Big Fork River

[big musk411]

This looks like a fun trip, has anyone done it before? How is the Muskie and Sturgoen fishing? Seriously thinking about this as my next canoe expedition. Any info greatly apriciated!

Thanks in advance!

[Bobb-o]

might wanna put this in the Deer River/Marcel forum.

[sloopjont]

Hey Musk411-

It's a nice trip! We've gone two or three times and caught muskies to 15 or 18 lbs, walleye, and northern to 10 lbs (the northern grabbed about a 12 inch eye and held on 'til we got him in the boat). I don't know about the sturgeon.

If you have a small boat you can put in at a lot of different places starting just downstream from Bigfork. Look for where roads cross the river. It's possible with a small motor to go upstream and then float back down or if someone can pick you up downstream later that's even better.

Even without the fish biting it'd be a good trip but if you're flexible with your techniques you have a good chance of getting a few fish.

Sloopjont

[big musk411]

Sloopjoint, good stuff! Thanks for the info! I was thinling about doing it in the canoe, but boating sounds interesting. When you say small boat, how small do you mean? I have a 16ft alumacraft with a 25hp, is this too big? Assuming some decent flow, would it work?

[sloopjont]

Sorry it took a while to reply... You'd be borderline on boat and motor size depending on the flow. I had a 14 ft alumacraft w/ 15 hp motor and it was almost too big. Having someone with to help you would be key and going upstream unless you can get a car down to the pickup point because you can almost always go downstream. Get a DNR river map and check out a good stretch to go on. If I remember right we were just downstream from the town of Bigfork but there are a lot of options!

[big musk411]

Thanks! I have been eyeing the map on the DNR site looking at spots. I think I may be best leaving the boat at home and giving it a go in the canoe. I appriciate the info!

[CrappieAttitude]

We took the canoes on the bigfork river a couple years back. We put in right off of hwy 1 East of Effie. We had the intentions to camp on the way down, but each site we came across was was filled with overgrown grass and misquitos. It is a very neat river however. You wouldn't have any concerns with a canoe. There were some decent rapids as well.

CA