Sunrise Fly Shop-Big Hole River Blog

The last week we have seen some stellar fishing on the Big Hole.  We are not talking dries yet, but the spring streamer bite has been fantastic.  Dropping water flows, the Big Hole is tea color, and the fish are looking for the big meals.  We have been fishing river wide right now.  The Divide to Notch section has been keeping our guides hooked up all day with nice fish and the occasional brute.  Below is a nice 22 inch brown that was caught above Glen.    

 

 

The upper Big Hole has been hot and cold.  I had a stellar day last week with several nice healthy 18 to 22 inch browns on slow stripped streamers.   But we have also had a number of  days where we have had  low numbers of fish landed.  It has been much better on the upper river when you have overcast  weather.  Below is a nice brown caught on a skwalla dry below Deep Creek on the upper Big Hole.       

 

 

 

Sunrise Fly Shop and Montana Fly Fishing Expeditions are hosting this inclusive trip From June 1^st – June 20^th

7 nights lodging / 6 days fishing $2150 per person

5 nights lodging / 4 days fishing $1450 per person

Come fish the famed Salmonfly hatch on the Big Hole River and PMD's and Caddis on the Missouri River.  

7 night / 6 day package

 

Day 1 – Arrive Montana, transfer to Melrose, overnight @ Sportsman Motel

Day 2 – Fish Big Hole continued overnight in Melrose

Day 3 – Fish Big Hole continued overnight in Melrose

Day 4 – Fish Big Hole transfer after fishing to Craig, MT overnight at Trout Shop Lodge

Day 5 – Fish Missouri, overnight Missouri River Trout Shop Lodge

Day 6 – Fish Missouri, continued overnight in Craig

Day 7 – Fish Missouri, overnight in Helena/Butte/Bozeman

Day 8 – Depart Montana

 

5night / 4 day package

 

Day 1 – Arrive Montana, transfer to Melrose, overnight @ Sportsman Motel

Day 2 – Fish Big Hole continued overnight in Melrose

Day 3 – Fish Big Hole transfer after fishing to Craig, MT overnight at Missouri River Trout Shop Lodge

Day 4 – Fish Missouri, overnight @ Missouri River Trout Shop Lodge

Day 5 – Fish Missouri, overnight in Helena/Butte/Bozeman

Day 6 – Depart Montana

 

The package will Include: guided fishing, lodging, rods, reels, flies, terminal tackle, breakfast, lunch,  bottled water, sodas, river shuttles, transfer between Melrose and Craig.

The package will NOT include: alcoholic beverages, guide gratuities, MT fishing license, dinner, waders/boots/rain gear.

Contact us today to book your trip.  

Visiting Montana in the spring and summer for a fly fishing trip is something that many fly fishers only do a few times in their life. They want to make sure that their visit to the Big Hole River, Beaverhead River or Jefferson River enables them to not only enjoy the scenery but to also catch fish. Timing their trip to coincide with good weather and river flows is key to helping ensure a phenomenal fly fishing vacation. 

But all fly fishers should understand that every time we predict what the weather is going to be like, or what the flows will be, or how much water we will have in the Big Hole River come August, we are making little more than a guess. But with these tools and a basic knowledge of hydrology and meteorology, our guess is definitely an educated one. 

With all this said here is our 2012 prediction.  We are currently at about 90% snowpack in the Big Hole Watershed.  We have had a rather warm winter so our low elevation snowpack is very thin.  We predict that our spring fishing will be outstanding since we will not have huge river flow fluctuations in the spring due to low elevation snowmelt.  

Our high elevation runoff typically occurs around May 20th - June 5th.  We should see about an average runoff this year since our snowpack is at 90% of normal.  So this is an excellent year to hit the Salmonflies in June, which typically hatch around June 10th and last till June 25th.  The Big Hole Salmonfly hatch is one that all anglers need to hit in their lifetime and this year should be a good one!  We should have average summer flows due to our 90% snowpack going into spring.  2012 is shaping up to be a great season, especially after coming off of the last 2 above average water flow years, which have our trout healthy and big.      

April 1st we will start our  Big Hole River fishing reports, Beaverhead River fishing reports, and Jefferson River flow and fishing reports, Stay in touch and get out and fish in Southwest Montana in 2012.  

We have a bunch of good things happening in the Southwest Montana fly fishing community this week.  You don’t here that often when it is mid February in Montana.   Besides the good news that snow is forecasted to fall all week check out these three great things.

This Friday in Bozeman, the Fly Fishing Film Tour will be at the Emerson Cultural Center.   The show starts at 7:00 pm.  Check out there site to find a show near you.

Before the Fly Fishing Film Tour show we will be checking out the unleashing of the RO Nomad.  This is the new line of drift boats by RO.  We are excited to see the latest and greatest from the finest drift boats and skiffs in the Industry.   

Be sure to check out the new redesign of Anglers Tonic.  This is a great site by Greg Thomas that has all the latest fishing stories, drinks of the week, news in the industry and fishing destinations you can’t resist.

Don’t wait too late to plan your Big Hole River spring fishing  Special.  3nights & 2days of fishing for only $500 per person. 

     

Since we all have cabin fever come mid January in Southwest Montana.  Here is some dreaming to think about for the spring.  

