Filed under: Fishing Report
The hot weather has broken and it is going to be cooler (80 degrees) perfect wet wading still. The hoppers will continue into the fall now. With the lake still full, the flows will stabilize to this flow 3500-3900cfs for the rest of the year. Water temps are near perfect. The Caddis in the evenings will continue to get better.
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 3,960cfs. 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 3 to Bighorn Access – Better dry fly activity, great nymphing, best bet for streamers. Bighorn Access to Mallards Landing – Water clarity fair. The warm week created allot of run off. Fishing very slow. River Flows —- 3,960 cfs
Water flow: 3,960cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 60 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 9:00am till 7:00pm
Best stretch: After Bay to 3 mile, then 3 mile to Bighorn, Bighorn to Mallards(lots of jet boats this weekend on this stretch)
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Peak hatch times late afternoon till 7:00
Few PMD mid day 2:00-5:00
HOPPERS ALL DAY!
Caddis in the evenings.
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Pale Sulpher Thorax | Tan | 16-14 |
| 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 |
| Wd-40 | 10 | |
| Tan wonder nymph | Red | 14-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 3,960cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 60 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 9:00am till 7:00pm
Best stretch: After Bay to 3 mile, then 3 mile to Bighorn, Bighorn to Mallards(lots of jet boats this weekend on this stretch)
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Peak hatch times late afternoon till 7:00
Few PMD mid day 2:00-5:00
HOPPERS ALL DAY!
Caddis in the evenings.
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Pale Sulpher Thorax | Tan | 16-14 |
| 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 |
| Wd-40 | 10 | |
| Tan wonder nymph | Red | 14-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby: Forrester’s Bighorn River
Eagle Nest Lodge
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: May 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
The major runoff for the Bighorn Basin Drainage has passed. There are 3 major reservoirs that release flows ending up in the Bighorn Lake and directly affect the flows in the Bighorn River. Here are their flows and capacity. First there is Buffalo Bill on the Shoshone River near Cody Wyoming – 4,346cfs at 93% full. Next there is Bull Lake on the North Fork of the Wind near Dubois Wyoming – 1,220cfs at 94% full. It releases into Boysen Reservoir near Shoshoni Wyoming – 6,600cfs and is 100% full with 23% Flood Pool full. Then there is the Bighorn Reservoir at Fort Smith – 7,887 at Afterbay and 100% full with 20% Flood Pool full. Although we are not affected by run off to the same degree as other non tailwater fisheries, the flows are higher and very clear. With the higher flows, the temps come up a bit which makes for very active feeding fish. Higher flows make for great fishing. Increase the weight of your fly to get it down. The emergence of aquatic earth worms (San Juan Worms) in huge numbers creates the opportunity for some big fish! I suggest Red or two tone red and tan chenille in size 8. Hoppers are starting to appear. The fish are starting to look at some of the ants that are being washed down, and they will appear as random splashy rises. This week PMD’s and a few Black Caddis are also starting to appear. Lastly, the water is at a perfect flow rate for some side stream dry fly action.
Filed under: Fishing Report
Water flow: 4665cfs
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 60 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 9:00am till 7:00pm
Best stretch: After Bay to 3 mile, then 3 mile to Bighorn, Bighorn to Mallards(lots of jet boats this weekend on this stretch)
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Peak hatch times late afternoon till 7:00
Few PMD mid day 2:00-5:00
A few Hoppers starting to appear
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Pale Sulpher Thorax | Tan | 16-14 |
| 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 |
| Wd-40 | 10 | |
| Tan wonder nymph | Red | 14-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: May 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: 12,270
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 52 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: 9:00am till 7:00pm
Best stretch: After Bay to 3 mile, then 3 mile to Bighorn
Best access point: 1st – After Bay 2nd – 3 mile
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Peak hatch times late afternoon till 7:00
Few Tan Caddis
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
| Cdc Elk Caddis Dun | Black | 16-14 |
| Cdc Comparadun Dry Fly | Olive | 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 |
| Wd-40 | 10 | |
| Red Midge Larva | Red | 14-20 |
| Soft Hackle Ray Charles | Pink | 16-18 |
Fish species: Wild Rainbow & Brown Trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: May 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
