The Salmonfly Hatch is Here!

by sunriseflyshop

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The hatch that everyone has been waiting for is finally here.  We are seeing the Big Bugs from the Glen Bridge all the way up to East Bank.  A couple of our guides did an exploratory float last night from Maiden Rock to Brownes, and they said that the Salmonflies were thick in the willows throughout the entire float.  If you are looking to get trout to eat dry flies on the surface, try to find the slowest moving water in-between willows, softer inside bends, and slower moving water along grassy banks.

The River is still extremely high for this time of year, so if you decide to float any section below the Wise River, please be very careful.  The river’s flow is very fast and strong, and if you are not an expert at rowing a drift boat or raft we recommend only floating the upper river.

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June has been off to a high water start.

by sunriseflyshop

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June has been off to a high water start. The Big Hole is almost at flood stage around Melrose. We would not suggest floating in the Melrose area due to high flows right now. Our Big Hole River guides have been fishing the upper Big Hole. Above the Wise River the Big Hole has 2 feet of clarity on the banks. We have been successful with dead drifting streamers, worms and stone fly nymphs. This is a good time to get all of your gear ready for the Salmonfly Hatch. We are getting close to the hatch and we will keep you posted once we see the bugs. We are hoping the river drops before the bugs start to hatch. The first area that we will see the Salmonflies will be around the Glen Access site.

Mark that calendar for June 10th. Our 2nd Annual Salmonfly Fest will be from 5pm – 9pm on June 10th.  We have music from Smokestack and the Foothill Furry. We have food from Brunchies, and Rollin Bites brick oven Pizza. Beaverhead Brewery will be here, and Rattlesnake Distillery. We have giveaways and raffle items from Patagonia, Winston Rods, Simms Fishing Products, Dirty Water Fly Company, Bauer Reels, Scientific Anglers and much more. 

Sunrise Fly Shop Client Corky with a Big Hole River brown trout

Recommended Flies: #10 Purple Haze; #12 X Caddis; #10 Mr. Beam; #10 Skwala Stone; #10 Pat’s Stone Olive/Brown; #8 San Juan Worm; #12 Pheasant Tail; #12 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo

 

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Salmon fly Update

by sunriseflyshop

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Fishing has been fantastic here on the Big Hole River. Salmon flies and Golden Stones are hanging off the willows and fluttering down the banks of the river getting devoured by overstuffed trout. River flows and clarity are perfect for the hatch right now. We are finding the best Salmon Fly fishing from Jerry Creek down to Melrose. Tucking your dry flies under willows and against grassy banks will keep you hooked up.

Come Join us for Salmonfly Fest this weekend. We will have live music, food, raffle; Sponsors include Hatch Outdoors, Winston Rods, RO Drift Boats, Patagonia, Simms. Raffle Items include a set of RO drift boat oars, Winston Nexus Rod, Simms packs, Patagonia packs and Hatch nippers. giveaway items will also be at the event from our sponsors. It will be a great celebration of the best hatch on the Big Hole River. Come have some fun and enjoy live music and food at the Sunrise Fly Shop. Raffle tickets are available at our shop or during the event. For more details give us a call. 406-835-3474.

Recommended Flies:  #4 Fluttering Stone; #4 Cat Puke; #8 True Form Golden Stone; #8 Rogue Stone; #8 Pat’s Stone #12 Copper John; #4 Smoke n’ Mirrors #6 Sparkle Minnow; #6 Copper Zonker; #6 Beldar yellow/brown

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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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Our Big Hole guides have had great fishing lately.

by sunriseflyshop

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Our Big Hole guides have had great fishing lately. You will still find Salmonflies around the Dewey Canyon area. Elsewhere on the river we are having hatches of Golden Stones, Yellow Sallies, PMD’s and Caddis. Some of our best patters for dry flies have been purple craze’s in size #10 and Chubby’s in size #10. Our best nymph droppers off the dry flies have been #12 Red Copper John’s and #12 Pearl lightning bugs. In the cloudy weather we have had in the afternoons as the thunder storms creep up, we have had good streamer fishing with natural patterns. #4 Sculzilla’s and tan Zonkers have been working very well. I would focus on the riffle water with 3 to 4 feet drop offs right now.

Photo By Dan Armstrong Photography: Big Hole River Fly Shop

Flies: #4 Cat Puke #4 Fluttering Stone #4 Rogue Stone #6 Chubby, #12 Purple Haze #4Pat’s Stone Orange/Brown #8 San Juan Worm, #12 Pearl Lightning Bug #12 Red Copper John Bellyache Minnoe Olive #8 Sparkle Minnow, #4 Yellow/Black Beldar; #4 Smoke N’ Mirrors #6 Yellow Zonker #10  #6 Bad Boy

Hello everyone:  As you may have noticed construction work on Silver Bridge located on the Big Hole River near Divide is beginning to be initiated by MDT and Anderson Construction.  In order to stage equipment, the work bridge must be reinstalled over the river.  Therefore a one day closure (Monday-June 22, 2015)of the Big Hole River is required for this installation.  Please be advised that the River will be closed to all occupation from 1000 ft. upstream to 1000 ft. downstream of Silver Bridge starting at 8 AM to Midnight, June 22, 2015.   Please see the attached notice.

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Big Hole River Salmonfly Hatch Update

by sunriseflyshop

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Fishing has remained pretty good on the Big Hole during these rainy days of June. The water is up a bit today but that will not affect your fishing. Clarity remains good and the Salmonfly nymphs are moving around. We spotted about 10 Salmonfly shucks at Brownes bridge this morning. It is still early but a few Salmonflies are crawling and hatching on the lower Big Hole. Some warm and sunny weather will get the bugs flying around once they hatch. Right now dropping a #4 Pat’s Stone has been working very well.

Flies: #6 Chubby, #12 Purple Haze #4Pat’s Stone Orange/Brown #8 San Juan Worm, Bellyache Minnoe Olive #8 Sparkle Minnow, #4 Yellow/Black Beldar; #4 Smoke N’ Mirrors #6 Yellow Zonker #10  #6 Bad Boy

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Big Hole River Salmonfly Hatch Update

by sunriseflyshop

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The overcast weather today has produced excellent dry fly activity this morning.  We have been waiting for the big bugs to move in the canyon and they are here!  We have had great reports from the Maiden Rock Canyon and Dewey Canyon.  With the overcast cool weather and the dropping water flows we are having a dream of a Salmonfly hatch.  The bugs are coming off slowly and making for some excellent dry fly fishing.   Salmonflies are hatching up in the Maiden Rock Canyon and we have good reports from the Dewey Canyon as well. The Salmonfly madness has begun, come join us in Melrose and bring the chaos.   

Flies: #4 Cat Puke, #4 Rogue Stone, #4 Fluttering Stone, #10 Purple Haze  #8 Chubby Chernobyl black/gold#10 Rocky Mountain Mint, #8 San Juan Worm; #4 Pat’s Stone orange/brown: #8 RL Stone; #6 J.J. Special #4 Coffey Bugger; #4 Bad Boy #4 Yellow Zonker

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