More Rain

by sunriseflyshop

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We were hit with another rainstorm this week and it has brought the river up over 800cfs (325cfs  is the historical average at the Melrose gauge) and the surrounding mountains got a good dusting of fresh snow.  Even thought the river has jumped by so much, the river clarity is still very good.

Yesterday as the river was still rising at a rapid rate, the Big Hole fished really well.  Our guides had great success with San Juan Worms, Girdle Bugs, Chubby Chernobyls, and dark colored streamers.  I would expect the same again today and through the rest of the week

With cooler than average temperatures and precipitation in the forecast, you can expect the Big Hole to remain above average flows for quite some time.  If you have been avoiding the Big Hole because of concerns of low flows, grab your boat and get over here!

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Beaverhead River Montana Fishing Report

by sunriseflyshop

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Fishing has been tough on the Beaverhead.  The reservoir turned over and the river is off color.  The flows are also dropping since the reservoir is only 36% full.  We have had ok trico and PMD spinner fishing in the slick.  Once you get below high bridge the hatches are bleak.  If you are willing to wade fish the runs and keep changing flies you will get some nice fish to eat.  We are keeping a close eye on the river and once it clears up our guides will be on it.  Dave Shevokas caught this beautiful Beaverhead Rainbow the other day below High Bridge.

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Big Hole River Fly Fishing Report

by sunriseflyshop

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Heavy rain over the last 4 days has the river on a nice bump in flows.  The river has remained clear and fishing well above Melrose.  Below Melrose a couple creeks have put the river off color.  The clarity below Melrose has improved this morning and should fish fine today below Melrose.  We have Trico’s hatching in the morning and then we are moving to hoppers, Ant’s and Beetles in the afternoon.  Nymphs that have been working are #10 girdle bugs, #16 Red Copper John’s, #18 Zebra Midges, #16 Batman nymphs.  Still no Spruce Moth’s, it is looking like we will not have a Spruce Moth hatch this year on the Big Hole River.  Time to get your hard boat back out.  The flows are fantastic on the Big Hole.

Flies:  #10 Chubby Chernobyl Yellow/Purple/Black; #8 Rogue Stone golden, #10 Purple Haze; #16 PMD Cripple; #16 Rocky Mountain Mint, #18 Trico Spinner, #18 Trico Comparadun, #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 #  10 Copper/Pearl Zonker

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No Spruce Moths yet, but solid fishing continues

by sunriseflyshop

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We have seen a few Spruce Moths over the last few days, but not nearly enough to get the fish keyed in on them yet.  Hopefully they will start to show up in the next few day.

Even without the moths, we have been having good fishing.  The fishing technique and top-producing fly has been changing based on the section you are fishing and the weather, but with a little experimenting we have been able to find some nice fish this week.

Hopper fishing has been good on the lower Big Hole.

Tricos are starting to come off near Jerry Creek giving anglers opportunities to catch fish on small dries.

Streamers have been producing very nice fish on the darker, cloudy days.

Nymphing stoneflies (Pat’s Rubber Legs) and small mayflies (Copper Johns) in the shallow riffles has been the most consistent technique during the past week.

Below are two nice fish that were caught this morning between Melrose and Brownes!

Flies:  #10 Chubby Chernobyl Yellow/Purple/Black; #8 Rogue Stone golden, #10 Purple Haze; #16 PMD Cripple; #16 Rocky Mountain Mint, #18 Trico Spinner, #18 Trico Comparadun, #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 #  10 Copper/Pearl Zonker

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Big Hole River August Fishing Report

by sunriseflyshop

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Fishing remains good on the Big Hole River.  The hatches are a bit in a transition period on the Big Hole River.  PMD’s are waning and we are moving into Trico’s and Hoppers.  We are starting to see Trico’s on the lower Big Hole River and below Melrose.  Hopper fishing has also started to pick up on the lower Big Hole River.  Hatches in the Maiden Rock Canyon have been bleak.  We have done very well on nymphs in the Canyon but dry fly fishing has been poor.  Look for the dry fly fishing to pick up this week.  We should see more trico’s around and the hoppers are starting to bounce around the grassy banks.  We have not seen any Spruce Moth’s yet.  If we are going to get a Spruce Moth hatch we should see them in the next ten days.  Our Big Hole River Guides will will keep you posted.

A lower Big Hole River Rainbow

Flies:  #10 Chubby Chernobyl Yellow/Purple/Black; #8 Rogue Stone golden, #10 Purple Haze; #16 PMD Cripple; #16 Rocky Mountain Mint, #18 Trico Spinner, #18 Trico Comparadun, #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 #  10 Copper/Pearl Zonker

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Beaverhead River Montana Fishing Report

by sunriseflyshop

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The Beaverhead River continues to impress.  We have great hatches of PMD’s, Yellow Sallies and Caddis.  You will have pods of fish rising to PMD’s in the morning and Yellow Sallies throughout the afternoon.  The Caddis fishing in the evening is crazy good right now.  Nymphing has been very good throughout the day with Split Back PMD’s and Trigger nymphs.  Mustang Sally Nymphs and Kyle’s Sallies have been fishing well.  Flows remain excellent and the fish are healthy and putting up some serious tugs on our clients lines.

Happy Clients and big fish on the Beaverhead River right now

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

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Big Hole River Montana Fishing Report

by sunriseflyshop

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We are back to clear blue skies and the fishing continues to be very good.  We have PMD’s, Yellow Sallies, Nocturnal Stone flies and caddis hatching.  Your best dry fly fishing with the clear skies will be in the morning with PMD’s.  Mid day we have been doing very well in the riffle runs on #8 Pat’s Stones and #14 Copper John’s and Batman Nymphs.  We have a nice cool down from the summer heat tomorrow.  The Big Hole River flows remain excellent and our guides have been coming back each day with great success.

Scott Lewis with a nice 20 inch brown caught on the Big Hole Yesterday

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 #  10 Copper/Pearl Zonker

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Smoky Skies and Solid Fishing

by sunriseflyshop

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The morning dry fly fishing on the Big Hole continues to be very good.  The fish are keyed in on Nocturnal Stones in the early morning hours, and then switching to PMDs once the mayfly hatch begins.  Once the morning hatch tapers off, switch to nymphing with an indicator and you should be able to stay consistently hooked up all afternoon.  The fish have been eating Girdle Bugs and PMD nymphs in the afternoons. 

Like most of the other locations in Southwest Montana, we have been dealing with slightly smoky skies for the past few days.  Luckily, because the smoke that is effecting the area is coming from so far away, we are not smelling any smoke in the air, we are just experiencing hazy skies.

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Dry Fly Fishing Stays Hot

by sunriseflyshop

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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

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Beaverhead River Montana Fishing Report

by sunriseflyshop

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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

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