I’ve heard the name for years but have never visited it. I have driven by it and through the valley but never stopped. This month I finally made the journey over to the Ruby River which is considered one of the most beautiful rivers that flow through Montana and for trout fisherman one of the hardest to fish. The Ruby River is a tributary of the Beaverhead River and flows from Beaverhead National Forest north until it merges back into the Beaverhead River at Twin Bridges. Along the way, it goes through the Tobacco Root Mountains and the Ruby Range making it beautiful to observe.
Due to the location of the river and the amount of private land that resides along either side of the river as it flows through the Ruby Valley, there is limited access to public fishing areas. Beneath the dam at Ruby Reservoir, there are several access points that allow people to get to the river. As a result of the limited access, fishing can be very tough. The biggest factor I found was the color of the water was always a glacial greenish-blue due to high mineral content. This made matching color patterns difficult. Despite these obstacles, the drive over was definitely worth it as the scenery of the river was like nothing else I have seen. Photographically the river is a treasure trove of different possibilities.