First trip to fish the St. Joe River Idaho - Part 1 | The Fall

Join us as we fly fish the st. Joe river. We headed out to Idaho to fly fish one of the best Westslope Cutthroat fisheries I've ever fished. Come along on our camping trip as we see moose, osprey, gorgeous Idaho scenery, gin clear water, and lots of gorgeous westslope cutthroat. This was our first time fishing the St. Joe and it lived up to it's expectations. We camped, we fished, and we played music.

[@happyonthefly]

Mark, another great film. Brilliant sound design and some really wonderful cinematic shots! Looking forward to the next part. Are you using a special microphone off your camera or are you using a portable recorder to record your audio? The boys will enjoy watching your film when they get home from school. -P

[@adamburke7613]

I used to fish the Joe and tributaries when I was in college in the mid-90s. So beautiful up there. Thanks for the great film.

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Thank you! I have not gotten to fish those tribs, any suggestions on times to explore them?

[@adamburke7613]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker we fished the St Mary’s River, Marble Creek and the North Fork quite a bit. I was pretty new to fly fishing and seldom had much luck on the main river. I understood small streams better and usually felt more at home on those tributaries. Caught a few very nice fish in the St Mary’s. I’ve wanted to return ever since, now that I know what I’m doing a bit more

[@noelslater822]

Time well spent from the looks of it fellas! Awesome footage!

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Thanks Noel, definitely was time well spent

[@feastfriday]

Great video you put together. Keep it up!

[@adamshelhorn2901]

Really enjoy your videos, keep it up! Looking forward to the next ones

[@flyfishnc3712]

beautiful river man, so jealous

[@bangjanu2415]

Nice my friend 👍👍

[@NorthwestWanderer]

Relaxing video, great work!!! Please keep it up!

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Thanks! I checked out your channel you have some amazing timelapses! Any tips? I haven't really spent much time trying to do timelapses.

[@FlyFishingwithLadin]

Good work! Like the feel. Great river.

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

*Thanks* Ladin! Appreciate you taking the time to watch. I've watched so many of your videos! Especially when planning trips, to get an idea of what a piece of water looks like. Appreciate all the content you and your brother-in-law put out, always a good time!

[@Dark30Outdoors]

Wow! Very well done! Looks like a fun fishing trip for sure!!! 👍👍

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Yeah how can you go wrong with lots of willing cutthroat! Appreciate you taking the time to check out some of the videos

[@nonewherelistens1906]

St. Joe translates as 'River of Beautiful Rocks.' Spent 3 days there in late summer 2018. Had the place to myself. A river I would visit again.

[@FullMoonHatch]

Loved your video.....thanks for sharing!

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Sorry for the late reply, but thanks for Watching!

[@rangertommy]

Great video, Mark!! Super envious of your trip!

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Thanks Tom! I would love to get a crew of bluegrass pickers out here and spend a few or a lot of days fishing and picking.

[@rangertommy]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker Wouldn't that be amazing? My chest waders, fly rod, mando and banjo are ready!

[@d_rocklock3252]

I plan on taking my fiancée and daughter. I use to fish there all the time as a kid back in the early 2000's I've been worried it went down hill from all the people who know about it now but I'm glad to see it's still good. It will be fun to check it out after so long.

[@NWoutdoorsadventures]

Oh welcome to my neck of the woods 😁👍

[@NWoutdoorsadventures]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker feel free to contact me personally anytime you head out this way again, I will always help with any pointers I have from being in the area. Wish I would have known you guys came we could have met up!

[@carolinatroutspey6575]

Beautiful little film man! Looking forward to the next one and nice to see my old home waters!

[@MrMadmanUSA]

I have caught over 30 fish in 3 trips on that river last summer. Great river. I typically float it starting at Calder. But further up the river when it get higher into the mountain areas you can wade more.

[@MrMadmanUSA]

Mark Steudel well I average 10 on each float I do. Smallest are around 8” to 10”. Most are at least 12” with quite a few up near 18”. How far up were you from when you turn onto st joe river road from Saint Marie’s?

[@adventuretimefishinghunting]

Just Checked out your channel Man! Great Video!

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Aww thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed fishing here :D

[@flyguy2021]

The bull moose alone was worth the watch.

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

That was one of the first things we saw. I thought it was a horse at first. We knew it was going to be a good trip, our good luck moose.

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

That was one of the first things we saw. I thought it was a horse at first. We knew it was going to be a good trip, our good luck moose.

[@gonzagafan5326]

Do you mind sharing what creek you went up when you ran into those other anglers? Also you caught some really nice fish up there. I have been fishing these waters for 20 years..most beautiful place on earth in my opinion, great stuff!

[@gonzagafan5326]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker I see great video, looking for part 2

[@kennycoye3907]

I'm from Cda, but was practically raised up the Joe! Ive caught so many Cutties in the past! One, on a tributary, was just over 22"! And Way up River a 24+! Its Heaven up there!

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Hey Kenny, thanks for dropping by. Man those sound like some great fish! I can't wait to get back there. What's your favorite time of year to go?

[@kennycoye3907]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker Summer and Fall! The bigger fish are usually high up the Joe, start getting off the road and start hiking! Even small deep,fast water, u wouldent expect fish, is where I usually catch em! Dry flies! All the time! That's my favorite! No hoppers like you'd think! Gray and purple parachute adams usually!

