Big Hole River Fishing Report – Salmonfly Hatch Update

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Big Hole River Fishing Report

The Salmonfly Hatch has started below Melrose. Our guides had some of the best fishing of their careers yesterday below Melrose. I’m sure everyone has heard the saying, “should have been here yesterday.” Don’t worry if you weren’t you haven’t missed the hatch above Melrose. We have spotted the Salmonflies below Melrose but stretches above Melrose have not had adult Salmonflies yet. With this cooler weather and increase in river flows the hatch will take a pause until our next warm up. Looks like mid to late week it will be game on! Salmonfly nymphs are staged up near the banks in the Maiden Rock canyon waiting to hatch. You will want to be here in the next 10 days to enjoy the Salmonfly hatch.

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In accordance with the directives of both the State of Montana and Silver Bow County, below are the rules for entering the fly shop

  1. No customers with COVID-19 symptoms may enter the fly shop
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Thank you for your cooperation. Together, we will make it through these difficult times

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#Flutter Bug
#Rogue Salmonfly
#6 Chubby Norman
#4 Pat’s Stone (Orange/Brown)
#6 Yuk Bug
#8 Chubby Chernobyl (UV) (Gold) (Purple)
#4 Water Walker

#8 Chubby Peanut
#6 Henry’s Fork Stone

[/eye_text][/eye_column][eye_column data_width=”5″][eye_image align=”right” caption=”Sunrise Guide Andy Barkley with a nice one from a few days ago “]2526|https://www.sunriseflyshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_8266-1024×816.jpg|large[/eye_image][/eye_column][/eye_row][eye_row data_width=”container” data_padding_row=”50px,15px,0,15px” data_margin_row=”0,0″ data_equal_height=”true”][eye_column data_width=”4″][eye_image align=”right” caption=”Trout are keyed into the Salmonfly nymphs in the Maiden Rock Canyon”]2525|https://www.sunriseflyshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_8281-1024×768.jpeg|large[/eye_image][/eye_column][eye_column data_width=”4″][eye_image align=”right” caption=”Essentail Gear Raffle #11 Winston Alpha + 6 weight | Abel Vaya 5/6 | Simms Nippers | Call to purchase your slots 406-835-3474″]2519|https://www.sunriseflyshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IMG_8304-1024×798.jpg|large[/eye_image][/eye_column][eye_column data_width=”4″][eye_image align=”right” caption=”Plenty of Salmonflies to choose from online ” link=”https://shop.sunriseflyshop.com/flies/dry-flies/”]2514|https://www.sunriseflyshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/99915169-9A1B-4BF9-B2C5-8BAE68FD086D-1024×1024.jpg|large[/eye_image][/eye_column][/eye_row]

Sunrise Fly Shop

by sunriseflyshop

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We have had some nice warm Summer like weather this past week in Southwest Montana. Today feels more like Spring with cool wet weather. The river has been coming up due to snow melt, which is typically for late May. Clarity still remains at 2 1/2 feet on the banks. We have had more good fishing lately subsurface. Lots of Caddis are hatching but the fish are not crazy about rising to them due to the high flows. Our best fishing has been underneath with streamers and nymphs. Around Glen we have been fishing Salmonfly nymphs with some success. As long as the river doesn’t rise too much, the fishing should stay consistent subsurface. If the flows continue to rise around Melrose it will be difficult to find fishable water due to high flows.

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 guide Rutger Wilson getting clients into the big ones this week

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

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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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Big Hole River Salmonfly Hatch

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It’s been a busy weekend on the Big Hole. We are experiencing the most Salmonflies we have seen in about 10 years on the Big Hole. Currently the hatch is on the entire River. Some of our best dry fly fishing has been from Jerry Creek down to Melrose. Our best dry fly fishing has been in the morning and late afternoon. You will find Salmonflies, Golden Stones, Yellow Sallies and Caddis hatching right now. Flows have been dropping and water conditions are ideal right now for dry fly fishing. During the middle of the week you will find the river traffic to be much more pleasant. It is time to throw the big bugs and hold on tight. Our Big Hole River guides have been catching clients some very nice fish lately.

