Fishing Montana's Ruby River

Fishing the Ruby River

The Ruby River originates at the convergence of its East, West, and Middle Forks and runs in a northwesterly direction for 97 miles. In its upper section, the river flows through

Beaverhead - Deerlodge National Forest between the Gravelly and Snowcrest mountain ranges. Fourteen miles downstream it veers gradually west to run alongside the Ruby Range and into Ruby River Reservoir, which was built in 1939 to store irrigation water.

The upper basin’s grasslands, historically a summer range for American bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorns, and grizzly, are prone to erosion and mass wasting, leading to turbid water flows in the river.

Below Ruby Reservoir the stream meanders past Alder and just west of Nevada and Virginia cities, three of Montana’s historic gold mining towns. The Ruby completes its last 45 miles below the Ruby River Dam in a wide, open agricultural valley and joins the Beaverhead River near Twin Bridges, Montana. Gravel roads which parallel the upper river allow excellent access.

Fishing the Ruby River: The Ruby River, above Ruby Reservoir, is known as a good fishery for rainbows, cutthroats and grayling . The lower stretch of the river, below Ruby Dam, provides excellent fishing for brown trout. The average size of browns runs between 10-14 inches, with some fish stretching 16-20 inches. While the fish may not get as large in the Ruby as in other nearby rivers, the fishing pressure on the river makes fishing somewhat more enjoyable.

Fishing Access Sites

Ruby Dam River Mile: 45: Directions: 7 miles south of Alder on the Ruby Dam Road.
Vigilante River Mile: 44: Directions: 6 miles south of Alder on the Ruby Dam Road.
Coy Brown Bridge River Mile: 41: Directions: 4 miles south of Alder on Ruby Dam Road, then west on Hinch Creek Road to the bridge.
Alder Bridge River Mile: 38: Directions: At Alder, take the Ruby Dam Road south, then turn west on Judy Lane at school house. Follow road to river.
Ruby Island River Mile: 37: Directions: At Alder, take the Ruby Dam Road south, then turn west on Judy Lane at school house. Follow road to river.
Silver Springs Bridge River Mile: 19: Directions: 3 miles west of Sheridan on Silver Springs Road.

NOTE: All river Fishing Access Sites (FAS) are listed in descending order by river mile from headwaters to mouth. The mouth of a stream is its confluence with another body of water and is considered mile 0.