Salmon flies are Here

by sunriseflyshop

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Let the best dry fly fishing of the year begin. Salmon flies have hatched in the Melrose to Glen section. We had our Big Hole river guides on most of the sections of the river today and we had great fishing. We spotted over 50 Salmonfly shucks on the Kalsta bridge between Brownes Bridge and Glen today. The hatch will slowly work up into the Maiden Rock Canyon the next few days. Today a Pat’s Stone under a Salmonfly kept us hooked up all day. We did not have a lot of Salmonflies up in the air today taking flight but that will change tomorrow. Dry fly fishing should be great the next several days.

 

Recommended Flies :  #4 Fluttering Stone; #4 Bullet Head Salmonfly; #4 Half Down Salmonfly; #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.

by sunriseflyshop

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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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Feels like the coastal Northwest here lately.

by sunriseflyshop

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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

by sunriseflyshop

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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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Rain in the valley the last 36 hours and snow in the high country.

by sunriseflyshop

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Rain in the valley the last 36 hours and snow in the high country. We are going to have a moist week here on the Big Hole. Flows look like they are stabalizing for now but that can change quickly. Visibility has been around 18 inches. We have been guiding on the upper Big Hole the last several days and fishing has been ok. We have been able to catch some very nice fish. Some browns up to 24 inches have been caught by our clients. Streamers and worm droppers are the best recipe for the trout right now. You will find some blue winged olives and march brown mayflies but the fish are not really interested in them. The worm hatch should continue to get better this week with the amount of precipitation we are receiving. Things are busy in our Big Hole River fly shop. We are the exclusive dealer of Simms, Patagonia, Scientific Angler, Fishpond, Costa Sunglasses, Winston Fly Rods, Hatch Reels and Lamson on the Big Hole.

Sunrise Fly Shop Client with a 24 inch brown caught on the Big Hole three days ago with our guide staff

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  #6 Yellow Zonker

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You can’t ask for better April weather then this.

by sunriseflyshop

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You can’t ask for better April weather then this. Grab the flip flops and maybe leave the waders at home. The Big Hole River is still holding with 18 inches of visibility and no dramatic rise in water flows yet. This could all change but we will have to wait and see. It is always hard to predict what will happen in the next few days in the Spring. I can tell you right now the river is fishing ok and it is producing some nice fish lately. Mainly subsurface action. You will find some March brown mayflies out and some Skwalas. We have been sticking subsurface with nymphs and streamers. Our our guide trips have been up river around East Bank and down in the Maiden Rock Canyon lately. Grab the sunscreen and your favorite pair of shades and have fun on the river. 

Our Client caught this brute on the Big Hole this week

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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The entire Big Hole river is dropping in flow and clearing.

by sunriseflyshop

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The entire Big Hole river is dropping in flow and clearing. We have about 18 inches of visibility on the upper Big Hole. You will have a nice opportunity the next several days for good fishing on the Big Hole. Subsurface fishing will be your best option right now. Slow moving streamers off the banks, almost a dead drift and nymphs. Our best nymphs have been pink S.J. worms, and red S.J. worms. Water temperatures today are pretty cold but that will improve Sunday and Monday. It’s a good springtime opportunity to get out there and fish the next several days.

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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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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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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fishing has been very good this week.

by sunriseflyshop

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fishing has been very good this week. In the mornings we have had good fishing in the slow tail outs of the runs for large brown trout. We have been mainly catching them subsurface on Pat’s Stone’s, and #16 Super Flash Pheasant tails. Around noon hour the Blue Wing’s and PMD’s are showing up and the fish have been willing to eat dry flies. Our best dry flies are #16 Split Wing Blue Winged Olives and #16 Purple Craze’s. Streamers have been taking fish in the fast riffles in the afternoon hours. Look for sunny weather the next few days, with the clouds and moisture coming next week.

Photo: Dan Armstrong Photography

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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