Even with cooler weather, the dry fly fishing is hanging in there. Baetis are starting to be heavier every day now. Streamers are effective as the browns are starting to get their spawn personality going which will start some time next month. Mid day temps are expected to be in the mid 50’s. . Water temps are near perfect at 59.
The fish are moving into the more oxygenated heavy water now with the water temps being near perfect for browns and rainbows Sight fishing is great. Dry fly fishing is best done from down stream from the fish, presenting the fly as a dead drift. Nymph fishing below indicators with 9′-3X leaders (Orvis Superstrong # KM0714-61) 2 BB’s shot seem to be the right weight. Orvis’ Helios Rod with it’s strong backbone, is really handling extra weight and bigger fish very well. I prefer the Helios 6 weight. (ZG Helios 906-4 Tip 9.5)
Filed under: Fishing Report
The flows are at 2,850cfs. Streamer fishing is Starting to be the preference for the angles this week. Casting toward the bank and stripping it back 20 feet or so. Out in the deeper pools can be exciting leting your streamer sink near the bottom before starting to strip. A light sink tip line is ideal for this style of fishing. The bottom tributaries are starting to clear up so the lower river is getting better. River Flows —- 2,850cfs
Even with cooler weather, the Hopper fishing is still holding in there but will tapper off soon. However it will remain consistent as long as the weather holds, and seems to be the choice for most anglers. Mid day temps are expected to be in the mid 50’s. Hopper fishing is better on the the warmer sunnier days, with a little wind. Streamer fishing is starting to pickup as the browns are getting ready for the fall spawn. Water temps are near perfect at 59.
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 2,825cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 59 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 6:00am till dark
Best stretch: Afterbay to Bighorn is the best stretch right now.
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile 3rd – Bighorn
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Small baetis are starting to appear
A few midges starting
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Cmo Caddis | black, tan | 16-18 |
| Cdc Comparadun Dry Fly | Tan | 20 |
| San Juan Worm | Red or red and tan | 8-10 |
| Blue Wing Olive Parachute | Bluewing Olive | 18-20 |
| Bluewing Olive | Olive | 18-20 |
| Foam Park Hopper | 10 | |
| Trico Bunny Dun | Black | 18-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | grey | |
| Trico Spinner | Black and Green | 18-20 |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: April 1 – September 31)
Nearest airport: Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader
Recommended fly fishing tippet: 5X Tippet Size
Best fly fishing rod: 9′ 5 Weight Fly Rod
Best floating fly line: Trout WF
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 2,750cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 59 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 6:00am till dark
Best stretch: Afterbay to Bighorn is the best stretch right now.
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile 3rd – Bighorn
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Trico’s in the morning 7:00 am
Spinner fall about 10AM
HOPPERS on warm days starting to slow down!
Some Caddis in the evenings.
Small baetis are starting to appear
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Cmo Caddis | black, tan | 16-18 |
| Cdc Comparadun Dry Fly | Tan | 20 |
| San Juan Worm | Red or red and tan | 8-10 |
| Blue Wing Olive Parachute | Bluewing Olive | 18-20 |
| Bluewing Olive | Olive | 18-20 |
| Foam Park Hopper | 10 | |
| Trico Bunny Dun | Black | 18-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | grey | |
| Trico Spinner | Black and Green | 18-20 |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: April 1 – September 31)
Nearest airport: Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader
Recommended fly fishing tippet: 5X Tippet Size
Best fly fishing rod: 9′ 5 Weight Fly Rod
Best floating fly line: Trout WF
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 2,983.5cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 60 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 6:00am till dark
Best stretch: Afterbay to Bighorn is the best stretch right now.
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile 3rd – Bighorn
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Trico’s in the morning 7:00 am, Spinner fall about 10AM
HOPPERS on warm days starting to slow down!
Some Caddis in the evenings.
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Cmo Caddis | black, tan | 16-18 |
| Cdc Comparadun Dry Fly | Tan | 20 |
| San Juan Worm | Red or red and tan | 8-10 |
| Blue Wing Olive Parachute | Bluewing Olive | 18-20 |
| Bluewing Olive | Olive | 18-20 |
| Foam Park Hopper | 10 | |
| Trico Bunny Dun | Black | 18-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | grey | |
| Trico Spinner | Black and Green | 18-20 |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: April 1 – September 31)
Nearest airport: Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader
Recommended fly fishing tippet: 5X Tippet Size
Best fly fishing rod: 9′ 5 Weight Fly Rod
Best floating fly line: Trout WF
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 2,983.5cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 60 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 6:00am till dark
Best stretch: Afterbay to Bighorn is the best stretch right now.
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile 3rd – Bighorn
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Trico’s in the morning Spinner fall about 10AM
HOPPERS on warm days ALL DAY!
Some Caddis in the evenings.
