Forresters’s Bighorn Fishing and Wingshooting Blog

*Current Report*

Good Dry Fly Fishing and Great Nymph Fishing
*View of the Aquarium* – from my office
Lots of people out this weekend on the river. Must be the good weather

*Best Techniques*

With increasing flows dry fly fishing is a little more sporadic, BWO’s 1pm till 5pm midges off and on all day. Look closely for risers can be hard to see with higher flows. Patience will pay off as you may see only sporadic rises for BWO’s but fish will continue to look for them all day.  It is best to approach from below, but adjust your position for current and lighting. Nymphing with indicator in slightly deeper water, below drop offs. Look for shelves with slow to moderate current and soft edges of riffles. Also seams along heavy water for biggest fish. Use enough weight to touch bottom occasionally.  Any unexplained movement might be a strike. From 7:30 pm till Dark (8:50) Midges may attract pods of feeding fish.

*One-Week Fishing Forecast*

The forecast is for warmer days with slight chance of rain toward the end of the week. Some overcast each day which should be good for the hatches. Wind is forecasted to be light all week, but that is what they said last week. When we had guests the latter part of the week up to 45 mph. It does diminish toward dark. Thus dry fly fishing should improve some and Nymphing is always good.

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

3 to Bighorn Access – Good Dry Fly activity, great nymphing, best bet for streamers. Soap Creek affecting  the water clarity where it enters the river the farther you go down to 13 mile (Bighorn Access) the more it is affected. With the high temperatures the 5 creeks that enter the Bighorn will start to decrease clarity.

Bighorn Access to Mallards Landing – Water clarity drops off, some days fair to good nymphing, good streamer.

*Hatch Info*
Peak hatch times 1pm-3pm for BWO’s and 7:30pm till dark for midges. BWO patterns still effective over some midging fish. BWO’s 1pm till 5pm.

*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, Worm wax or wire wrap in red, orange, and 2 tone in

*River Flows*

Pool Elevation is 3620.6 Feet
Pool Elevation to Fill 19.4 Feet
Reservoir Storage is 878393. Acre-Feet
Reservoir Storage to Fill 191636.0 Acre-Feet
Reservoir Inflow is 3477.7 CFS
Reservoir Outflow is 4345.4 CFS
Reservoir Active Conservation Pool is 82.1 % Full
Reservoir Flood/Surcharge Control Pool is 0.0 % Full
Mean Daily Flow Below Afterbay Flow is 4020.1 CFS
Mean Daily Canal Diversion is 174.0 CFS
Mean Daily Total Flow at Afterbay is 4194.0 CFS
Current Flow Below Afterbay is 3925.2 CFS
Current Canal Diversion is 171.2 CFS
Current total Flow at Afterbay is 4096.4 CFS

*Water Temperature*
40 degrees at the after bay 41 degrees at 3 mile.