A pleasant change in the weather pattern lately has made for some great fishing.

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A pleasant change in the weather pattern lately has made for some great fishing. Cooler air temperatures has water temperatures staying in great shape. Hatches are starting around 9 am with PMD’s and then yellow sallies and caddis in the afternoons. Below Melrose we are seeing some nocturnal stoneflies. You will be able to fish the entire day with success with the cooler weather we have had lately. Remember the Hoot Owl closures are on the very lower river and upper river. Here is a map of the area closed after 2:00pm. http://bhwc.org/fish-water/river-conditions/

Recommended Flies: #14 PMX; #12 Purple Craze; #12 Comparadun Yellow; #12 Copper Cripple; #14 Bloom’s Caddis; #10 Chubby UV; #10 Pat’s Stone; #12 Pearl Lightning Bug; #12 Red Copper John; #14 Psycho May brown; #12 Pheasant Tail; McCunnes Sculpin; Mini Look Sculpin; #6 Sparkle Minnow 

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Fishing has been pretty good on the Big Hole lately.

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Fishing has been pretty good on the Big Hole lately. You will find hatches of PMD’s, Yellow Sallies, Caddis, and nocturnal stones. Our best dry fly fishing is from around daylight until 11:00 am. If you find cloud cover dry fly fishing will remain good in the afternoon. Please pay attention to water temperatures. If it remains hot the afternoon fishing will slow down and in order to protect the fishery carry a thermometer to make sure water temperatures are safe. Streamer fishing with a small bead head nymph trailed behind it is working very well in the shallow riffles.

We do have some Hoot Owl closures to inform you all about. From Saginaw Bridge near Wisdom to Dickey Bridge is closed from 2:00pm tilll midnight and from Notch Bottom to the confluence with the Beaverhead is closed from 2:00pm till midnight. From Dickey Bridge to Notch bottom is open 24 hrs a day for fishing. Here is a helpful link for the Hoot owl Closures. http://bhwc.org/fish-water/river-conditions/

Dennis Nelson with a great 22 inch Brown caught in the Maiden Rock Canyon

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The fishing remains lights out on the Big Hole.

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The fishing remains lights out on the Big Hole. We have several hatches to discuss on this report. You will find Golden Stones, PMD’s, Green Drakes, and Caddis from Jerry Creek all the way down to the lower end of the Big Hole. If you are still wanting to chase some Salmonflies head up river. We still have Salmonflies from Sportsman’s down to the Jerry Creek area. Along with Salmonflies on the upper river you will find PMD’s, Green Drakes, and Caddis. Flows have bumped a little bit due to some overnight rain. This will not put the fishing off. Clarity remains around 3 feet on the river. We have also had stellar streamer fishing lately. In the fast shallow riffles we have been fishing mini loop sculpins, #4 Lil’ Kim copper, and #6 sparkle minnows.

Recommended Flies: #8 Chubby Chernobyl; #12 Purple Haze; #12 Film Critic; #14 Comparadun; #14 Cripple Copper; #12 Pearl Lightning Bug; #12 Red Copper John; #8 Pat’s Stone Black; #4 Lil’ Kim; #4 Sculpzilla; #6 Sparkle Minnow; #6 Mini Loop Sculpin

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Beaverhead River

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The upper Beaverhead River has been fishing well. We have had our guides on the river this week. A tan S.J. worm, and #18 olive split backs have been working well. River conditions are great right now on the Beaverheread with an outflow @ 680 CFS. Dry fly activity has been limited and nymphing has been pretty good.

Recommended Flies: #18 Olive/brown Split back; #14 tan S.J. Worm; #18 Pheasant Tail #18 tan Scud; #18 Ray Charles; #18 Micro Mayfly #18 Psycho Mayfly

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The fishing remains lights out on the Big Hole.

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The fishing remains lights out on the Big Hole. We have several hatches to discuss on this report. You will find Golden Stones, PMD’s, Green Drakes, and Caddis from Jerry Creek all the way down to the lower end of the Big Hole. If you are still wanting to chase some Salmonflies head up river. We still have Salmonflies from Sportsman’s down to the Jerry Creek area. Along with Salmonflies on the upper river you will find PMD’s, Green Drakes, and Caddis. Flows have bumped a little bit due to some overnight rain. This will not put the fishing off. Clarity remains around 3 feet on the river. We have also had stellar streamer fishing lately. In the fast shallow riffles we have been fishing mini loop sculpins, #4 Lil’ Kim copper, and #6 sparkle minnows.

