Forresters’s Bighorn Fishing and Wingshooting Blog

*Current Report*
The river is fishing great. The warmer weather is bringing a few more people to the river, but there’s lots of room.

*View of the Aquarium – from my office
Actually I can see all the way to the Hot Dog Hole! No leaves on the trees. Boat traffic is picking up and should increase through the week but looks to be mostly guides and locals.

*Best Techniques*
 From 10am -7pm look carefully for quiet rises along slick edges of riffles and quiet flats. Rising fish may not be visible from all angles.Patience may pay off as you may see only sporadic rises for BWO’s but fish will continue to look for  them. The steader rises may require matching size of bugs closely, otherwise try a size or two bigger. Also try BWO pattern for midging fish, they sometimes look for them all day. Best to approach from below, but adjust your position for current and lighting. Nymphing w/indicator in shallow water has been xtremely productive. Start light and use stealthy indicators. Look for shelves with slow to moderate current and soft edges of riffles. Also seams along heavy water for biggest fish. Adjusting weight and length of rig is important to keep your fly close to the bottom.
Mending carefully to keep it drag free. Will get the most action, look closely as  strikes are mostly very subtle, any pause or twitch deserves a response. (set the hook!)

*One-Week Fishing Forecast*
 Should be a great fishing week. At this time wading for rising fish the only option, Both wading and floating productive while nymphing.Streamer fishing is spotter but some cloudy days can be good, banks and deep pools. Cloudy days better for rising fish, but some have been in bright sun.

*River Sections*
0 to 3 mile  Access  – Best Dry Fly Fishing – Great Nymphing

3 to Bighorn Access – Dry Fly activity increasing, should just get better, great nymphing, Best bet for streamers. Soap Creek starting  to run so water clariity drops the farther you go down to 13 mile (Bighorn Access).

Bighorn Access to Mallards Landing – Not much due to water clairity

*Hatch Info*
Black Midges size 22-24
Midge Clusters size 18-22
Blue-winged Olives size 18-22 (mostly 20’s)

*Hot Fly Patterns*
Black and red Midges in both warped and bead head size 18-20. Brassies red 18-20. Black quills in 18-20, Ray Charles in orange, pink, gray or tan (16-18), tan, gray, or pink soft hackle sowbugs in (14 16 and 18) scuds in tan or pink in 14-18), baetis Wonder Nymph in 18-20, Worm in
Micro2 Tone in  brown/orange.Steel Worm in Fire Orange, and Red/Wine.

*River Flows*
*Pool Elevation is 3627.6 Feet
Pool Elevation to Fill 12.4 Feet
Reservoir Storage is 937440. Acre-Feet
Reservoir Storage to Fill 132589.0 Acre-Feet Reservoir Inflow is 2402.8 CFS Reservoir Outflow is 2356.9 CFS Reservoir Active Conservation Pool is 87.6 % Full Reservoir Flood/Surcharge Control Pool is 0.0 % Full Mean Daily Flow Below Afterbay Flow is 2431.0 CFS Mean Daily Canal Diversion is 0.0 CFS Mean Daily Total Flow at Afterbay is 2431.0 CFS Current Flow Below Afterbay is 2434.5 CFS Current Canal Diversion is 0.0 CFS Current total Flow at Afterbay is 2434.5 CFS
*Water Temperature*
39 degrees at the Afterbay 40 degrees at 3 mile.