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.       

Here is what to look for to hit the Mother's Day Caddis hatch on the famed Big Hole River.  Typically if you have had a lighter snowpack at low elevations you will have a much better chance at having a good Mother’s Day Caddis hatch.  Freestone Rivers like the Big Hole and Yellowstone are influenced dramatically by snowmelt.  If you have a small runoff from the low elevation snowpack, it will take longer for the rivers to dirty and swell from melting snow.  Another variable you will want to monitor is the actual flow of the river.  If water flows are over 2000c.f.s. at the Melrose gauge, trout will be less likely to rise to caddis on the lower and middle sections than they would at lower flows.  Mother’s Day Caddis will be fishable at high flows when you get above the Wise River on the Big Hole.  A great float for the Mother’s day Caddis is from East bank to Jerry Creek.  This section has low gradient and long slicks and undercut banks to fish caddis.  You will also find swirling back eddies where fish are feeding on the foam lines.  When flows are below 2000c.f.s. at the Melrose gauge the most prolific section with Caddis is the Divide to Melrose section.  In the tail-outs of runs and slow moving willow strewn banks you will find trout eating caddis on the surface. Flies of choice for this hatch on the Big Hole River are #12 tan slick water caddis, #12 tan Caddis Pupa, #12 peacock X Caddis.

On the Big Hole River the caddis can hatch from around May 10^th -25^th.  Stay in touch with Sunrise Fly Shop 406-835-3474 or sunriseflyshop.com to get your latest conditions on the Big Hole River’s Mother’s Day Caddis hatch or tips on planning your next Montana fly fishing vacation.   

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.