The Bighorn River by Fort Smith
January 9, 2012
The Bighorn River by Fort Smith in MT is simply fantastic. Year after year, winter after winter, spring, summer and fall, this river fishes ridiculously great. Rarely do I have a day on the Bighorn that the fishing is not at least good. Good meaning that a fisherman catches at least 10 fish. Yes a 10 fish day is spoiling to most fisherman. However regulars on the river are sometimes disappointed if they catch fewer than 20 fish per visit. Yes we are ultimately spoiled with the Bighorn with this type of thought process, especially when the average fish is 14 to 16 inches on most every visit to the river. I don’t enjoy keeping track of how many fish I catch, but it is a necessary Evil for shop personnel. Simply people what to hear how many as part of how good the fishing is.
The true greatness of the river has come from the tail water and afterbay construction that gives the Bighorn it’s supreme consistency that is hard to rival anywhere on any other water inside the US. Only a few great waters around the world completely rival the Bighorn on every aspect that makes the Bighorn great. At least at a minimum when anyone looks at a given waters attributes on a year round basis, yes 365 days a year, the Bighorn is hard to beat. It never seems to fail a fisherman with any good level of fishing skill. Like all waters that are great, using the right fly at the right time makes all the difference, but the Bighorn is exceptional along fly selection also. Once you figure out the 20 or so patterns needed for the water, you can catch fish all year round in most all weather conditions. Stop by my shop on you way to the horn, and we will gladly explain the simplicity of the river and its fly selection. All you need to do is fish the river enough to figure out the presentations of the needed flies and you too will be amazed at the Bighorn River’s greatness.
I am sorry if this sounds like a Bighorn love fest, but if you are a fly fisherman who truly enjoys fly fishing perfection, you to would sing the wonders of the Bighorn River.
Have fun and don’t bother counting. Just enjoy all that is fly fishing.
Roger
