Category: Big Hole River Fishing Report

Fishing continues to be ok on the Big Hole. The Big Hole Valley is still seeing higher than normal temperatures, but with strong trico hatches we have had good dry fly fishing in the mornings. After the trico spinner fall ends, we have been using spruce moths and hoppers with a variety of different droppers. Black Spanish Bullets and Pat’s Rubber Legs have been the most consistent droppers. With the hot weather continuing, the river temps are getting quite warm in the afternoon and Hoot Owl restrictions are still in place. Also, because of low flows, two sections of the Big Hole are closed for fishing until the reopen criteria is met.

Recommended Flies:

• Spruce Moth #12
• YFG Spruce Moth #12
• Bloom’s Spruce Moth #12
• Comparadun Trico #18
• Trico Spinner #18
• Chernobyl Ant #8
• Morrish Hopper #8
• Fat Albert #8
• Pat’s Rubber Leg #10 (Black)
• Spanish Bullet #16 (Black)
• Thread Frenchie #16 (Black/Olive)

Full Fishing Closures on the Big Hole River

• Section 1 Closed – Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to North Fork Big Hole River mouth
• Section 5 Closed – Tony Schoonen FAS (Notch) to confluence with Jefferson River

Hoot Owl restrictions prohibit fishing each day between 2 p.m. and midnight in the following sections of the Big Hole River:

• Section 2 Hoot Owl – From the North Fork of the Big Hole to Dickie Bridge FAS
• Section 4 Hoot Owl – From FWP’s Maiden Rock FAS (Lower Maiden Rock) to Tony Shoonen FAS (Notch)

Dickie Bridge down to FWP’s Maidenrock FAS (Lower Maiden Rock) is open to fishing all day. Even though this section is open all day please take water temperature readings and if the water temperature exceeds 68 degrees please stop fishing for the day. If these restrictions confuse you, please give us a call and we can clarify the locations. 406-835-3474.

Fishing has been good the last few days and should continue as we are seeing good hatches. We have Spruce Moth’s from Jerry Creek down to Maiden Rock (BLM). We also have been seeing tricos hatching around 10:00 in the morning from Maiden Rock (BLM) down to Glen. You can hunt rising fish with Spruce Moth’s and then switch to Trico’s in the morning. The Spruce Moth’s have been hitting the water throughout the entire day from Jerry Creek down to Maiden Rock (BLM). On the Lower River we are starting to see hopper activity in the afternoons. We have been catching nice trout against the grassy undercut banks. Remember on the lower Big Hole you have to be done fishing at 2:00pm due to Hoot Owl Closures.

Recommended Flies:

• Spruce Moth #12
• YFG Spruce Moth #12
• Bloom’s Spruce Moth #12
• Comparadun Trico #18
• Trico Spinner #18
• Chernobyl Ant #8
• Morrish Hopper #8
• Fat Albert #8
• Spanker #16
• Spanish Bullet #16 (Black)
• Thread Frenchie #16 (Black/Olive)

• Hoot Owl restrictions prohibit fishing each day between 2 p.m. and midnight in the following sections of the Big Hole River:
  • From Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadow Road to Dickie Bridge FAS
  • From the confluence of the Beaverhead River to FWP’s Maidenrock FAS (Lower Maiden Rock) 

From Dickie Bridge down to FWP’s Maidenrock FAS (Lower Maiden Rock) is open to fishing all day. Even though this section is open all day please take water temperature readings and if the water temperature exceeds 68 degrees please stop fishing for the day.
If these restrictions confuse you, please give us a call and we can clarify the locations. 406-835-3474. 

The Big Hole River has been fishing fantastic lately. The hatches on the Big Hole River consist of PMD’s, Caddis, Golden Stone’s and Nocturnal stoneflies. Sculpin patterns have been working well in the fast riffles. We are focusing our fishing from morning hours till about 3:00pm for the prime fishing. Sections that have been fishing the best are from Jerry Creek down to Melrose.

