Judith River - Discovering Montana
The Judith River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 140 miles long, running through Central Montana. The river was named by William Clark of the famed Lewis & Clark Expedition. William Clark came across a stream which he considered particularly clear and pretty, and named it the Judith River, in honor of his sweetheart, Julia (Judith) Hancock, whom he later married. It rises in the Little Belt Mountains and flows northeast past Utica and Hobson. It is joined by many "feeders" along its path most notably Big Spring Creek, Warm Spring Creek, and Wolf Creek. The Judith eventually empties into the "Mighty Mo" in the White Cliffs Area just 18 miles Northwest of the town of Winifred. Big Springs Creek feeds the Judith 69 miles upstream of the mouth and effectively begins Catfish country. Warm Springs empties into the Judith 50 miles upstream from the mouth and Wolf Creek dumps in just over 12 miles from the mouth.
Local angler, Bryon Armour, states; "Catfishing can be exceptional at the right time of year and with adequate stream flows from the Beckman Mule Deer Refuge all way to the mouth. I have experienced various levels of success up as far as the Ware and Danvers communities, which are 64 miles from the mouth. Traditionally I hit the Judith 3 to 5 times per year. Most of the Cats I catch are in that 5 to 10 lb. range along with the occasional 12 to 18 pounder. I don't think i've ever gotten a 20, but I believe they are in there." Jet Boat access can prove very difficult on the lower Judith, however. The Judith Landing is available on the Missouri River directly across the river from the mouth of the Judith. It provides a nice concrete boat ramp, bathrooms, picnic tables, and a campground. If you launch your Jet Boat at this access, you may only be able to travel upwards of five miles from the mouth of the Judith before running into impassable waters. The Judith is a hard bottom, gravel river with quite a bit of deadfallen trees along its path. Veteran Montana Cats angler, Nate Molstad, once stated; "It's the fast moving water that keeps cutting the banks away and washing trees into the river. It provides excellent structure and excellent fishing of all sizes. Small two pound Cats all the way up to our biggest of 19.2 lbs." Floating the lower section in pre-spawn could provide great results for the serious outdoorsman. Nate added; "I think 40 to 50 quality Cats in a single float trip is a possibility."
The serious angler may choose to tackle this body of water from the shoreline. Much like the Musselshell River, the contour of this river was likely permanently changed during the vast flooding of 2011. The "100 year flood" straightened out a large portion of the river and made boat access even more unlikely. This devastation left the river more rocky, shallow, and swifter. The Judith is considered a Class I river, in terms of Montana's Stream Access Law, from its confluence with Big Spring Creek to its confluence with the Missouri River for public access and recreational purposes. Prime waters most certainly await those rare shore anglers that are willing to put in the miles trekking its shoreline. The American Prairie Reserve recently purchased much of the property that lies adjacent to the lower Judith River. Thankfully, they allow for fishing and shore access throughout the entire Reserve.
Above Information from Montana Cats Staff.
