Bighorn Lake
Unsurpassed. Force of nature.
Beautiful, tranquil, colorful and teeming with fish. It is almost as if nature decided to create the perfect place to cast a line millenniums ago. One of the nation’s most dynamic natural wonders, and only a short trip away.
The Bighorn Lake is one of the best kept secrets of one of the nation’s most dynamic natural wonders. Over millenniums The Bighorn River has carved through the northern Montana wilderness producing majestic towering limestone walls soaring hundreds of feet above the pristine waters of the lake. The colors and structure of the monolithic canyon walls are indescribable. It’s a Grand Canyon experience in a lake and virtually unused other than peak summer months. Even then the beauty and tranquility are breathtaking. In June you can catch Carp on a fly rod as they cruise the surface looking for Cicadas that have fallen on the surface from the surrounding shore-line trees. It’s a special fly-fishing experience. Maybe try your luck on Small Mouth Bass, Walleye and Trout or just cruise the lake, tie up to a buoy, have some lunch, go for a dip and look for brown bear along the shore line in many of side canyons that populate the main body of water. A day trip to the lake is an unforgettable experience and we can arrange that for anyone who wishes to do so.
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, following the construction of the Yellowtail Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation. This dam, named after the famous Crow chairman Robert Yellowtail, harnessed the waters of the Bighorn River and turned this variable stream into a magnificent lake. Bighorn Lake extends approximately 60 miles through Wyoming and Montana, 55 miles of which are held within spectacular Bighorn Canyon. The Recreation Area is composed of 70,000+ acres, which straddles the northern Wyoming and southern Montana borders. There are two visitor centers and other developed facilities in Fort Smith, Montana and near Lovell, Wyoming. The Afterbay Lake below the Yellowtail Dam is a good spot for trout fishing and wildlife viewing for ducks, geese and other animals. The Bighorn River below the Afterbay Dam is a world class trout fishing area. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a lesser-known treasure waiting to be discovered. It boasts breath-taking scenery, countless varieties of wildlife, and abundant recreational opportunities, such as boating, fishing, ice fishing, camping, and hiking. Bighorn Canyon offers visitors what few other National Park areas can, that of solitude, serenity, and beauty. In the midst of our chaotic world, this is a truly unique quality.
Contact Cheryl to book your trip.
Cheryl will answer your questions and customize your trip for the ultimate Montana fly fishing experience.
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