Dry Fly Fishing Stays Hot

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

The Big Hole River fishing report continues to be very good from our guides.  We have hatches of Golden Stones, PMD’s, Yellow Sallies and Caddis.  The best dry fly fishing has been in the morning and tapering off around 2:00 unless you get some cloud cover in the afternoons.  If you need to get down with a nymph dropper in the afternoon the fast riffle water about two feet deep is packed with trout right now.  We have been staying hooked up in the riffles with a size #8 Pat’s Stone and a red copper John or a Batman nymph.  Nocturnal Stone Flies are around and the fish are keyed into them at the right time of day.

Flies:  #10 Chubby Chernobyl Yellow/Purple/Black; #8 Rogue Stone golden, #10 Purple Haze; #16 PMD Cripple; #10 Rocky Mountain Mint, #10 Pat’s Stone #12 Red Copper John #16 Bat Man Nymph orange/brown: #8 RL Stone; #6 J.J. Special #6 Coffey Bugger; #4 Bad Boy #4 Yellow Zonker

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Beaverhead River Montana Fishing Report

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

Fishing has been wonderful on the Beaverhead.  We have Yellow Sallies, PMD’s and caddis hatching on the Beaverhead River.  Our Beaverhead River guides have been doing great on dry flies.  You can sit on pods of fish eating PMD’s in the slick or fish a single yellow Sallie dry fly below High Bridge and stay hooked up.  Nymphing has been solid on Split Back PMD’s and Mustang Sallies.  Flows remain at about 400cfs out of the dam.  The fish are chowing down and fattening up.

Flies: #18 Split Back PMD, #16 Soft Hackle Sow Bug, #18 Pink Ray Charles, #18 Mustang Sallie, #18 Kyle’s Sallie, #18 Larimer Sallie, #18 PMD Comparadun, #16 Stimulator  #18 Micro Mayfly, #4 Black Sculpzilla, #6 Sparkle Minnow

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Big Hole River Montana Fishing Report

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

The Big Hole River is in perfect July shape.  We have great water flows and the hatches have been stellar.  The morning PMD fishing has been fantastic.  Fish have been looking up from daybreak till about 2 o’clock.  #10 Purple haze’s and Rocky Mountain Mint’s have been the dry flies our guides have been knocking them out with.  In the afternoon after the hatches taper off we have done well with a Golden stone dry and either a #10 Pat’s Stone dropper or a #10 Kyle’s PMD nymph.  You will have PMD’s, Drakes, and Golden Stones on the water.  We are starting to see some nocturnal stonefly shucks so we are not far off from some fantastic dawn fishing on big Chernobyl dry flies.

Big Hole River Nocturnal Stone Fly Shucks above Melrose

Flies: #8 Golden Cat Puke, #8 Rogue Stone golden, #10 Purple Haze  #8 Chubby Chernobyl #16 PMD Cripple black/gold#10 Rocky Mountain Mint, #10 Pat’s Stone #12 Red Copper John #16 Bat Man Nymph orange/brown: #8 RL Stone; #6 J.J. Special #4 Coffey Bugger; #4 Bad Boy #4 Yellow Zonker

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Dry Fly Smorgasbord

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

The Big Hole River has dropped below 2500cfs and the river temperatures are bumping up into the low 60’s.  These river conditions are ideal for July dry fly fishing.  PMDs, Drakes, Yellow Sallies, Caddis and Golden Stones are currently hatching, and the dry fly fishing has been really good.  You may not see all of the those bugs on every stretch every day, but with such a variety of bugs out, you can expect to find something hatching.  Also, now that the Salmonfly hatch has ended, the massive crowds we were seeing in mid to late June are all gone.  So if you are looking for great dry fly fishing to help you celebrate the 4th of July, come on over to the Big Hole River.

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Hatches, hatches and more hatches.

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

Hatches, hatches and more hatches.  The Salmonflies are tapering off but we have great dry fly fishing right now on the Big Hole.  Our hatches consist of Golden Stones, PMD’s, Caddis, and Drakes.  The dry fly fishing during the overcast days has been excellent.  Our Big Hole River guides have been on the upper Big Hole, Canyon sections, and the lower river.  We have had good reports on all sections of the River.  The flows are stable and the fish are looking up.  The Golden Stones dry fly fishing has been great in the Canyon.

