Six of our FATC members headed for a week to beautiful Montana to fish the famous Bighorn river. Tim Graham set up the trip during the “best” time to fish the Bighorn river, but Mother Nature had other ideas.
Five of us, Ron Fiala, Jim Craig, Charlie Trankler, Jerry Lybarger and Kenny Klimes, flew from St Louis to meet up with Tim Graham (who now lives in Colorado) in Montana. The flight was uneventful except for a diversion to Bozeman, Montana – we were going to Billings, Montana. But after an hour delay, we preboarded and headed to our destination. We met with Forrest Rogers, co-owner of Rock Treads, and had lunch with him, then picked up a few supplies at the grocery store before driving to Ft Smith where we would live for the next week. We stayed at the Bighorn Angler lodge in a nice, huge cabin (see pictures). Before I get off on a tangent and discuss our fishing, I want to add that the meals that were served to us (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were nothing less than outstanding. The guides were great, and the lodge employees were friendly and very helpful.
As I said above, Mother Nature had other ideas for this trip. The first morning we woke up to snow covered grounds. That didn’t deter us as we met our guides and headed to the river for the first time. It was cold but we came prepared. We all fished with guides the first day so we could get the lay of the land and know the “spots” to fish during the rest of the week. We all did well on this day and were convinced that this trip would be something awesome. We were watching the weather close because the reports were not what we hoped for, but it could change – it didn’t.
Day two and three brought rain and lots of it. It didn’t stop raining all day but that didn’t stop us from catching fish. At one point we got hailed on. We rented drift boats from the lodge and we selected our boat “teams” by lottery. If you wanted a good laugh you should have been there to see our “rowing techniques”. It proved to be harder than we thought. But we managed and found the spots that the guides told us about. Each day we put in a good 5-6 hours of fishing and at night in the cabin there was no doubt that we were beat. BUT the fellowship was awesome, and we spent several hours each night discussing different techniques to use the next day. Drop shot, tippet “tags” and other techniques have been put into our bag of tricks.
Day four saw the sun come out and unfortunately, the barometer rise. This day was the nicest weather-wise but our toughest fishing day. Was like the trout had lock jaw. We caught fish but not in the numbers that we wanted and again we rowed our rented drift boats.
Day Five we gave up. The weather forecast called for 25-30 mph winds and we all voted to get the “guides” to row the boats for us. We let them fight the winds and it was worth it. They had a hard time so we figured there would have been no way for us to row.
Overall, even though the weather and water temperatures were not at their ideal (which they should have been this time of year) we all had a great time. New friendships were made and many stories to tell. I just don’t have the time and energy to put every little funny story in this report, so you’ll just have to ask us. And then again, some things that happen on the Bighorn stay on the Bighorn.
We took a side trip on our way home and stopped at Custer’s Last Stand – the Little Bighorn battle. Very interesting and learned some things that were not in our history books. Great trip, great guys and great fellowship.
Yes, wek packed a Suburban LX to the top.
Waking up to snow
Snow!! This is May!!!
Yes, we were quite alone out there.
These big windows gave us a great view of the Bighorn valley.
Tim set up the trip - great job
Jerry Lybarger can't wait to get on the water
Charlie Trankler getting ready to head out to fish
18 inch brown on a dry fly.
Yes, that is my fish. The guide won't let me hold it!
Yes, it is cold. But, I don't feel it as long as I am catching fish.
Yes, I AM ready, and there's nowhere else I would rather be!
who stretched Jim legs out to make him taller
Who says wearing orange will spook the fish
We pumped the stomach of a brown trout. Look at the variety of bugs.
Time too suit up
Tim, yes with another
Tim with another
Tim has one on
This was the setting for the very short and decisive Battle of the Little Bighorn
This was General Custer's (last) view.
This is nice, very nice.
This guy fought hard but he came to the net
They let Jerry row the boat
Tim with a nice catch
The view from our porch on dreary morning.
The smile says it all
The colors were awesome
The browns keep comming.
