Category: Big Hole River Fishing Report

The Spruce Moth hatch on the Big Hole has been heating up lately. The hatch is between Jerry Creek and Maiden Rock. You can find fish rising to the natural moths in the morning hours and into the afternoon. We have had fish in the 14-20 inch range rising to the Spruce Moth. Tricos are also hatching on the river but the fish seem to be more keyed into the moth lately. Some of the best technical dry fly fishing is had during this time period.

The nymph anglers have been doing well with #14 Spanish bullets, and small stone fly nymphs. Trout have been taking hoppers in the afternoon hours below Melrose. The river is easy to wade right now at these lower flows and the float anglers are still getting down the river in the Jerry Creek and Maiden Rock zones.

Sections 2-4 of the Big Hole River (from the confluence with the North Fork of the Big Hole River to the confluence with the Beaverhead River) are open to fishing from Midnight until 2:00 p.m. for any other up to date FWP fishing restrictions that have been placed on many Montana rivers please check out this link.

Recommended Flies:

• Spanish Bullet Black #14
• Spruce Moth #12
• Widow Maker Moth #12
• Panty Dropper Hopper #10
• Thread Frenchie #16
• Pat’s Stone #10 (Black/Brown)
• Duracell Copper Top #16

Fishing has been good despite the Hoot Owl restrictions that have been implemented on the Entire Big Hole River These restrictions went into effect July 17th. Hoot Owl restrictions mean that fishing is prohibited from 2:00 p.m. to midnight. We are doing guide trips from 7:00 am – 2:00 pm on the Big Hole and the fishing has remained good for our guides. This latest weekly report, we have seen this 22 inch brown and a 23 inch brown caught on our guide trips this week!

The Big Hole has nocturnal Stone flies hatching, caddis, and some PMD’s are around in the morning. Terrestrials and tricos are our next big hatch that will be starting soon. The streamer anglers are doing well in the morning hours in the shallow riffles with sculpin patterns. We are floating the Dewey Canyon and Maiden Rock Canyon stretches lately on our guide trips. It is time to get out early and adjust your fishing hours.

Recommended Flies:

• Spanish Bullet #14 (Black) (Olive)
• Thread Frenchie #14 (Olive)
• Pat’s Stone #10 (Black)
• Chubby Chernobyl Tan/pink #10
• PMD Parachute #14

Sections 2-5 of the Big Hole River (from the confluence with the North Fork of the Big Hole River to the confluence with the Beaverhead River) are open to fishing from Midnight until 2:00 p.m. for any other up to date FWP fishing restrictions that have been placed on many Montana rivers please check out this link.

The Big Hole River Report for July 11th has had plenty of happy anglers. You will find PMD’s, Caddis, Yellow Sallies, Drakes and Nocturnal Stoneflies hatching on the river daily. Our best fishing has been from around 7:00 am until around 2:00pm depending on the afternoon warmup. Streamer anglers have also had smiles lately. the fast shallow riffles are full of sculpin lately and the fish will key into your wounded streamer pattern mimicking them. PMD emerges in the riffles are hanging fish on the line and nocturnal stonefly imitations. Flows are low for this time of the year but you can get your boat down the river in the Jerry Creek Sections, Divide, Maiden Rock, Salmonfly and Glen sections. We are not floating above Jerry Creek due to lower flows.

From the North Fork of the Big Hole down to Notch Bottom (Tony Shoonen) Access site is open with NO restrictions. if you need help understanding any of the Hoot Owl Closures in section I and IV please give us a call (406) 835-3474

Hoot owl restrictions (fishing prohibited 2:00 p.m. to midnight) are in effect for the Big Hole River – Section 1 – from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence with the North Fork of the Big Hole River starting July 10.

Hoot owl restrictions (fishing prohibited 2:00 p.m. to midnight) are in effect for the Big Hole River – Section 5 – from Tony Schoonen FAS to the confluence with the Beaverhead River starting July 10.

Recommended Flies:

• Jig Frenchie #16
• Pat’s Stone Olive/brown #10
• Spanish Bullet #14
• Chubby Chernobyl #10
• PMD Comparadun #16
• Purple Craze #16
• Mini Loop Sculpin #6
• Lil Kim #6
• Dungeon Olive #6

The Big Hole fishing report has been fantastic lately. We have PMD’s, caddis, yellow sallies and Golden Stones hatching on the river. You will find trout eating dries throughout the day and the dropper fishing has been flat out fantastic. Fish have been feeding in the fast riffles mid day. We have done well with golden stone patterns and PMD dries and nymphs. Streamer anglers have been crushing fish in the riffles with sculpin patterns and minnow imitations. The overcast damp weather should continue to serve up great dry fly opportunities. We have been floating the Jerry Creek section, Divide into Maiden Rock section and the lower Big Hole sections. Summer is here and it’s your time to get out and fish.

Recommended Flies:

• Chubby Chernobyl #10 (yellow, purple, tan)
• Purple Craze #12
• Headlight Yellow Sallie #12
• PMD Comparadun #16
• Pearl Lightning Bug #12
• Pat’s Stone (Black/Brown) #8
• Jig Thread Frenchie #12
• Mini Loop Sculpin #6
• Lil’ Kim #6 (Gold, Copper)
• Sparkle Minnow (Sculpin) #6

The Salmonflies on the Big Hole River are here! The arrival of the Western Tanagers on the banks of the Big Hole always signals the arrival of the stoneflies. The famed Big Hole Salmonfly hatch should be fantastic this year. We have seen adult Salmonflies from Glen up to Melrose. The next significant warm up will move the hatch into the Maiden Rock Canyon. The river flows have been dropping due to the cooler temperatures, currently the flow is 2,290cfs in Melrose. The trout below Melrose are keyed into the Salmonfly dries and you will find egg layers in the afternoons. Above Melrose we are having productive streamer fishing and nymphing on salmonflies. When we turn over rocks in the canyon you will find the stonefly nymphs ten feet off the banks. I predict by the weekend the hatch will move into the Maiden Rock Canyon. It’s time to grab your buddies and throw your foam flies tight to the willows and hold on for some dry fly action. We always see some fantastic trout caught on dries this time of the year.

