The Bighorn River is considered, by some, to be the best trout stream in the continental US as well as the best brown trout fishery in the world. This fishery was completed in 1967 along with the completion of the Yellowtail Dam. From 1975 to 1981, fishing was prohibited on the river because of Indian disputes. Since its welcome reopening in 1981, the river has consistently provided great trout flyfishing in the north central region of Wyoming.
The fishery is a tail-water fishery, meaning the water is cool in the summer and remains ice free in the winter, allowing for a longer growing season for the trout. The Bighorn River's ecosystem contains more than enough to sustain the large number of brown and rainbow trout. Also, because of the surrounding limestone geology, the water hosts populations of mayflies and fresh water crustaceans, providing the trout with a substantial food supply. Located west of the majestic Big Horn Mountains and Bighorn National Forest, near Lovell.