The Bighorn River
The Bighorn doesn't get any better
The Bighorn 'bows were fat and big
Someone help this old mann get his waders off
Smiles tell all on this trip
Ron's trout with our guide George
Ron, we eat fish not the rods
Ron tries his hand at rowing
Ron pulls in this trout
Ron hauled in a few this day
Ron and Jason net this big guy
Nice trout for Ron pulled out of the riffles
Plenty of room to spread out.
Some beauty art work in our cabin
Perfect time for Kenny and Ron to stop for lunch.
Our other guide Jason holds out a trout that Kenny brought to the net
Our other boat takes the lead
Now we are starting to figure out this cold fish.
Nice trout for JIm
Nice rainbow on the first day of fishing
Nice rainbow caught from the drift boat.
Nice brown for Jerry. Our guide, Mike, was a great teacher.
Nice arm. Our guide on Friday like to hold the fish himself.
Morning #1; Jim and Jerry ready to take on the Bighorn!
Map 3
Map 2
Map 1
Loving life on the river today!
Kenny's brown below Aferbay Dam.
Kenny with a nice catch
Kenny pulled this fat rainbow in - look at that tail
Kenny and their guide George
Kenny and George with another nice Bighorn trout
Just another beautiful Bighorn trout
Jimm Craig and Ron Fiala discuss their strategy
Jim was a rowing machine
Jim stretching that last inch.
Jim knocking them out of the park
Jim has one that won't give up
Jim and Jerry with a double-header.
Jerry's got everything figured out, especially the relaxing.
Jerry is in the game!
Jerry giving this bow it's 15 mins of fame.
In the net!
I love this.
I just had to take a picture of this scenic view. There nearby mountains were still snow-covered.
I came a long way to catch that fish!
Home for a week
Great looking cabin on a sunny morning.
Hey, this is a nice place.
Hey, I got another
Hey, has anyone seen my indicators
Here's what we pumped from the stomach of a brown trout. Zoom in so you can see the teensy, tiny bugs and worms he was eating. A size 22 midge is not out of the question.
Here's Ron stressing about which flies to use tomorrow....NOT!
Here are the fly recommendations when we arrived....it was the same as when we left.
Hard fought and well deserved
Great view across the Bighorn Valley.
Great group and great trip
Gorgeous brown for Tim
Getting ready for the float down river
George got us on to fish all day AND he was from the Chicago area
George doing the honmors of holding my fish
Fishing all day is hard work
Fish make me smile.
During a break Tim found Morel mushrooms - hor d'oeuvres before dinner
Finishing a gerat day on the river with a great meal.
OK, food pics are out of place on a fishing trip. But, their food was the best. This is cod.
Dinner is served
Finally a sunny day and a brownn for Charlie
Fat rainbows for Kenny
Famous Bighorn car lot
Even the pelicans fly in for the trout
Dressing for the one sunny day we had.
Doubleheader in the net!
Don't know what they were discussing
Doesn't get much better than this
Craig stretching that last inch.
Charlie is liking this trout
Charlie is having a great time
Charlie brings in a bighorn brown
BWOs
BooYaa
Boat assignments for Tuesday.
Bighorn River Parking Lot
Bighorn Brown
BIG trout for Tim - one of the biggest of the trip
Awesome, fiery sunset.
Beautiful rainbow
At the end of the rainbow are the fish
Beautiful Bighorn River Brown
Beautiful Bighorn browns
Another brown trout for Charlie
Another big tail 'bow
All the rainbows were chunky.
All gone - now what do we do
A smile on a worthwhile trip
A little prep time as Ron schooled some of us on how to tie the perfection knot.
A fighter
A 'bow for Tim
A Big Carp that kenny caught on a tiny fly - go figure
A Beauty for Tim
These markers indicate where the soldiers fell at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Zoom in to read the black marker in the middle.
Visited battle of little Bighorn - black grave is where Custer fell
Cemetery at Battle of Little Bighorn
The memorial for 220 soldiers who feel at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Little Bighhorn Battlefield National Monument Park.