Cottonwood Fly Fishing

The trips run on roughly five miles of private ranch water taking in both the Bear River and the Smiths Fork, held within Cottonwood Ranch and fished by permission rather than from public access. There is no boat involved: anglers wade, which suits water of this size and keeps the pressure light across the stretch. A half day is four to five hours; a full day runs seven to eight and includes lunch. Bonneville cutthroat trout are the draw, with brown trout and mountain whitefish also in the river. Fly rods, flies, tippet and terminal tackle are supplied with the trip. Because the water sits on a working ranch, the operation also sells add-ons that have nothing to do with fishing and are aimed at families travelling with an angler – lodging on the property, horseback riding and fossil hunting among them.