We were back on the Big Hole yesterday and we have a Big Hole River guide on the river today

by sunriseflyshop

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We were back on the Big Hole yesterday and we have a Big Hole River guide on the river today. Yesterday we fished from Sportsman’s to East Bank. Clarity was not good. We maybe had 10 inches of visibility. Our clients still managed to catch some fish subsurface. Today our guided trip is heading up to Fishtrap. Clarity is better on the upper Big Hole right now. We are hoping the clarity improves today and tomorrow before the next push of water from the warm temperatures we are going to have. We are fishing streamers and large San Juan worms tight to the banks where the clarity is the best.

 

Susanne caught this nice fish on the upper Big Hole yesterday

Recommended Flies : #12 Prince Nymph; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Green;  #6 San Juan Worm; #10 Mr. Beam Skwala #10 Bullet Head Skwala #8 J.J. Special #10 Sparkle Minnow; #4 Sunrise Sculpzilla

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Warmer weather is coming tomorrow and into the weekend.

by sunriseflyshop

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Warmer weather is coming tomorrow and into the weekend. The warm up will get the fish moving and the bugs. We had a boat on the lower Big Hole River yesterday and we had more of the same action with midges ruling the day and a few surface eats late in the afternoon on the Skwala dry fly. We might get better Skwala activity this weekend as the water warms but there is no guarantee.  The fish have been slow to move to streamers but that can change during the next several days. We have Spring Special Big Hole guide trips out the next two days. Stop in the shop to check out our new fly patterns and advice on the fishing.

Recommended Flies : #12 Prince Nymph; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Green; #18 Shop Vac; #18 Micro Mayfly; #10 San Juan Worm; #10 Mr. Beam Skwala #10 Bullet Head Skwala #8 J.J. Special #10 Sparkle Minnow; #4 Sunrise Sculpzilla

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Spring has arrived and fishing has been alright.

by sunriseflyshop

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Spring has arrived and fishing has been alright. We just finished our first two guide days on the Big Hole River. We had a spectacular 50 degree day and today the high was 35 degrees with snow. Both days fished well and in fact the best fish we caught were in the snow and cold temperatures. the Big Hole is in great shape clarity wise and flow. Your main hatch on the river right now are midges. When I say midges I mean tons of them. We had several hours where the river was blanketed with midges. You will find a few fish up and eating them but not many. Our best flies were sub surface; Micro worms, and #18 micro mayflies, #18 zebra midges, #18 pheasant tails. Fish are still in their winter holes, lets remember it is still March and water temperatures are hovering in the upper thirties and some days getting into the mid forties. Things will pick up dramatically during our next warm spell. When that warm up will be is still a mystery. Winter is back for the next several days according to the weather man. The Big Hole Basin snowpack is over 110% and still gaining. We are currently fishing from Maiden Rock down to the Notch. We are running shuttles, guiding Spring Specials and 2016 inventory is arriving daily.  Give us a call for all of the above information 406.835.3474.

Rob with a nice brown caught today on the Big Hole River

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Happy New Year to everyone as we get out our first Big Hole River fishing Report of the year.

by sunriseflyshop

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Happy New Year to everyone as we get out our first Big Hole River fishing Report of the year. We are looking forward to a great 2016 and the Big Hole River drainage and valley is covered with a slightly above average snowpack. The river is pretty iced over and you will only find certain spring fed areas fishable. The trout are pretty dormant this time of year. The snowpack in the Jefferson drainage is 107% of normal, which includes the Big Hole River, Beaverhead River and Jefferson River. This is a nice start to the snowpack but we still have three months of accumulating snowpack ahead of us. With this said it is too early to predict our water supply for the 2016 season but we are off to a good start. Our valley snowpack is very good, which always makes a big difference in gaining good water supply for our rivers and replenishing the ground water supply. The snow sites that record the snowpack on the below image is based on high elevation snowpack. It is nice to report that our valleys also have significant snowpack for this date in time. We will keep you posted throughout the winter season.

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Fishing has been pretty good on the Big Hole.

by sunriseflyshop

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Fishing has been pretty good on the Big Hole. We have had our best fishing on streamers and nymphs lately. Our best nymphs have been #16 pheasant tail’s, #8 Pat’s Stoneflies, #16 Micro Mayflies, #18 lightning bugs, and San Juan worms. Streamer fishing has been good on the overcast days. We have done well on white sculpzillas, J.J.’s and Mini loop sculpins. If you find dry fly fishing it will be from around 1 – 4 pm. We have had some Blue Winged Olives, and Mahogany Duns hatching in the afternoons. Our best dry flies have been #14 parachute adams, #16 Split wing BWO’s.

Kim Butler with a fantastic Brown caught on the Big Hole this week

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Fall is here and the fishing has been excellent.

by sunriseflyshop

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Fall is here and the fishing has been excellent. Cool mornings and clear and sunny afternoons lately. We are due for some moisture in the middle of the week coming up. In the sunny weather the dry fly fishing has been tough but the dry dropper fishing has been excellent. We have been throwing an October caddis attractor for a dry fly and either a #10 San Juan worm dropper or a #10 Pat’s Stone dropper. The brown trout are getting aggressive before the spawn and are eating very well. Streamer fishing has been good in the mornings. We have done well on sparkle minnows, mini loop sculpins and J.J.’s. Flows remain about average for this time of year.

