So this is a wilderness type float trip where we float for five days. We start fishing in the morning while the gearboaters break camp and pack it in a boat. They then row down river and set camp in a new spot 10 or so miles further and then we do it all over again. The wade fishing is said to be best in the fall, problem is that there are very few inholdings and there is only one that is a guest ranch type of place where you can stay. You have to float the river to fish it, unless you stay at that ranch or backpack 10 or so miles. I have never fished it in the fall but it is full of brown trout, and it is very small then so.... There is rarely enough water to pull off a float in the fall. This year we will probably be able to float it well into July, but some years it gets too low by late June. There are a few grayling in it but I have never seen one, though have friends who have caught them. The water can get close to 80 degrees in the summer but there are many springs that seep into it and the trout take refuge there. It's mostly a spring thing with salmonflies, goldenstones, grey drakes, pmds, and other typical westrern bugs. Some summers the water gets so warm that fishing becomes unethical and they have put it on closures in the past but that probably won't happen this year.

Those pictures above show it basically at flood stage, near 2000 CFS. 400-600 CFS would be more normal and better for fishing.

The Smith drains a lot of agricultural land and therefore can blow out with a good dumping of rain. It's not really a crapshoot because it's going to be a fun trip no matter what yet the fishing can be really good or not so hot and it can go from one to the other pretty fast.