Smith River 2024 Float Permit Lottery
The Lottery for the Smith River is open until 2/14. You put in a preferred date and I chose 6/4 that would blend with other potential fishing trips in June. Of course, in the end, if you are lucky enough to get drawn, they select a start date for you unless you win the Super Lottery. Below is some selected pertinent information from their website as well as a copy of my purchase screen.
Website to purchase lottery ticket: https://ols.fwp.mt.gov/landing_input
Website with a ton of information about the river and float: https://fwp.mt.gov/smith-river
Regular Lottary:
Deadline: February 14, 2024
Drawing: February 22, 2024
FWP will notify successful applicants by email
FWP does not notify unsuccessful permit applicants
2024 is the first year applicants can buy a bonus point for the Smith River Permit. A bonus point is essentially an extra chance you can purchase for the permit drawing. These points accumulate year after year if you are unsuccessful in the drawing. Residents can purchase a bonus point for $5; nonresidents can purchase a bonus point for $50. The bonus point is applied to your application the year it is purchased.
Super Lottery:
In addition to the permit lottery, the public may purchase as many $5 Super Permit chances as they choose. FWP issues one Super Permit each year through a separate lottery.
The recipient of the Super Permit will be allowed to launch on any date of their choosing for that float season.
Application period opens: January 02, 2024
Deadline: March 22, 2024
Drawing: March 26, 2024
A winner can invite 14 of their closest fishing buddies to join them.
Fingers crossed!
I asked guide Garrett Munson about floating / fishing the Smith. Here is his response:
Hi Dean, good to hear from you. The Smith River is a special place, Monana's Disneyland is my nickname for it. Here's a little piece I wrote a few years ago - The Future of Fishing in Montana's Disney Land | Montana Fishing Outfitters
I guided on the Smith from 02-05 and have done a few fun trips too, so close to 30 total but I'm in a current dry spell. Launches are hard to get!
As a general rule of thumb, a dropping or stable river in the 400-800 cfs range is best for fishing. I have long told folks that the Smith is a bad choice if you are hell bent of catching fish since the conditions are so fast changing. When the stars align, it's a tremendous fishery with strong hatches and good trout. But it fluctuates up and down with temps and storms so quickly that it's pure guess work on targeting the right time to go. June 16-20 has always been my optimal target, but I've had awesome trips in mid-May, mid-July and Sept.
Hope that helps Dean, good luck and I hope you get to experience it.
All the best.
Garrett