The Field Journal
Rivers & Lakes · Tributary Creek

Tamarack Creek

A creek in the St. Mary River watershed, a tributary of Kootenay River, holding Westslope Cutthroat, Bull Trout and Rainbow in provincial fish-inventory records.

Tamarack Creek is a tributary creek flowing into Kootenay River. Recorded fish: Westslope cutthroat, bull trout, rainbow, cutthroat, dolly varden, kokanee.

The water

It flows into Kootenay River within the St. Mary River watershed (St. Mary River → Kootenay River). It runs stream order 2 (high in the network, near the headwaters; the scale runs from 1 for a headwater trickle to 6+ for a river) and roughly 3 km. Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Bull Trout, Rainbow Trout, cutthroat, dolly varden, Kokanee, recorded here in provincial fish-inventory data (110 records).

The fishing

As a small stream, a tributary of Kootenay River, Tamarack Creek fishes the way creeks of its size do: short drifts with a buoyant attractor dry over a light dropper, working the pocket water and the heads of pools. Match the fly box to the season and confirm against a current local report.

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Tributary Creek
St. Mary River watershed
straighten
Stream order 2
~3 km
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Westslope Cutthroat and Bull Trout
110 records

Access & the rules

Access for Tamarack Creek, meaning the roads in, put-ins and any walk-in or seasonal limits, is worth confirming locally before you commit a day. The drainage map shows how the water sits in its valley.

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Before you fish

Confirm the current BC freshwater fishing regulations (Region 4 – Kootenay) before you go This water is part of the Kootenay River system.. Official synopsis: gov.bc.ca fishing regulations.