Bighorn River

[bobbypetrolia]

Has anyone fished the Bighorn River and Crescent Falls? We are planning a 4-day trip up there next week and have been doing some reading about the area. Apparently there are Bulls and Cutties below the falls and Cutties only above the falls. Has anyone been up here and fished this? Did you stay at the campground there? What can we expect? What worked well for flies/lures (2 fly guys. 2 spinner-fisherwomen)? Anything else worthwhile to fish within a 1/2 hour? We have already done the Lake-of-the-Falls/ Landslide lakes but loved the area and scenery. Any help/heads up would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!

[smitty9]

Has anyone fished the Bighorn River and Crescent Falls? We are planning a 4-day trip up there next week and have been doing some reading about the area. Apparently there are Bulls and Cutties below the falls and Cutties only above the falls. Has anyone been up here and fished this? Did you stay at the campground there? What can we expect? What worked well for flies/lures (2 fly guys. 2 spinner-fisherwomen)? Anything else worthwhile to fish within a 1/2 hour? We have already done the Lake-of-the-Falls/ Landslide lakes but loved the area and scenery. Any help/heads up would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Bobby:

The Bighorn for me has always been an enigma. You'd be hard pressed to find a prettier river to fish though.

To clarify, the river does allow people to keep fish (a regulation a personally disagree with, but I digress). Hence, by midsummer - late July, early August - some of the holes close to the campgrounds and public access have not only been fisher pretty hard, they may be lacking in fish.

So what I am saying is that it can be hit or miss, depending on how that particular season is going (weather, people, fish kept, etc). So the usual rule of thumb applies; generally the further you walk, the better the fishing (not always, but usually). I have heard some guys doing well way, way upstream.

As for what works, when you find fish, the usual cutthroat flies work well: caddis coachman's, trudes, stimulators, bead headded nymphs, small streamers. as for hardware, all you need are small spinners like Mepps and Panther Martins. Please consider using single hooks on the spinners (of course, everything is barbless).

As for other places to try, try the mouth of any creek dumping into Abraham lake. Also, most of those N. Sask tribs have cutthroats, try any of them that are catch and release (generally, more fish). The Ram and Blackstone rivers have fish in them.

Also, be aware of the advisory regarding stream temperatures:
http://alberta.ca/acn/200907/26590C2C3DCA4-9DDF-CB57-832170F5F31ED1E8.html#

If you are fishing right in the heart of the mountains in high elevation streams, you should be fine, but it pays to be aware.

Good luck!

Smitty

[bobbypetrolia]

Wow. Impressive Smitty. Thank you so much! One post, questions answered. You don't have to worry about us keeping any.......never do. They all go back after a pic........maybe one Bull for the pan, thats it. ;)
Kidding.
The spin-fishergirls with us will probably stay interested for 4 minutes then back to suntan, so no worries 'bout them depleting the population either. :lol:
Thanks again for the info.......sounds like we should be prepared to put some miles on for some good fishing, which is fine by me!

[smitty9]

Bobby;

I re-read my post and I think I was a little judgemental; you would be perfectly within your rights to keep a proper sized cutt out of that river. I will never have a probably with any law abiding angler, no matter what method is used (fly, spin, bait) as long as respect is shown to the resource and the regs are followed. No doubt you're the type of person that will, so no issues (in other words, it would be pure nonsense for me to take an attitude that someone needs my permission to keep fish, LOL).

My problem is that actually, the proper word to use here is baffled. I am really baffled why the SRD has chosen that river - a river that is relatively cold, infertile, and has a poor food base, short growing season, - why that river you are allowed to keep cutts and other rivers in that area are C&R. :huh: Seems to me the Bighorn is a perfect candidate for a C&R fishery.

So anyways, good luck, hope you and the gals get some fish. By the way, if the stream fishing doesn't turn your crank, you can shore fish at Goldeye lake. Also, I have never been there, but I guess Shunda (aka "Fish") lake can be good too.

Good luck!

Smitty

[bobbypetrolia]

Hey Smitty;
No worries on the last post.......wasn't offended at all. Sounds like you have strong opinions towards C&R........as do I.
Was lokking thru my Barry Mitchell tonight; you're right. Theres a ton of good criks within 20 minutes of the BigHorn. Thanks again! Hopefully some pics next week when we get back!:wave: