Fall fishing has been pretty good on the Big Hole.

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Fall fishing has been pretty good on the Big Hole. Uncrowded waters and scenery you usually find painted on canvas has this month a must to fish in Montana. Flows on the Big Hole are excellent and the brown trout have been willing to move to streamers and nymphs lately as they get ready to spawn. We also have some hatches of Blue Winged Olives and Mahogany Duns. Look for the fish hanging out in the tail-outs of the runs and the shallow edges of the runs. Dust off that streamer box and get out for some fall fishing before winter sets into Southwest Montana.

Sale: 

20% off Simms Freestone Boots, and Rivertek BOA Boots

Call 406-835-3474 or email us to order.

 

 Recommended Flies: #16 high vis Baetis; #16 Purple Craze; #12 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #18 Purple Haze; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #16 little spanker #16 Pheasant Tail; #16 Pearl Lightning Bug; #18 Red Copper John;#16 Psycho Mayfly Olive; #14 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin; #6 Lil’ Kim #6 Flash Minnow

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What a crazy week it has been.

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What a crazy week it has been. We went from a red flag warning for fire danger to a winter storm warning within 24hrs. Summer has ended and we are set up for Fall fishing. The mountains in Southwest Montana above 9,000 ft. have over a foot of snow from this past storm. Our valley had a few inches of snow on the ground this morning. With all this moisture and the outlook of more moisture next week the river is on the rise but remains clear. The float fisherman are eager to see the river rise to more sustainable flows. The brown trout are packing on the pounds for the spawn coming up in October. Look for the trout to be aggressive to streamers and nymphs. We will see Blue Winged Olive hatches and Mahogany Duns during the overcast damp days ahead.

Rutger Wilson finding some good trout during the weekend snow storm

Sale: 

25% off Winston Nexus 4 piece fly rods. We have 5 weights in Stock. $359.75
Also, 20% off Simms Freestone Boots, and Rivertek BOA Boots

Call 406-835-3474 or email us to order.

 

 Recommended Flies: #16 high vis Baetis; #16 Purple Craze; #12 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #18 Purple Haze; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #16 little spanker #16 Pheasant Tail; #16 Pearl Lightning Bug; #18 Red Copper John;#16 Psycho Mayfly Olive; #14 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin; #6 Lil’ Kim

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Summer fishing is coming to an end and fall fishing is nearing.

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Summer fishing is coming to an end and fall fishing is nearing. You will still find some Tricos hatching in the morning but they are starting to fade away. The fall Blue Winged Olives and Mahogany Duns have been seen recently. Look for these hatches to improve as fall weather nears. We are still in need of some moisture to boost our river flows. We have been floating the Jerry Creek stretch, Maiden Rock and below Melrose sections of the Big Hole. The streamer fishing has picked up and we should continue to see the fish looking to chase streamers as we move into fall conditions. Our client caught this trout on the Big Hole this past week.

Sale: 

25% off Winston Nexus 4 piece fly rods. We have 5 weights in Stock. $359.75
Also, 20% off Simms Freestone Boots, and Rivertek BOA Boots

Call 406-835-3474 or email us to order.

 

 

Recommended Flies:#16 high vis Baetis; #18 comparadun trico; #18 trico spinner;  #12 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #18 Purple Haze; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #16 little spanker #16 Pheasant Tail; #16 Pearl Lightning Bug; #18 Red Copper John;#16 Psycho Mayfly Olive; #14 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin; #6 Lil’ Kim

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Fishing has remained ok on the Big Hole

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Fishing has remained ok on the Big Hole. The wade fisherman are happy but the float fisherman are ready for an increase in river flows. We are still floating in the Jerry Creek stretch, Maiden Rock Stretch and the Notch Bottom stretch of the Big Hole. You will find hatches of tricos in the morning and we are starting to see fall baetis in the afternoons on the upper stretches of the Big Hole. Besides the baetis, small hoppers and ants are working in the afternoon. We are also having good luck with streamers followed by a baetis nymph in the shallow riffles. Fall will soon be here and the large brown trout will be lurking around for your streamers.

Sunrise client with a brown ready for the fall season caught yesterday on the Big Hole

Sale: 

All Hatch Reels are 25% off We have 4Plus Finatics $329.95 and 5Plus Finatics $374.95 in stock. Call 406-835-3474 or email to order. 
25% off Winston Nexus 4 piece fly rods. We have 5 weights and 6 weights in Stock. $359.75 

Recommended Flies:#16 high vis Baetis #18 comparadun trico; #18 trico spinner  #12 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #18 Purple Haze; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #16 little spanker #16 Pheasant Tail; #16 Pearl Lightning Bug; #18 Red Copper John;#16 Psycho Mayfly Olive; #14 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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You will find hatches of Tricos in the morning and then terrestrials in the afternoon on the Big Hole.

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You will find hatches of Tricos in the morning and then terrestrials in the afternoon on the Big Hole. We have had fantastic hatches of Tricos with some large brown trout podding up and sipping dries in the morning. The spruce moth hatch is done but you will find flying ants and some hoppers in the afternoons. Streamers in the shallow riffles have been producing nice fish. We have also been doing well with a small dropper off the back of the streamer. #16 Psycho Mayflies, #16 Little Spankers and #16 Micro Mayflies have been good dropper nymphs. We have been floating the river with clients in the Jerry Creek Section and the Maiden Rock section of the Big Hole. The wade fisherman have easy access to the river due to the lower flows right now. Hopper activity has been good in the Glen to Notch section of the Big Hole. Water temperatures are back in the safe zone on the Big Hole due to cooler night / day time temperatures.