The Mother’s Day Caddis hatch gets so thick on rivers like the Big Hole, and Yellowstone that you better keep your mouth closed because caddis will be flying down your throat.  When the caddis come off, it looks like another spring snowstorm during your Montana fly fishing vacation.  The Mother’s Day Caddis hatch is the last hatch before runoff clouds our rivers and we wait for Salmonflies. 

Spring fishing in Southwest Montana is filled with unpredictable weather that consists of snow, sun, clouds and rain.  The payoff for dealing with the potentially nasty weather is having days when trout eat voraciously on the surface.  As the ice leaves the rivers of Southwest Montana, Skwallas begin to emerge and anglers hit the Big Hole River for this exciting hatch.  After the explosive eats to Skwallas on the surface anglers wait patiently for the rewarding but yet finicky Mother’s Day Caddis hatch. 

The Mother’s Day Caddis hatch is a bonus hatch for anglers to hit in their lifetime.  This is because the elements that need to be in place for the hatch to occur while the trout are interested to eat on the surface depend on many factors.   These factors include water temperature between 52-55 degrees for an extended period of time, water with at least 2 feet of visibility so the trout can see the caddis on the surface, and consistent water flow. 

Sloughs have started to freeze over and you can feel your pulse in your hands. You strip your fly line from your reel as you barely can feel your fingertips but can’t give up the urge to find the next trout taking a streamer.  Fall has slipped into winter in Southwest Montana.  My last day on the Big Hole for the season was November 4^th.  Slow stripping and dead drifting streamers was the name of the game to get about 10 browns to eat all day, not bad for November.  With the shop closed for the season, it is now time to think about winter trips, tying flies, elk hunting, and flushing birds before it is time to gear up for 2012.  If you are going to brave the elements and fish in Southwest Montana during our frigid months; here are some tips I have received and am going to try to help prevent guides from freezing. 

One of our last clients for the season, Christine Warren heard that spraying Pam oil on your guides prevents icing from occurring.  I have yet to try it but will let you know how it works.  For some great reading from a passionate angler, check out Christine’s blog: flyfishchick.com and her new book Paddlefish.  

Loon Outdoors has come up with a new product to prevent ice from collecting on your guides.  The product is called Stanley’s Ice Off Paste . I am going to compare spray on Pam to Loon’s Ice Off Paste and will report back to you how these products work.  All anglers need to fill their winter trout fix or cabin fever, these products can make the difference in an enjoyable winter fishing experience.    

August terrestrial hatches on the Big Hole are in full swing.  We currently have Spruce Moth's, hoppers, and flying ants.  Dry fly fishing doesn't get better than this, brown's eating Spruce Moth's and hoppers in skinny water.  We have been fishing the Big Hole from Jerry Creek all the way to Notch bottom.  You will find the Spruce Moth's from Jerry Creek down to Maiden Rock.  The Spruce Moth's are thick and the trout are lined up to eat them.  Below Melrose it has been a hopper/nocturnal stone fly game on the surface.  August flows are great right now.  We are over 600cfs in Melrose right now.  Read more about the Spruce Moth Hatch here.       

A Ro Skiff was pinned on a rock in the Maiden Rock Canyon.  The boat was stollen from the river before the owner could recover it.  If you have any information on this boat pleasecontact our shop. 

August is living up to our predicted expectations, big fish on dry flies.  This 28 inch 9lb. brown was taken on a dry fly on the Big Hole River!  This image sums up the kind of fishing right now on the Big Hole.  We have been fishing small attractor patterns in the morning and than hoppers and Chernobyl’s in the afternoons.  The current weather pattern has been favorable for good fishing.  We have had sunny cool mornings with overcast afternoons lately.  It is prime time on Southwest Montana Rivers; get out here while the catching is hot.  

A Winston rod was brought into the shop tonight.  It was found at the big rock between Melrose and Brownes Bridge that has been sucking boats this year on the Big Hole River.  If you have lost a Winston Rod please call the Sunrise Fly Shop to identify it.  Another honest angler with a rod that wants to get back to it's original owner. 

Many people come to Southwest Montana to fish the famed Salmonfly hatch in June on the Big Hole River and the Madison River.    Besides the Salmon Fly hatch, the rivers of Southwest Montana have other great Stonefly hatches.  One in particular that is worth the trip to Montana is the Nocturnal Stonefly hatch.

Nocturnal Stoneflies are found on most freestone river is Southwest Montana.  In mid July after most of the Golden Stoneflies are gone the Big Hole River has a fabulous nocturnal Stonefly hatch.  As with most stoneflies, the males are much smaller than the females, and in this case the male Nocturnal Stone does not have the ability to fly.  This is part of the reason why you rarely see these flies buzzing around during the day like you will with a Golden Stone or Salmon Fly.  Similar to other stoneflies the nocturnal stonefly crawls onto dry rocks to sheds their exoskeleton and become an adult fly.  The best way to know if these flies are hatching is to look at dry rocks along the banks of the river to see if there are any stonefly shucks stuck to the rocks. 

 

 

The Best Time to Fish The Nocturnal Stoneyfly Hatch on the Big Hole River
 

The best time to fish the nocturnal stonefly hatch is in the early morning hours, or in the late evenings.  I believe the best dry fly fishing is in the early morning hours before the sun hits the water.  One section of river in Southwest Montana that has a wonderful nocturnal stonefly hatch is the Dewey canyon of the Big Hole River.  Mid July is the time period that the hatch seems to be the best.