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Cmo Caddis | black, tan | 16-18 |
| Cdc Comparadun Dry Fly | Tan | 20 |
| San Juan Worm | Red or red and tan | 8-10 |
| Blue Wing Olive Parachute | Bluewing Olive | 18-20 |
| Bluewing Olive | Olive | 18-20 |
| Foam Park Hopper | 10 | |
| Trico Bunny Dun | Black | 18-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | grey | |
| Trico Spinner | Black and Green | 18-20 |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: April 1 – September 31)
Nearest airport: Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader
Recommended fly fishing tippet: 5X Tippet Size
Best fly fishing rod: 9′ 5 Weight Fly Rod
Best floating fly line: Trout WF
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 3,040cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 60 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 6:00am till dark
Best stretch: Afterbay to Bighorn is the best stretch right now.
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile 3rd – Bighorn
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Trico’s in the morning
Spinner fall about 10AM
HOPPERS on warm days ALL DAY!
Some Caddis in the evenings.
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Cmo Caddis | black, tan | 16-18 |
| Cdc Comparadun Dry Fly | Tan | 20 |
| San Juan Worm | Red or red and tan | 8-10 |
| Blue Wing Olive Parachute | Bluewing Olive | 18-20 |
| Bluewing Olive | Olive | 18-20 |
| Foam Park Hopper | 10 | |
| Trico Bunny Dun | Black | 18-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | grey | |
| Trico Spinner | Black and Green | 18-20S |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: April 1 – September 31)
Nearest airport: Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader
Recommended fly fishing tippet: 5X Tippet Size
Best fly fishing rod: 9′ 6 Weight Fly Rod
Best floating fly line: Trout WF
The fish are moving into the more oxygenated heavy water now with the water temps being near perfect for browns and rainbows Sight fishing is great. Fishing the banks with hoppers is very exciting, productive and fun! Dry fly fishing is best done from down stream from the fish, presenting the fly as a dead drift. Nymph fishing below indicators with 9′-3X leaders (Orvis Superstrong # KM0714-61) 2 BB’s shot seem to be the right weight. Orvis’ Helios Rod with it’s strong backbone, is really handling extra weight and bigger fish very well. I prefer the Helios 6 weight. (ZG Helios 906-4 Tip 9.5)
The flows are at 3,040cfs. Great sight nymphing for Big Fish! Check out the techniques section. Both floating and wading productive while nymphing. Wading only option for rising fish except fishing hopper’s, then you want to drift and fish the banks. Streamer fishing is spottier but some cloudy days can be good, banks and deep pools. River Sections- Although we have been floating the entire 13 mile stretch from Afterbay to Bighorn this is how it breaks down. HOPPERS ALL THE WAY DOWN! 0 to 3 mile Access – Great Nymphing a few drys and hoppers, 3 to Bighorn Access – Better dry fly activity, Great Nymphing, best bet for streamers and hoppers. Bighorn Access to Mallards Landing – Good Hopper fishing. Some of our guides have been doing 3 mile to Mallards and drifting all the way. Mainly only hopper fishing. Water clarity fair. The bottom tributaries are starting to clear up so the lower river is getting better.
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 3,040cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 60 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 9:00am till dark
Best stretch: Afterbay to Bighorn is the best stretch right now.
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile 3rd – Bighorn
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Peak hatch times late afternoon till dark
HOPPERS on warm days ALL DAY!
Caddis in the evenings.
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Cmo Caddis | black, tan | 16-18 |
| Cdc Comparadun Dry Fly | Tan | 20 |
| San Juan Worm | Red or red and tan | 8-10 |
| Blue Wing Olive Parachute | Bluewing Olive | 18-20 |
| Ant Selection | back and red | 14-16 |
| Foam Park Hopper | 10 | |
| Tan wonder nymph | Red | 14-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | grey |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: April 1 – September 31)
Nearest airport: Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader
Recommended fly fishing tippet: 3X Tippet Size
Best fly fishing rod: 9′ 6 Weight Fly Rod
Best floating fly line: Trout WF
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 3,160cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 60 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 9:00am till dark
Best stretch: Afterbay to Bighorn is the best stretch right now.
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile 3rd – Bighorn
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Peak hatch times late afternoon till dark
HOPPERS on warm days ALL DAY!
Caddis in the evenings.
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Cmo Caddis | black, tan | 16-18 |
| Cdc Comparadun Dry Fly | Tan | 20 |
| San Juan Worm | Red or red and tan | 8-10 |
| Blue Wing Olive Parachute | Bluewing Olive | 18-20 |
| Ant Selection | back and red | 14-16 |
| Foam Park Hopper | 10 | |
| Tan wonder nymph | Red | 14-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | grey |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: April 1 – September 31)
Nearest airport: Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader
Recommended fly fishing tippet: 3X Tippet Size
Best fly fishing rod: 9′ 6 Weight Fly Rod
Best floating fly line: Trout WF
