Forresters’s Bighorn Fishing and Wingshooting Blog

*Current Report*
Excellent Dry Fly Fishing and Nymph Fishing

*View of the Aquarium* – from my office

Boat traffic and walk in wade fisherman are  picking up, of course busier over the weekend

*Best Techniques*

From 11:30a.m. – till dark 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 steadier 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 extremely 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.  From 7 pm till Dark (8:45pm) Midges are creating pods of feeding fish.

*One-Week Fishing Forecast*

This is going to be one of the best weeks to be on the Bighorn this year. Dries fly fishing will do nothing but pick up. All week the  highs are to be in the mid to upper 70’s. This could cause the wind to blow some  but has usually been dying down a couple hours before dark. Forecast is for winds 5 to 15 mph through the week.

*River Sections*

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

3 to Bighorn Access – Good Dry Fly activity,  great nymphing, Best bet for streamers. Soap Creek starting to effect the water clarity the farther you go down to 13 mile the more it looks like chocolate (Bighorn Access).

Bighorn Access to Mallards Landing – Not much due to water clarity, Nymphing is ok.

*Hatch Info*

Peak hatch times 1pm-3pm for BWO’s and 7pmtil dark for midges. BWO patterns still effective over some midging fish.

*Hot Fly Patterns*

Olive Comparadun size 20, Griffiths Gnat size 20-22, Black Midge 22-24,

Black and red Midges in both warped and bead head size 18-20. Brassies
Red In 18-20. Black Quills in 18-20, Ray Charles in orange, pink, gray or
tan (16-18), Soft Hackle Sowbugs in tan, gray, or pink (14 16 and 18)
Scuds in brown (16-18), Baetis Wonder Nymph in 18-20, Red Midge Larva in 16-20, Black Zebra Midge in 18-20, Pheasant Tail in 18-20

 
*River Flows*
Pool Elevation is 3625.6 Feet
Pool Elevation to Fill 14.4 Feet
Reservoir Storage is 919237. Acre-Feet
Reservoir Storage to Fill 150792.0 Acre-Feet
Reservoir Inflow is 2394.7 CFS
Reservoir Outflow is 2918.6 CFS
Reservoir Active Conservation Pool is 85.9 % Full
Reservoir Flood/Surcharge Control Pool is 0.0 % Full
Mean Daily Flow Below After bay Flow is 2983.5 CFS
Mean Daily Canal Diversion is 0.0 CFS
Mean Daily Total Flow at After bay is 2983.5 CFS
Current Flow Below After bay is 2996.6 CFS
Current Canal Diversion is 0.0 CFS
Current total Flow at After bay is 2996.6 CFS

*Water Temperature*
39 degrees at the Afterbay 40 degrees at 3 mile.