Lewistown’s Big Spring

I drove out along Big Spring Creek (MT Hwy 238) the other evening after a meeting in Lewistown. It’s a curvy road creating a beautiful scenic drive.

There are several easily accessible fishing access sites just a few minutes from Lewistown for that person who wants to grab their fly rod, walk just a few steps to the bank of the creek and start fishing. Sounds like a fly fisherman’s dream!

You’ll hear the area referred to as Brewery Flats. The community began a reclamation project in this area in 1998. I was amazed at the various businesses that had been there – a railroad yard, coal mine, oil refinery, feedlot and brewery. You wouldn’t know it now.

The reclamation project actually created a meandering creek and I studied a kiosk at one of the fishing access sites and learned why. It’s just not to have that idyllic look!

When you slow the water down, deep ponds are created and that’s great for those trout the fisherman is seeking. It also creates some riffles and that attracts insects and…you are probably a step ahead of me here…the trout need that food source.

In this meandering stream, a fisherman could find rainbow trout, brown trout, mottled sculpin and mountain white fish.

I was captivated by this bridge which basically just took me to the other side of the water and more fishing access!

Lewistown had incredible high water from snow melt this year and additional moisture from spring rains. You can still see the high water marks although it has receded now.

If you follow this route a bit farther you’ll come to Big Spring State Park and a fish hatchery.

The area is pretty, it is calming and it is a fisherman’s delight.