bridge. Snowy winters bring high water to the creek, allowing for those daring enough to experience a spectacular float through the Sluice Boxes, but experience on the sticks is required considering it can be whitewater for basically the entire stretch when the water is really high. The sections of river below the Sluice Box park are also great for fly fishing, especially for a day of walk and wade. The creek can be fished on most sections fairly well all the way to it's confluence with the Missouri River just up river from the Missouri River access called Widow's Coulee.

History and Conservation

Belt Creek in the Little Belt Mountains is sort of a special place to us guys at the fly shop.  I actually caught my first trout on a fly about 10 feet from Riceville bridge and I know Erik has similar stories about the creek , as I am sure many of you all have as well.

At one time Belt Creek was a trout haven.  During the mining rush in Neihart Belt Creek was known as one of the best trout streams in Montana.  On July 10th, 1925, Silver Dyke Mine,  one of the largest Silver Mines in the area, had a tragic accident.  It’s  impoundment dam collapsed.  This sent a massive amount of mine tailings and sediment roaring down Carpenter Creek in to the upper reaches of Belt Creek (Reference: A Grand Little Canyon; Jeff Erikson) At one time Belt Creek was such a great trout fishery, the train that brought miners up to the silver mines was known as “The Fish Train.”  The Fish Train brought anglers up to their favorite fishing spots in the canyon.

Today, Belt Creek has recovered well with many conservation efforts by the state and government to clean up these potentially hazardous mine tailings.  The fishing is pretty fair as well.  Can it be better?  We are interested in finding out.

Find the current Cubic Feet/Second (CFS) for the Smith River at Eagle Creek and then follow accross the row to find the estimated currect CFS at the Riceville Bridge on Belt Creek. This river can be dangerous when CFS is too high; and on the other extreme too low to float when conditions provide low water levels.

Current Water Flows on Smith River at Eagle Creek here

Thanks to Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks for this chart.