 

Recommended Flies: #8 Chubby Chernobyl; #12 Purple Haze; #12 Film Critic; #14 Comparadun; #14 Cripple Copper; #12 Pearl Lightning Bug; #12 Red Copper John; #8 Pat’s Stone Black; #4 Lil’ Kim; #4 Sculpzilla; #6 Sparkle Minnow; #6 Mini Loop Sculpin

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June 1st is the start of the Salmonfly Season here on the Big Hole.

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June 1st is the start of the Salmonfly Season here on the Big Hole. The bugs have not hatched yet but they are getting close on the lower river. We have been having stellar fishing on the Salmonfly nymphs lately. #4 Pat’s stones in the shallow fast riffle water has been very good lately. We are also having good luck with streamers. Copper Zonkers; #4 Lil Kim olive/copper. The Salmonflies should hatch soon on the lower Big Hole below Melrose. When we have some first sightings of the bugs we will let you know.

Client Al Range with a beauty Big Hole Brown caught recently

Recommended Flies : #6 San Juan Worm; #12 Pheasant Tail #12 Prince Nymph; #4 Pat’s Stone Brown/Orange; #12 CDC Caddis #14 Caddis Pupa; #14 X Caddis; #4 Smoking’ Mirrors; J.J. Special #10 Sparkle Minnow; #4 Sunrise Sculpzilla  #6 Yellow Zonker  #6 Copper Zonker

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Dropping water conditions has the entire river fishing well again.

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Dropping water conditions has the entire river fishing well again. The streamer fishing has been fantastic lately. You will also have some caddis still around and some drakes. The fish have been willing to chase the streamers pretty well lately. More overcast and wet conditions are in the forecast. It’s the perfect time to get the big fish to move to your fly.

SUNRISE FLY SHOP IS HIRING: Shuttle drivers, starting June 1st. Please call to enquire about the position. 406-835-3474 

Recommended Flies : #6 San Juan Worm; #12 Pheasant Tail #12 Prince Nymph; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Green; #12 CDC Caddis #14 Caddis Pupa; #14 X Caddis; #10 Mr. Beam Skwala #10 Bullet Head Skwala #8; #4 Smoking’ Mirrors; J.J. Special #10 Sparkle Minnow; #4 Sunrise Sculpzilla  #6 Yellow Zonker 

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Beaverhead River Fishing Report

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It’s opening day on the Beaverhead. Don’t get too excited, it’s blown out below Clark Canyon Creek. So you have about a mile and a half of clear water from the Dam down to Clark Canyon Creek and you will not be alone. Nymphing will be your most productive style of fishing. #18 Ray Charles, #18 sow Bugs, #14 Micro Worms, #18 Zebra midges and #18 rainbow warriors.

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Feels like the coastal Northwest here lately.

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Feels like the coastal Northwest here lately. We have received several inches of liquid precipitation in the valley and mountain snow lately. The river has taken a steep rise lately. The clarity in the the river has remained good @ around 2 feet of visibility. The wet weather has put an end to the caddis hatch. You will find some drakes and Blue Wings hatching in the moist weather. Mostly subsurface action right now. We are fishing streamers, stone fly nymphs and worms. Our Big Hole River guides have been able to catch fish even in the rising water volume. Look for the soft inside bends on the river to catch fish right now. All of this wet weather bodes well for our water flows this summer.

Recommended Flies : #6 San Juan Worm; #12 Pheasant Tail #12 Prince Nymph; #10 Pat’s Stone Brown/Green; #12 CDC Caddis #14 Caddis Pupa; #14 X Caddis; #10 Mr. Beam Skwala #10 Bullet Head Skwala #8; #4 Smoking’ Mirrors; J.J. Special #10 Sparkle Minnow; #4 Sunrise Sculpzilla  #6 Yellow Zonker

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Big Hole Rive Spring Fishing Report

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We experienced a dramatic change in weather last week.  After a week of record high heat and rising river flows, we had a massive cold-front move in and deliver colder temps, rain, sleet, snow and wind.  Once the front passed and a more stable low-pressure system settled in, the water dropped and cleared, and the Big Hole River trout really started eating.  Reports from our guides have been solid, with most fish being caught on dead drifted yellow streamers, Pat’s Rubber Legs, and San Juan Worms.  A number of BWO’s and Drakes have been hatching over the last few days, but the trout don’t seem to be keyed in on the May Flies quite yet.

Below are a couple of nice fish landed over the last couple days.

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

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