Publisher's Note -- Why is the Bighorn River in southern Montana considered among the finest trout rivers in North America? Certainly the sheer number of trout (8,000 per mile in its most productive stretch) is a strong criterion. But trout fishing is not merely a numbers game, and those who know and love this river claim that the Bighorn casts a dazzling spell. The Bighorn, the first in our Great American Rivers series, reveals the special magic of the Bighorn through the insightful text of resident angler/writer George Kelly and the gripping action and scenic photography of Barry and Cathy Beck.