Clark Fork River Clean-Up
19 August 2024 | Clark Fork River, Season | Summer
Cleaning up the river in Superior, MT.
Eighteen Montana Guides worked over the past winter to continue their education in the Guiding For The Future program. These guides volunteered to improve their Knowledge, Professionalism, Ethics, and Stewardship. One of the requirements for the program is to become engaged in the topic of your choice, write a proposal/research paper, and submit it for review.
Matt Spangler, a local Missoula Fishing Guide, was spurred into action while taking the course and developed the idea to conduct a Clark Fork River Clean Up in Superior, MT. As a local from the area, this was important for Spangler. Even more close to his heart is his family. Hence, the Buddy Spangler Memorial Clark Fork River Clean-Up was borne.
As quoted on the River Clean Up page:
“In 1933, R.W.(Buddy) Spangler of Superior, MT was the Chairman of the Committee on Fish & Game. “Fish and Game” introduced House Bill 259 – defining navigable waters and authorizing anglers to go along such waters for fishing - specifically identifying high water lines for angling. We still enjoy the high water mark river access laws in Montana today that Buddy helped implement in the Montana legislature. The law eventually became our current MCA 87-2-305 (Fish, Wildlife & Parks section) and could be argued the best river access law in the world.”
More information can be found in The Public Trust Doctrine & Montana's Stream Access.
Family was involved, and family showed up! I arrived early to check in for my stretch of river to float and pick up trash and was greeted by aunts, uncles, dad, and many friends who traveled from afar to assist with the effort.
Not only did family turn out to participate in the clean-up, but several guides took a day off to join the many volunteers who love the river. Spangler organized sponsors as well to assist with the event, none more influential than The Mineral County Rec Club.
Local businesses got involved and provided a variety of services and raffle items. Many thanks go out to The Missoulian Angler Fly Shop, Kingfisher Fly Shop, Grizzly Hackle Fly Shop, Clark Fork Trout, GuideTime, Westslope Chapter Trout Unlimited, Blackfoot River Outfitters, Montanans For Healthy Rivers, the Nugget Lounge, Captain's Green Anchors, and Big Sky Shuttles of Superior, MT.
Trash bags, stickers, and assignments were handed out at the check-in. Volunteers were lining up and heading out to their portion of the river to float or walk looking for trash.
Conor and Tyler jumped in the truck and we took off for Forest Grove Fishing Access. It took us a minute, but soon we found the steel and trash we were looking for. By the middle of the float, the drift boat was full and we powered out to make it to the Nugget!
Some of the more prized fines included a couple of wagon wheels, industrial steel hubs, car frame parts, spring coils, an oar blade, a car hood, tires, and a steel lounge chair set. I think if we could have gotten the riding lawn mower out of the gravel it’s buried in we might have been able to fashion together a sweet go-cart!
It appears the effort was a success as the trash trailer was full. I’m eager to hear how much it weighed. An impressive amount of metal came out of the river.
For all of those involved, and especially Matt Spangler, thank you for your efforts to clean up the Clark Fork River. I’m looking forward to the next one. I have a plan for that mower, and the manhole cover we heard of on the opposite bank!
- Russell Parks | Montana Fishing Outfitter #9928
Missoula Fly Fishing Outfitters
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