Flies:   #16 Split Wing BWO, #16 Purple Craze, #12 Chubby, #14 Rocky Mountain Mint Olive,  #16 PMX Olive,  #10Pat’s Stone Black/Brown, #16 Green Machine, #14 Pearl Lightning Bug #14 Red Copper John #16 Superflash Pheasant Tail #16 Shimmer Nymph #16 Psycho Mayfly, #6 Bellyache Minnow Olive, #8 Sparkle Minnow,  #6 Copper Zonker  #6 Mini Loop Sculpin #6 J.J. Special

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Fall fishing has arrived on the Big Hole.

by sunriseflyshop

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Fall fishing has arrived on the Big Hole. We had a nice bump in flows due to mountain snow and valley rain, which has the Big Hole in great shape. We have a great stretch of weather coming up with day time highs in the lower 70’s and dry weather. Fall hatches are also currently in full swing on the Big Hole. You will find blue winged olive’s and mahogany dun’s hatching. A few October caddis have also been around. Streamers have been working ok, but not great lately. Our best streamer fishing has been in the afternoons with sparkle minnows. Our nymph droppers of choice have been san juan worms, pat’s stones, and psycho may flies.

Flies:   #16 Split Wing BWO, #16 Purple Craze, #12 Chubby, #14 Rocky Mountain Mint Olive,  #16 PMX Olive,  #10Pat’s Stone Black/Brown, #16 Green Machine, #14 Pearl Lightning Bug #14 Red Copper John #16 Superflash Pheasant Tail #16 Shimmer Nymph #16 Psycho Mayfly, #6 Bellyache Minnow Olive, #8 Sparkle Minnow,  #6 Copper Zonker  #6 Mini Loop Sculpin #6 J.J. Special

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We are receiving some much needed wet weather in the Big Hole Valley right now.

by sunriseflyshop

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We are receiving some much needed wet weather in the Big Hole Valley right now. Flows are on the rise but the river is remaining clear. We are currently on a step increase in flows at the upper river gauges and the Maiden Rock gauge is over historic average flow, which we have not seen in many weeks. The entire river will see a nice bump in flows from the storm we are receiving. With the wet weather you will have good baetis hatches and maybe some Mahogany duns. Streamers will be affective today with the increase in flows and cloudy weather. I would have on a J.J. Special for my streamer of choice.

Flies:   #16 Split Wing BWO, #16 Purple Craze,   #18 Trico Comparadun #18 HIgh Vis Trico Spinner #12 Chubby, #14 Rocky Mountain Mint Olive,  #16 PMX Olive,  #10Pat’s Stone Black/Brown, #16 Green Machine, #14 Pearl Lightning Bug #14 Red Copper John #16 Superflash Pheasant Tail #16 Shimmer Nymph #12 Psycho Mayfly #14 Kyle’s Sally #6 Bellyache Minnow Olive, #8 Sparkle Minnow,  #6 Copper Zonker  #6 Mini Loop Sculpin #6 J.J. Special

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Fishing has stayed pretty consistent on the Big Hole.

by sunriseflyshop

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Fishing has stayed pretty consistent on the Big Hole. We are having a nice Trico hatch around 10:00 a.m. and you will also find PMD’s and some drakes around in the late morning. In the afternoons we have been throwing, ants, hoppers and nymphs. Some of our best nymphs lately have been #18 Silver lightning bugs, #16 Psycho Mayflies, and #10 Pat’s Stone’s. Flow remain below normal, which is great for the wade angler and tough for the float fisherman. Our Big Hole River guides are still getting down the river in rafts as we remain in below normal flows for this time of year. Cold night time temperatures have the trout feeding well for the entire day.

Flies:   #12 CDC Spruce Moth #12 Spruce Moth #12 X Caddis  #18 Trico Comparadun #18 HIgh Vis Trico Spinner #12 Chubby, #14 Rocky Mountain Mint #16 Purple Haze, #16 PMX Olive,  #10Pat’s Stone Black/Brown, #16 Green Machine, #14 Pearl Lightning Bug #14 Red Copper John #16 Superflash Pheasant Tail #16 Shimmer Nymph #12 Psycho Mayfly #14 Kyle’s Sally #6 Bellyache Minnow Olive, #8 Sparkle Minnow,  #6 Copper Zonker  #6 Mini Loop Sculpin

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Trico Report

by sunriseflyshop

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Over the last several days, the Trico fishing has been fantastic.  The hatches have been happening on the entire river, and some very nice fish have been coming up and eating these tiny mayflies.  To be perfectly honest, the whitefish have also been very active, but if you take your time, identify, and target the sipping trout, you can have a phenomenal day of trout fishing.  If technical dry fly fishing isn’t your thing, throwing a tan or olive streamer in the fast riffles has also been very effective.

Below is a nice brown that was caught on an olive streamer in the Maiden Rock Canyon.

Montana Hoot Owl and fishing closure resources link. 

Flies:   #12 CDC Spruce Moth #12 Spruce Moth #12 X Caddis  #18 Trico Comparadun #18 HIgh Vis Trico Spinner #12 Chubby, #14 Rocky Mountain Mint #16 Purple Haze, #16 PMX Olive,  #10Pat’s Stone Black/Brown, #16 Green Macjhine, #14 Pearl Lightning Bug #14 Red Copper John #16 Superflash Pheasant Tail #16 Shimmer Nymph #12 Psycho Mayfly #14 Kyle’s Sally #6 Bellyache Minnow Olive, #8 Sparkle Minnow,  #6 Copper Zonker  #6 Mini Loop Sculpin

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