We are open 7:00am – 6:00pm daily

Recommended Flies:

• Cat Puke Salmonfly #4
• Chubby Norman #6
• Salmonfly Half Down #4
• Water Walker #4 Black/orange
• Pat’s Stone #4 (Black/orange)
• Dungeon (Black #4
• Circus Peanut (Black) #6
• Jig Slum Lord (Black/Brown) #6

The Big Hole River caddis hatch has been exploding lately. Conditions are perfect right now for dry fly fishing, with the clarity around 4 feet. The dropping water conditions have made for great streamer fishing and nymph fishing. Our best streamers have been yellow Zonkers, dungeons and Olive Lil’ Kim’s. We have also been picking fish on stone fly nymphs in the #8 size range and various caddis nymphs. The upper Big Hole has been fishing well and the canyon sections have produced great caddis fishing. Currently, we are in a great window of fishing before the high elevation snow melts off. The cloudy days have had the fish up eating caddis and chasing streamers off the banks. The Big Hole will be a great option for fishing over the holiday weekend.

We have a last minute opening for prime June Salmonfly fishing. June 12th-15th we have availability for 2 anglers and lodging. Give us a call to book these prime dates (406) 835-3474

Recommended Flies:

• Bloom’s Caddis (Olive, Tan) #14
• Flambe Caddis (Tan) #14
• Blowtorch #14
• Thread Frenchie #16
• Zonker (Yellow) #6
• Lil’ Kim #4
• Dungeon (Yellow) #4
• Pat’s Stone (Black) #8

The Big Hole fishing report has been pretty good lately. Spring has the river flows up and down, so each day has been a bit different on the river. The bright sun lately does not have the fish looking up for dry flies. We are seeing March Brown mayflies hatching below Melrose and some Blue Winged Olives throughout the river system. The visibility in the river is about 3 feet and the flows this morning are stable. We have been sticking to subsurface fishing during these bright sunny days. Nymphing or slow moving streamers have been bringing the fish to the boat. The water temperatures this weekend should get the fish moving and the bugs hatching. All of the fish we have seen caught this spring seem very healthy and are in great shape for the season.

Recommended Flies:

• Pat’s Stone (black/brown #10
• Jig Hot Spot #12
• San Juan Worm (Pink) (Red) #8
• Prince Nymph #10
• Sparkle Minnow J.J. #6
• Rusty Trombone #6

We have had some fantastic spring weather for the most part on the Big Hole lately. We are just getting through a cold snap today and then we are back to good fishing conditions. The river is stable and visibility is around 3 feet. We have had great nymph fishing and the occasional afternoon with good Skwalla dry fly fishing. You should be able to prospect the slow grassy banks this weekend with skwalla dry flies and do well. We have seen the better dry fly conditions on the lower stretches of the Big Hole River.

The trout have looked very healthy so far this spring. You will find some blue winged olives and March brown mayflies scattered throughout the river system. The streamer anglers are having good reports in the afternoons. Some days we have seen fish chasing and some days they have wanted slower moving streamers off the bottom. It is a wonderful time to get your spring fishing in before the high elevation runoff hits. We have a snowpack around 90% of normal for this date in time. The water conditions are shaping up to be very good this season. Spring Special Packages are still available. Book your trip today.

Recommended Flies:

• Bullet Head Skwalla #10
• Chubby Chernobyl Olive #10
• Blackout Stone Skwalla #10
• San Juan Worm Pink/Red #8
• Pat’s Stone #8 Olive/Brown
• Rusty Trombone #6
• Lil’ Kim Copper #6
• J.J. Special #6

Spring Fishing on the Big Hole has arrived. It has been winter like weather but that is going to change this weekend. Highs in the upper 50’s and lower 60’s this weekend will make for some nice fishing. The Big Hole is dropping and clearing and should be great shape this weekend. Water temperatures are still cold and the fish will be in the slower buckets. We have been nymphing with our best success. Flows are around 800cfs and should continue to drop or stay stable. You will find hatches of midges right now. Skwallas are still about a week out. Water temperatures need to get up into the upper 40’s to 50’s to get the Skwala hatch going. A solid window of spring fishing is here until the next push of water from snowmelt. The Big Hole basin is currently at 96% of average in snowpack.

Recommended Flies:

• Pat’s Stone olive/brown #8
• San Juan Worm #8
• Zebra Midge #16
• Shop Vac #16
• J.J. Special #6
• Bow River Bugger #6

The Big Hole River opening day is tomorrow, April 1st. We are looking forward to celebrating our 20th year in business in 2025. Our shop will be open at 9:00 am tomorrow and open daily for the Spring season. We will be running shuttles and open with many fishing goodies in stock. Our lodging opens this week and we still have some availability for our Spring Special.

The conditions of the Big Hole are not ideal right now but improving daily. The ice on the upper river has broken free last week and it has caused the flows to come up and the river to be off color. The river seems to be stabilizing and should drop in flows in the next 24- 36 hours due to cooler temperatures. Once the river drops in flow we should have great fishing. Boats will be out this week and we will give you reports as soon as we have them. We are looking forward to a great season. Snowpack in the Big Hole drainage is 95% for this date in time. We are expecting to have a good water year and plenty of healthy fish in the river system. We will see you in the shop or on the water.