Recommended Flies:

• Chubby Chernobyl #10 (Yellow, UV Tan)
• Purple Craze #14
• Brindle Chute #14
• PMD Cripple #16
• Bloom’s Caddis #14
• Jig Thread Frenchie #14
• Jig Duracell #14
• Pearl Lightning Bug #16
• Pat’s Rubber leg #10
• Lil Kim Olive #4
• Mini Loop Sculpin #4

Fishing on the Big Hole River has been fantastic lately. We have had great dry fly fishing and tremendous hatches throughout the day. You will find Golden Stones, PMD’s, Caddis, Green Drakes and Yellow Sallies throughout the river system. River flows are at ideal levels right now for float fishing. We have been fishing a golden stone dry fly with a PMD cripple behind it and the rod has stayed bent. Stretches of the river that have been the best are as follows: East Bank all the way down to Notch Bottom on the Big Hole has been our best float sections. Look for the fishing to continue to be great through the weekend.

Recommend Flies:

• Chubby Chernobyl (Orange) (Yellow) (Cinnamon) #8, #10
• PMD Cripple #14
• PMD Comparadun #14
• Purple Craze #14
• Brindle Chute #14
• Yellow Sallie #14
• Jig Duracell #14
• Jig Hot Spot #14
• Jig Blowtorch #14
• Copper John (Red) #14
• Lil’ Kim #4
• Sparkle Minnow J.J. #6

Summer dry fly fishing on the Big Hole River has been good lately. We have hatches of Golden Stones, PMD’s, Caddis, drakes and summer stones. Pick your dry fly hatch and run with it. The evenings or early morning dry fly action on golden stones has been fantastic this week. The nymph fisherman have been hanging fish all day in the fast shallow riffles and are having opportunities in deeper seems. We have had good reports with the streamer anglers with J.J. Sparkle minnows, Lil’ Kim’s in olive and Mini Loop Sculpins in natural. Water flows are hovering just under 2,000 cfs here in Melrose. Our best fishing stretches have been from Jerry Creek down to Notch Bottom.

Recommend Flies:

• Chubby Chernobyl #8 (Gold) (Purple) (UV Tan)
• PMD Comparadun #16
• Purple Craze #12, #14
• Comparadun Purple #16
• Brindle Chute #12
• CDC Caddis #12
• Bloom’s Caddis #14
• Copper John Red #14
• Lightning Bug Pearl #14
• Pat’s Rubber Legs #8
• Mini Loop Sculpin
• J.J. Sparkle Minnow #4
• Lil Kim #4 Olive/tan
• Barely Legal Olive

Fishing has come into great shape on the Big Hole River. Salmonflies are still hatching about 5 miles above Jerry Creek and you will find them down to about Divide Bridge. The Golden Stones are pretty thick in the Jerry Creek to Maiden Rock Canyon stretch. Along with the stoneflies you will find yellow sallies, PMD’s and caddis hatching on the river. Prospecting with a double dry has been working well for us. We have been throwing a salmonfly or golden stone and then a yellow sally dry fly behind it. The streamer anglers have had good reports as well, J.J. Sparkle Minnows, and brown/yellow Barely Legals have kept fish chasing to the boat. The Big Hole will just continue to be in prime shape this week as the river drops in flows and stabilizes.

Suggested Flies:

• Cat Puke #4
• Chubby Chernobyl (Orange) (Yellow) (Purple) #6
• Flutter Bug Golden #6
• Water Walker (Black) (Brown) #4
• Water Walker Golden #6
• Head Light Sally #12
• Purple Haze #12
• Barely Legal #6
• Sparkle Minnows J.J. #4
• Sparring Partner Brown trout #4

The Big Hole River is quickly coming into prime shape. Our peak runoff is behind us and that means……Salmonflies! Yes, Salmonflies are here! Currently, we are seeing the big bugs in the Maiden Rock Canyon. River flows are quickly dropping and fishing was excellent today and the next several days we will have Salmonfly dry fly fishing. We have also seen PMD’s, golden stones and some yellow sallies on the water. Streamer anglers have done well lately with yellow/brown streamers. It is time for the best hatch of the year. The Big Hole has 4 feet of visibility and with the flows dropping this could be an amazing hatch.

Recommended Flies:

• Flutter Bug (Salmonfly) #4
• Cat Puke #4
• Half Down Salmonfly #4
• Chubby Chernobyl #6 (Purple) (Orange) (Golden)
• Chubby Norman #6, #8
• Water Walker #6 (Black) (Brown)