Sale: 

All Hatch Reels are 25% off We have 4Plus Finatics $329.95 and 5Plus Finatics $374.95 in stock. Call 406-835-3474 or email to order. 25% off Winston Nexus 4 piece fly rods. We have 5 weights and 6 weights in Stock. $359.75 

Recommended Flies: #18 comparadun trico; #18 trico spinner  #12 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #18 Purple Haze; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #12 Pheasant Tail; #16 Pearl Lightning Bug; #16 Red Copper John;#16 Psycho Mayfly Olive; #14 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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Dry fly fishing on the Big Hole has been fantastic lately.

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Dry fly fishing on the Big Hole has been fantastic lately. We have hatches of Spruce Moth’s, Tricos, and Ants. The Spruce Moth hatch has been the best from Jerry Creek down through the Maiden Rock Canyon. The Trico hatch has been thick in the morning hours from about 9:00am – 10:30am.  We have also found flying ants on portions of the Big Hole. A size #16 royal wolf works well to replicate the ant hatch. Streamers have been the best in the morning hours in the shallow riffles. Currently none of the water we fish on the Big Hole has any restrictions. Hoot Owl restrictions are Below Notch Bottom and near the town of Wisdom from Saginah Bridge to the mouth of the North Fork of the Big Hole River. Here is a map to show you those locations. 

Client Jeff Jones with a great Brown caught this week on the Big Hole River

Recommended Flies: #12 Spruce Moth; #18 comparadun trico; #18 trico spinner #12 Rogue Stone; #10 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #10 Purple Haze; #12 X Caddis; #8 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #12 Pheasant Tail; #16 Pearl Lightning Bug; #16 Red Copper John;#16 Psycho Mayfly PMD; #14 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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The transition from hatches of PMD’s and nocturnal stoneflies …

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The transition from hatches of PMD’s and nocturnal stoneflies into Spruce Moth’s and Trico’s are going on right now on the Big Hole. We have started to see some Spruce Moth’s in the Dewey canyon and the Maiden Rock Canyon. Trico’s have been spotted below Melrose and on the upper Big Hole. Ants and small attractors have also been working well. Patters such as PMX’s and small chernobyl’s have been working well. The streamer fishing in the shallow riffle water has remained very good for large trout in the morning hours. Our guide trips have been floating the Jerry Creek Section, Maiden Rock section and below Melrose. Here is the link to any Hoot Owl closures on our waters. 

Recommended Flies: #12 Spruce Moth; #18 comparadun trico; #18 trico spinner #12 Rogue Stone; #10 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #10 Purple Haze; #12 X Caddis; #8 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #12 Pheasant Tail; #16 Pearl Lightning Bug; #16 Red Copper John;#16 Psycho Mayfly PMD; #14 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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We are currently in between hatches on the Big Hole.

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We are currently in between hatches on the Big Hole. You will find PMD’s in the morning, some drakes are still around and you will also find Yellow Sallies and nocturnal stoneflies. Flow remain very good for this time of year. The warm afternoons and long days have some of the reaches warming into the 70’s in late afternoon hours. Please take a break when water temperatures exceed 70 degrees. We have been doing well with PMD nymphs, stone fly nymphs and streamers after the morning hatch. Don’t overlook the shallow riffles, you will be surprised at what you can hook on the end of your line. The very lower Big Hole below Notch Bottom down to the Jefferson is on Hoot Owl, and the very upper Big Hole near Wisdom is also on Hoot Owl. Hoot Owl means it is illegal to fish after 2:00pm till 12:00am. Here is a map to help you find the locations. Click Here.

Our home waters on the Big Hole are not under any restrictions. We have been floating the Jerry Creek section, Divide, Maiden Rock and below Melrose with no restrictions.

Recommended Flies: #12 Rogue Stone; #10 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #10 Purple Haze; #12 X Caddis; #8 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #12 Pheasant Tail; #12 Pearl Lightning Bug; #12 Red Copper John;#12 Psycho Mayfly PMD; #12 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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Fishing has remained very good on the Big Hole lately.

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Fishing has remained very good on the Big Hole lately. We have hatches of PMD’s, Yellow Sallies, drakes, Caddis, and nocturnal stoneflies. Our best dry fly fishing has been in the morning and during the day when we have cloud cover. If you get out at dawn the nocturnal stonefly fishing has been fantastic on large stonefly dries. In the evening the the caddis hatches have been thick from Jerry Creek down to Melrose. Streamer fishing has been good in the fast riffle water during the middle of the day and in the early morning hours. Around 10 am you will find fish up eating PMD’s.

Recommended Flies: #12 Rogue Stone; #10 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #10 Purple Haze; #12 X Caddis; #8 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #12 Pheasant Tail; #12 Pearl Lightning Bug; #12 Red Copper John;#12 Psycho Mayfly PMD; #12 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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Dry fly fishing on the Big Hole has been excellent this week and it should remain that way for the next several days.

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Dry fly fishing on the Big Hole has been excellent this week and it should remain that way for the next several days. The overcast weather we have had has kept the fish looking up and several big fish have been landed on the dry fly this week. We have hatches of Golden Stones, PMD’s, Caddis and Yellow Sallies. We have been fishing on the upper River near East bank and the Canyon sections of the Big Hole for our best dry fly fishing. Flows remain above average for this time of year. Streamer fishing has been very good for all the streamer junkies that hit the Big Hole. We have done best with natural and olive colored streamers.

Recommended Flies: #12 Rogue Stone; #10 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #10 Purple Haze; #12 X Caddis; #8 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #12 Pheasant Tail; #12 Pearl Lightning Bug; #12 Red Copper John;#12 Psycho Mayfly PMD; #12 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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