Free Shipping on most orders over $40.00 - US Only
August 26, 2026 | Rock Creek, Montana
I headed out to Rock Creek near Missoula, Montana, with a pretty simple goal: I wanted to catch a westslope cutthroat.
I’ve caught plenty of rainbow and brown trout over the years, but I hadn’t yet had the chance to spend some time specifically looking for a westslope cutthroat trout on Rock Creek. I was curious to see how the evening would unfold.
I rigged up my 10-foot 3-weight and Euro nymphing setup and got on the water in the late afternoon. The weather was comfortable, with temperatures in the mid-70s, mostly cloudy skies, and light wind. There was a chance of afternoon thunderstorms in the forecast, but for the time I was on the creek, conditions were pretty ideal for fishing.
It didn’t take long for the fish to show themselves.
The Rainbows and Browns Were Ready to Eat
Within about 30 minutes, I had already started catching fish.
Most of the trout were rainbows, and they were taking the flies as they came through the drift. When they ate, they weren’t shy about it. The takes were aggressive enough that there wasn’t much question about whether a fish had eaten the fly.
The brown trout were even more aggressive.
Several of the browns seemed to be waiting for the fly to hit the water. Almost as soon as the flies landed, they were on them. It made for a fun evening of fishing, especially with the 3-weight.
The fishing was good enough that I could have simply stayed there catching rainbows and browns and called it a successful evening.
But I still had that one fish in mind.
The westslope cutthroat.
Finally Finding the Cutthroat
As I worked my way through the creek, I started paying more attention to the slower water and structure rather than just concentrating on the obvious current.
Eventually, I found what I was looking for.
The westslope cutthroat was holding in a slower bend of the creek, in about 2½ to 3 feet of water, tucked behind some structure.
The take was nothing like the aggressive browns or rainbows.
It was slow.
I was watching the line as the flies worked through the water when I noticed it stop. There wasn’t a big indication that a fish had eaten. Just that subtle pause that makes you wonder if you’re looking at a rock, a snag, or a trout.
I set the hook.
The fish immediately took off.
It wasn’t a giant cutthroat, but on the 10-foot 3-weight it put up a really nice little fight. It was exactly what I had been looking for, and after catching several other trout, finally seeing that westslope cutthroat come to hand made the day. The fly of the day – a Sexy Walts Worm – Pink Tag.
There’s something satisfying about having a specific fish in mind and eventually finding it. The rainbows and browns had provided plenty of action, but this fish felt different.
It was the fish I came for.
A First for Me: A Rock Creek Sculpin
The cutthroat wasn’t the only interesting catch of the evening.
I also caught a sculpin, which was a first for me while fly fishing.
It wasn’t what I was expecting to find at the end of my line, and it was a fun little reminder that there’s a lot more happening beneath the surface of a trout stream than the trout we spend our time chasing.
About 14 Fish and One Fish That Mattered Most
By the time I finished fishing, I’d caught approximately 14 fish.
Most were rainbows, with a few browns mixed in, along with the westslope cutthroat and my first fly-caught sculpin.
For me, though, the number that mattered most was one.
One westslope cutthroat.
I went to Rock Creek to fish for trout, but specifically to find a westslope cutthroat, and I was fortunate enough to accomplish that goal.
The day was a good reminder that sometimes the fish you’re looking for isn’t sitting in the fastest or most obvious water. This one was tucked behind structure in a slower bend, and the take was subtle enough that watching the line closely made the difference.
That’s one of the things I enjoy most about fly fishing. You can catch fish all afternoon, but there’s usually one moment you’ll remember more than the rest.
For me, on this trip to Rock Creek, it was seeing that line stop.
Then setting the hook.
Then watching that little cutthroat take off downstream.
A good evening on Rock Creek. Fourteen or so fish. A new species for my fly-fishing catch list with the sculpin. And, most importantly, the westslope cutthroat I’d come looking for.
I’ll take that kind of evening anytime.
