Category: Sunrise_Fly_Shop_Blog

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It is hard to believe that August is coming to an end soon.  Southwest Montana fishing has been heating up.  We have had hot and dry weather, which has really gotten the hopper fishing on track.  We are looking forward to a September filled with exciting hopper fishing on the Big Hole, Beaverhead and Jefferson River.  I have been on all three rivers this week.  We still have Spruce Moth’s on the Big Hole River; the upper Beaverhead has been fishing excellent on PMD nymphs with hopper and Crane Fly fishing on the surface.  The Jefferson River has been streaky on the hopper bite.  Some days they have been crushing the hopper and other days the Jefferson River can be humbling.  Fall fishing is right around the corner.  Start planning your Fall fishing trip now!

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August terrestrial hatches on the Big Hole are in full swing.  We currently have Spruce Moth’s, hoppers, and flying ants.  Dry fly fishing doesn’t get better than this, brown’s eating Spruce Moth’s and hoppers in skinny water.  We have been fishing the Big Hole from Jerry Creek all the way to Notch bottom.  You will find the Spruce Moth’s from Jerry Creek down to Maiden Rock.  The Spruce Moth’s are thick and the trout are lined up to eat them.  Below Melrose it has been a hopper/nocturnal stone fly game on the surface.  August flows are great right now.  We are over 600cfs in Melrose right now.  Read more about the Spruce Moth Hatch here.       

A Ro Skiff was pinned on a rock in the Maiden Rock Canyon.  The boat was stollen from the river before the owner could recover it.  If you have any information on this boat pleasecontact our shop.

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Many people come to Southwest Montana to fish the famed Salmonfly hatch in June on the Big Hole River and the Madison River.    Besides the Salmon Fly hatch, the rivers of Southwest Montana have other great Stonefly hatches.  One in particular that is worth the trip to Montana is the Nocturnal Stonefly hatch.

Nocturnal Stoneflies are found on most freestone river is Southwest Montana.  In mid July after most of the Golden Stoneflies are gone the Big Hole River has a fabulous nocturnal Stonefly hatch.  As with most stoneflies, the males are much smaller than the females, and in this case the male Nocturnal Stone does not have the ability to fly.  This is part of the reason why you rarely see these flies buzzing around during the day like you will with a Golden Stone or Salmon Fly.  Similar to other stoneflies the nocturnal stonefly crawls onto dry rocks to sheds their exoskeleton and become an adult fly.  The best way to know if these flies are hatching is to look at dry rocks along the banks of the river to see if there are any stonefly shucks stuck to the rocks.

The Best Time to Fish The Nocturnal Stoneyfly Hatch on the Big Hole River

The best time to fish the nocturnal stonefly hatch is in the early morning hours, or in the late evenings.  I believe the best dry fly fishing is in the early morning hours before the sun hits the water.  One section of river in Southwest Montana that has a wonderful nocturnal stonefly hatch is the Dewey canyon of the Big Hole River.  Mid July is the time period that the hatch seems to be the best.

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A Winston rod was brought into the shop tonight.  It was found at the big rock between Melrose and Brownes Bridge that has been sucking boats this year on the Big Hole River.  If you have lost a Winston Rod please call the Sunrise Fly Shop to identify it.  Another honest angler with a rod that wants to get back to it’s original owner.

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Fishing in Southwest Montana has remained great.  We have enjoyed the dropping water.  The Big Hole is flowing at 2310cfs today.  Dry fly fishing has been heating up on the Big Hole River.  We have done well with various chubby patterns in the mornings and evenings for the nocturnal stones hatching.  The mid day fishing has varied with the weather.  If it is overcast keep the large dries on, if you have bright sun stick with the dry dropper set up.  Copper John’s, lightning bugs, and prince nymphs have been doing well in the shallow riffle water.  The caddis hatches in the evenings have been stellar.  we have been catching some great trout in the past few weeks here.

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Doug Barba With a nice Big Hole River Grayling!

It has been a wild June in Southwest Montana, record high water, and huge trout due to the amount of earth worms in the water system.  We are looking forward to the best water flows we have seen in many years for August and September on all Southwest Montana Rivers.   Happy 4^th of July and hope everyone is having a safe weekend.  We kick off the week with a dropping Big Hole River.  The river is finally below 6000cfs at Melrose.  We have Salmonflies still around, Golden Stone, Yellow Sallies, Green Drakes and Caddis.  You will find the best dry fly fishing on the Big Hole River from Mudd Creek to Divide.  Below Divide it has been a subsurface deal until we get some lower water.  I think this week we could see the lower river fishing better on dries as it drops.  Our early morning fishing on dries on the upper river has been stellar right now.

If you all are on the river please look for a lost rod.  One of our clients lost a rod and reel.  It was last seen on the bank in front of the bright orange looking cabin below the old Dickey Bridge (that was taken down this spring).  Please contact us if found or stop by the shop.  The rod has the owners name printed on it.  We appreciate your help on finding this item. 

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Our Clients Winston BIIX was recovered yesterday.  A good hearted angler hooked something and it turned out to be our clients lost rod.  What are the chances of that!  Thanks, our client will be greatly appreciative of your honest efforts.   Big fish have been on the bite recently.  Recently we had a bump in flows due to rains.  The Big Hole is dropping and clearing today 4180cfs in Melrose and dropping.  I just got a report from the river and during the cloudy weather today the fish have been taking dries very well.  Golden stone attractor patterns along the fast banks have been producing nice fish.  We have been fishing the entire Big Hole recently.  If you are going to float the lower Big Hole please make sure you have experienced people rowing.  Good stuff over here and it is going to keep getting better as the river drops this week.   

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The Big Hole River has been fishing well.  This fish was caught on the upper Big Hole River.  26 inch 8lb. brown.  This was a fish of a lifetime.  Way to go Steve Gilb.  It will be an interesting week.  Will the Big Hole River remain at a steady flow or will it spike from snowmelt.  I have been thinking I can predict mother nature but we all know that is difficult to do.  Traffic here has remained very light and the fishing has been great.  Some caddis still around in the Maiden Rock Canyon, mainly streamer fishing and nymphing everywhere else.  Salmon Flies soon??

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Mother’s day Caddis arrives on June 1^st.  After the last couple of years of having a  late spring, we should call it the June 1^st Caddis Hatch.   I did an evening float from Maiden Rock to Melrose and we did well on caddis dries through the entire canyon.  You had to be in backwater channels and back eddies for the dry fly fishing.  Get over here fast before the next push of water.  We also threw streamers late in the evening and moved several fish on J.J’s and muddy buddies.  The river has moved some trees below the Meriwether Ranch.  The one large cottonwood that has been pointing downstream right above the slough channel is now gone.  The power of water this time of year makes you realize that you need to be on your toes while rowing.

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