The Bighorn River is a year round tail water fishery on the Crow Indian Reservation The water coming from the bottom of the Yellowtail Dam is cold and supports a healthy 6000 fish per mile population of wild Brown and Rainbow trout and an abundant insect life. No stocking on this river!
Ken Landing a nice Rainbow with help from guide Bryant Mettlar.
Our morning started by meeting our guide for the day; Bryant Mettlar, at the Fort Smith Fly Shop & Cabins, the outfitter we booked through. Brian is a young and very capable upcoming guide on the Bighorn River. Brian started by rigging our rods for the day (we’re not used to this royal treatment). Our nymph rods were rigged with Hare’s Ears and PMD Emergers or Prince Nymphs; the dry fly rods were loaded with Caddis in tan and black.
Bryant launched the drift boat at Afterbay and as soon as we got set up in the river we were catching fish. One after another of fat healthy Brown Tout and the occasional Rainbow ate our flies. Seventy percent of our day was nymphing; but as the day progressed the sporadic caddis hatch that had been on all morning was picking up and the trout appeared more willing to slurp the adult flies on the surface. So, after a short break for lunch along the river, we switched to dry flies.
Our dry fly rig was a tan and a black caddis in tandem. Periodically the water’s surface erupted with hungry trout attacking drifting caddis like they were the only food they had eaten for weeks.
Dianne With fish on!
Dianne with nice Bighorn River Brown.
Ken with nice Rainbow Trout
It was very pleasant day on the river and we estimate that we caught 90 to 100 trout including a hook jaw rainbow male and several very large browns. This is definitely a “bucket list” fly fishing destination. Plan on spending several days with a couple of float trips if your budget allows.
Ken & Dianne
Know before you go:
The Big Horn is primarily a float river and I highly recommend using a guide for your first trip. If your wallet does not allow a guide you can float the river with a pontoon boat or inflatable raft. The Big Horn would be great for a fishing kayak. There are places to rent drift boats if you know how to handle one.
We found very few places where you can wade fish; three-mile access is one of the most accommodating.
Ft. Smith is an isolated town with only one road in and out.
The nearest major town is 40+ miles away so provision accordingly. Ft. Smith has only one small convenience store, laundry, post office, 2 restaurants and several fly shops.
If you enjoy an adult beverage bring it with you. This is on the Crow Indian Reservation and no alcohol is sold in Ft Smith.
Abandon cabin alone the Bighorn River.
Most accommodations are local cabins and outfitters. Cottonwood Campground has full and partial hook-ups, tent and dry camping with a small fly shop and lots of fishermen! There is dry camping at Afterbay State Campground.
More Information:
Bighorn River alliance: http://bighornriveralliance.org/default.html/
Fort Smith Fly Shop & Cabins: http://www.flyfishingthebighorn.com/
Bighorn Angler: http://www.bighornangler.com/
Bighorn Trout Shop: http://www.bighorntroutshop.com/
Cottonwood Campgrounds: http://www.cottonwoodcampbighorn.com/
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