Forresters’s Bighorn Fishing and Wingshooting Blog

Here is the latest fishing report for the Bighorn River After-bay in
Fort Smith, Montana.

Fishing is very good on nymphs. Concentrate on the riffles and faster
water. Dry fly fishing has been good on black caddis, Baetis and hoppers
. Zebra midge pupa, Black caddis pupa, sowbugs, scuds, and Baetis nymphs
are working subsurface. Afternoons and evenings are best.

*River Flows:*2,475 cfs
*Water Temperature: *63 degrees at Three Mile.

*Catch of the Week*: A 19 inch Rainbow Trout caught with a #18 Downey
Wonder Nymph

*Fishing Forecast:* Good dry, (if you can hit a cup at 30 feet) and
nymph fishing is very good.

***Hatch Info:*
Baetis mayflies in early afternoon (Pale Olives #22). Black caddis in
afternoon. Hoppers all day, but especially good on windy afternoons.

*Hot Fly Patterns:*
*Nymphs*
#14 & #16 Tan Ray Charles; #16 & #18 Grey Ray Charles; #16,#18 Black
Caddis Pupa (various patterns with green body); #14,#16 Orange Scud;
#18 Epoxy Back Baetis Nymph; #18 Downey Wonder Nymph; #16,#18 Soft
Hackle Sow Bug (camel dubbing); #18 Flashback Quill Nymph; #16 Root
Beer Midge Pupa (aka “Big Ugly”); #16 & 18 Zebra Midge;

*Dry Flies*
#22 Parachute Adams (White or Black Post); #18 Griffith’s Gnat; #22
CDC Baetis Sparkle Dun; #22 Crippled Johnson; #8 Rainey’s Hopper (tan)

*Streamers*
#4,#6 Black Conehead Wooley Bugger; #4,#6 Brown Wooley Bugger; #4
Black Zonker; #4,#6 Bighorn Bugger (Brown & Yellow)