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

@@kennycoye3907 I was there in Oct and we didn't go really much higher than the turn off to st. regis. The water higher up looked sooo skinny. But throwing just dry flies sounds awesome.

[@kennycoye3907]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker Yep. Below that. Bluff ck. Area! Around there! Nice pools! Up river from Prospector!!😊

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

@@kennycoye3907 Thanks yeah that stretch was fantastic!

[@oregonpatriot1570]

_"I always seemed to travel past it for other rivers."_ I'm the same way with many rivers here in Oregon. When I grab my gear, I'm on the way to the famous Deschutes River in central Oregon, and it's hard to remove the blinders. After 35 years and countless trips, I know the section from 'locked gate' to 'Shears falls' like the back of my hand, and most days I lose count of the fish I hook. Let me tell you.... Hooking a 16 inch wild _'Redsides'_ rainbow is like hooking a passing freight train! My pulse quickens simply writing about it.

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

I have only hooked a few a handful of redsides on the deschutes, and i totally agree they are serious fighters! I also hooked my first swung steelhead on the deschutes. I need to come down for the salmon fly hatch. Anyway appreciate watching and taking time to leave a comment! Tigh lines!

[@oregonpatriot1570]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker As I'm sure you know, the Salmon fly hatch is amazing! Almost too many bugs, making the fish very selective. (and most definitely too many guys fishing!) I like to go about a week after the hatch has passed. The fish still remember, and the crowds have passed as well. There really isn't a bad time of year to fish that river. Overlapping baetis hatches pretty much year around, the march brown hatch, PMD's, etc. And if you're proficient at nymph fishing, you OWN the river. Sadly, every year the steelhead numbers are less and less. Personally I think the fact nuclear material is still leaking into the Pacific 12 years after the Fukushima disaster is part of the reason. (obviously, dams, hatcheries, sea lions, gill netters all play a part as well, as does poor management of water draw at the Pelton re-regulating dam) I fear all salmon and steelhead runs are doomed to extinction. And if they don't straighten the water draw at Pelton out, the Redsides might be in the same boat! People are catching Walleye clear up to Maupin, and that's never been the case in the 35 years I've fished it.

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

@@oregonpatriot1570 Yeah the current state of affairs is bleak for steelhead. :( Take care out there!

[@johnsnelgrove714]

Great videos! Planning a trip to the Joe the first week of October this year. Never been but looking forward to it. Were you guys actually there in October to film and if so did you camp and where? I'll either be in our trailer or truck camping. Thanks. Keep the videos coming!

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

We were there in Oct. there are two types of camping there. There are paid campgrounds and then there are just pull offs that you don’t have to pay for. So just drive along the road and look for places that look fun to camp

[@johnsnelgrove714]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker Thanks for that. Can't wait! Any tips or suggestions for waters around Missoula? Heading there in mid-July for a few days. Catching a couple of concerts but have time during the day.

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Clark fork and rock creek would be two big names. You could also check out the nf of the joe … after that check tributaries that flow into the clark fork

[@johnsnelgrove714]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker Thanks again. We'll be camping along Lolo Creek but it's pretty close to the Clark, Rock Creek, Bitterroot and the Blackfoot. Love the scene in part 2 of the Joe video where you talk about the Camp Pool. Something about camping, early morning, first coffee and getting in the water. Keep up the great filming. Appreciated.

[@calvinraynard3652]

🔥👏

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Thanks appreciate it!

[@MrMadmanUSA]

Call silver bow fly shop in Spokane tell them you want Bill to take you. I did a guide trip with him to learn the river better. Then I got two 9’ pontoons and floated it twice after that. I will most likely do it for the CDA north fork this summer. Also there is a great lady in Calder that will shuttle your car down river for 25$ if you only have one car.

[@Piscatorialveteran]

Very nice fish handling I saw abut halfway through the video. Kept the fish under water the whole time but kinda sketchy single hand squeezed him but much better than most.

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

We try … no shot is worth hurting the fish

[@Piscatorialveteran]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker well let’s not forget you just face hooked him and then dragged him into your net. Considerable pain was felt already. I just can’t stand it when people bring in the fish and it’s exhausted and then they hold it out of the water. Could u imagine how that would feel?

[@roddines8329]

Did you guys fish the river above where the road ends or stay in the road section?

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

We just fished along the road. The water was low so the farther up we went the worst fishing, im sure there were areas to explore up there but the fishing was so good lower down there wasn’t much need

[@roddines8329]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker I am guessing all above Avery. Thinking going up this late summer or Fall.

[@nathanhaines8926]

That first fish you got was a dandy.

[@nathanhaines8926]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker I was watching your videos with my 8 year old. She really enjoyed them, so she had to comment!!

[@DrJohn493]

See comment on part 2

[@bigbadfella]

trill

[@oregonpatriot1570]

Lets help you you get to 1,000 subscribers! _(You've very welcome. Great videos!)_

[@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker]

Aww thanks! I appreciate the support! I'm working on my next video, should be out in the next few weeks.

[@oregonpatriot1570]

@@TheFlyFishingFilmmaker Cool! Just leave time for fishing. _Remember... The good Lord doesn't subtract days spent fishing from the total allotment in one's life!_