Dentry: Lodge's owners carrying on despite fire

Published August 8, 2006 at midnight

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Three people died early Sunday in a fire that destroyed one of three fly shops in the legendary fly-fishing village of Fort Smith, on the Crow Indian Reservation near Montana's Bighorn River.

The Bighorn Trout Shop and lodge, a popular meeting place for world-class traveling trout fishers, burned to the ground in a fast-moving fire officials say spread from one of its two lodging buildings.

Eight of 17 lodging units burned. The Yellowtail Market, a grocery and general store next door to the Bighorn Trout Shop, also was destroyed.

Firefighters found the bodies of two women and a man in the rubble of the lodging units. Bighorn County Sheriff's Office dispatcher Bud English said the victims were not local residents. Their names are being withheld pending notification of relatives.

The fire started about 1:30 a.m. and burned until sunrise Monday. Its cause is under investigation. English said county law officers doubt there was any connection between the fire and a scheduled trout fishing visit Monday by Vice President Dick Cheney.

"No, there's no association at all," English said Monday. "He's there now."

Nevertheless, the coincidence and Fort Smith's location on Crow Nation land set off separate investigations by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, in addition to that of the Bighorn County Sheriff's Office.

Established in 1985, the Bighorn Trout Shop was the second oldest fly shop and outfitter in Fort Smith and the oldest fly shop under continuous ownership.

Co-owner Steve Hilbers said he and his wife, J.J., awoke in their home behind the shop to the sounds of "car horns honking, yelling and what we thought was gunfire, but now we think it was tires exploding."

Hilbers said seven other lodgers escaped without injury, but the shop and the other building were "totaled."

Firefighters worked all night and almost had the fire under control several times, when it would flare up again. They succeeded at keeping it from spreading to the Bighorn Angler, a neighboring fly shop.

Bighorn Fly and Tackle, the third fly shop on fisherman's row on Main Street, also was untouched.

"We were 100 yards away, so we were OK," said Duane Schreiner, Bighorn Fly and Tackle owner. "But the Angler was pretty close, so it was nip and tuck for them."

Hilbers said he and his wife are devastated. He said he won't speculate on the fire's origin because it is under investigation. But he quickly announced plans to keep the retail, lodging and guiding business going without interruption.

"We want to make sure everyone knows that we have one building still standing and we're bringing in a modular to set up a temporary shop," he said.

Hilbers said he and co-owner Hale Harris will honor current reservations and will keep taking reservations for a fishing season that is proving to be one of the best in Bighorn River memory.

A notice went up on Bighorn Trout Shop's Web site, www.Big hornTroutShop.com, on Monday assuring anglers they should come ahead while the business rebuilds.

"If you have a trip booked with us in the near future, please call immediately (406-666-2375) to be advised of any changes in your reservation," the notice says. "The fishing is excellent and the guides are ready to go, but alternatives in lodging may have to be utilized."

Hilbers said word of the tragic fire spread rapidly to anglers in states as far-flung as California, Pennsylvania and Georgia. He said offers of help and support "from this whole community and nationwide have been overwhelming."

"What we want to say is how much we appreciate everybody's support and prayers," he said. "It's been awesome. We've heard from clients from everywhere.

"We still have a full season ahead of us, so we're just going back to work."

dentrye@RockyMountainNews.com

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