A Big Hole Golden Stone

Flies: #4 Cat Puke, #4 Rogue Stone, #4 Fluttering Stone, #10 Purple Haze  #8 Chubby Chernobyl #16 PMD Cripple black/gold#10 Rocky Mountain Mint, #8 San Juan Worm; #4 Pat’s Stone #12 Red Copper John #16 Bat Man Nymph orange/brown: #8 RL Stone; #6 J.J. Special #4 Coffey Bugger; #4 Bad Boy #4 Yellow Zonker

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

The willows were drooping over from the weight of the Salmonflies yesterday.

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

The willows were drooping over from the weight of the Salmonflies yesterday.  It is going to be a great day out there.  We have Salmonflies, Golden Stones, Caddis, PMD’s and Drakes hatching.  The best Salmonfly hatch on the Big Hole is currently from Jerry Creek all the way down to Melrose.  We have had good reports today in the Maiden Rock Canyon and the Dewey Canyon with great success on the Salmonfly dry flies.  With the dropping water, and warming trend the river will continue to fish very well. 

Guide Rick Rossi and Rob Ware with a fabulous Big Hole Brown

Flies: #4 Cat Puke, #4 Rogue Stone, #4 Fluttering Stone, #10 Purple Haze  #8 Chubby Chernobyl #16 PMD Cripple black/gold#10 Rocky Mountain Mint, #8 San Juan Worm; #4 Pat’s Stone orange/brown: #8 RL Stone; #6 J.J. Special #4 Coffey Bugger; #4 Bad Boy #4 Yellow Zonker

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Salmonflies are Back!

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

Just getting word from the guides that were out today on the river that the Salmonfly Hatch is back.  All of our guides (fishing in 4 different locations between East Bank and Melrose) said the Salmonfly Hatch is back on. 

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Its Raining…a lot

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

It has been raining for the last 36 hours, and the forecast is calling for a 90% chance of rain today and tomorrow.  It got cold enough last night that the precipitation that fell in the mountains actually came down as snow.  The river in Melrose has already come up about 600cfs, and it is continuing to rise.  Having said all of this, the dry fly fishing in the Maiden Rock Canyon was epic yesterday.  We had guides put in at Maiden Rock as well as Divide, and they both reported one of the best dry fly fishing days of the year.  They said that they only saw a couple salmonflies and golden stones, but the fish were really keyed into them.  Hopefully the amazing dry fly fishing will continue through this pattern of wet weather.

 

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Father’s Day Salmonfly Hatch Update

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

When I got into my truck and came to work this morning I had to scrape off the frost on my windshield.  You don’t expect that on June 15th.  Reports were very good yesterday in the morning on Salmonflies and then the temperature dropped in the afternoon and the fishing tapered off.  We have had a very slow moving Big Hole River Salmonfly hatch due to the cool weather.  Look for the bugs to fly in the warmer afternoons.  It is going to stay cool and then warm up nicely in the middle of the week.  You may have to keep the droppers on below the Salmonflies and Chubby Chernobyl’s today and tomorrow.  We have been fishing the upper river and the canyon sections of the Big Hole.  Our Big Hole River guides were on late in the Dewey Canyon last night and did very well on dries.  Everything is continuing to fish well and look for the weekend crowd to taper off and it’s time to call in sick to work tomorrow and get on the Big Hole. 

Guide Chuck Page with a fabulous brown during the Big Hole  Salmonfly hatch

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Big Hole River Salmonfly Hatch Update

[eye_row data_width=”container”][eye_column data_width=”0-12-0″][eye_text]

The overcast weather today has produced excellent dry fly activity this morning.  We have been waiting for the big bugs to move in the canyon and they are here!  We have had great reports from the Maiden Rock Canyon and Dewey Canyon.  With the overcast cool weather and the dropping water flows we are having a dream of a Salmonfly hatch.  The bugs are coming off slowly and making for some excellent dry fly fishing.   Salmonflies are hatching up in the Maiden Rock Canyon and we have good reports from the Dewey Canyon as well. The Salmonfly madness has begun, come join us in Melrose and bring the chaos.   

Flies: #4 Cat Puke, #4 Rogue Stone, #4 Fluttering Stone, #10 Purple Haze  #8 Chubby Chernobyl black/gold#10 Rocky Mountain Mint, #8 San Juan Worm; #4 Pat’s Stone orange/brown: #8 RL Stone; #6 J.J. Special #4 Coffey Bugger; #4 Bad Boy #4 Yellow Zonker

[/eye_text][/eye_column][/eye_row]