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Waiting for Salmonflies

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Tomorrow marks the first day of June and we are gearing up for the Salmonfly hatch on the Big Hole River. We are going to have great flows and clarity for the Salmonfly hatch this year. Currently, we are near average flows for this date in time at the Melrose gauge. We do not have any Salmonflies on the lower Big Hole River but they should start hatching soon. We have had great nymph fishing on #4 Pat’s Stoneflies which means the fish are keying into the Salmonfly nymph as the nymphs are moving closer to the banks. The Salmonflies will start to hatch around Glen. We will let you know when we first see these bugs. Fishing remains good on the upper Big Hole and throughout the entire river system. Clarity remains good and flows are currently stable.

Flies: #10 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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Hatches, hatches and more hatches.

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Hatches, hatches and more hatches.  The Salmonflies are tapering off but we have great dry fly fishing right now on the Big Hole.  Our hatches consist of Golden Stones, PMD’s, Caddis, and Drakes.  The dry fly fishing during the overcast days has been excellent.  Our Big Hole River guides have been on the upper Big Hole, Canyon sections, and the lower river.  We have had good reports on all sections of the River.  The flows are stable and the fish are looking up.  The Golden Stones dry fly fishing has been great in the Canyon.

A Big Hole Golden Stone

Flies: #4 Cat Puke, #4 Rogue Stone, #4 Fluttering Stone, #10 Purple Haze  #8 Chubby Chernobyl #16 PMD Cripple black/gold#10 Rocky Mountain Mint, #8 San Juan Worm; #4 Pat’s Stone #12 Red Copper John #16 Bat Man Nymph orange/brown: #8 RL Stone; #6 J.J. Special #4 Coffey Bugger; #4 Bad Boy #4 Yellow Zonker

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Father’s Day Salmonfly Hatch Update

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When I got into my truck and came to work this morning I had to scrape off the frost on my windshield.  You don’t expect that on June 15th.  Reports were very good yesterday in the morning on Salmonflies and then the temperature dropped in the afternoon and the fishing tapered off.  We have had a very slow moving Big Hole River Salmonfly hatch due to the cool weather.  Look for the bugs to fly in the warmer afternoons.  It is going to stay cool and then warm up nicely in the middle of the week.  You may have to keep the droppers on below the Salmonflies and Chubby Chernobyl’s today and tomorrow.  We have been fishing the upper river and the canyon sections of the Big Hole.  Our Big Hole River guides were on late in the Dewey Canyon last night and did very well on dries.  Everything is continuing to fish well and look for the weekend crowd to taper off and it’s time to call in sick to work tomorrow and get on the Big Hole. 

Guide Chuck Page with a fabulous brown during the Big Hole  Salmonfly hatch

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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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BIg Hole River Salmonfly Hatch Update

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Just got our first morning report today of the Big Hole River Salmonfly Hatch.  Fantastic fishing from lower Maiden Rock (FWP) to Brownes bridge.  We have salmonflies from Glen all the way up past Melrose.  We do not have a report of any adult Salmonflies in the Maiden Rock Canyon yet or the Dewey Canyon.  We have been throwing the Salmonfly dry with a Pat’s Stone nymph below it.  Some of our best patterns lately has been the Cat Puke, and Mutant Stone.

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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Big Hole River Salmonfly Waiting Game

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Conditions are perfect for the Salmonflies to pop but we have not seen any of the big bugs yet.  We are looking every morning before we open the shop at the bridges and willows to see if we spot any Salmonfly shucks.  The river is dropping and the clarity is about 3 feet with the perfect tea color tint that the Big Hole carries this time of year.  We have been doing very well on the lower Big Hole with Salmonfly nymphs…hmmm that means they should hatch any day now.  Get ready to race over here because the hatch is almost ready to pop.  We will keep you up to date once we spot some Salmonflies.  The entire Big Hole has been fishing very well on streamers and nymphs with the occasional big fish eating the dry fly.  It should be a great Big Hole River Salmonfly hatch this year.

Flies: #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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