Big Hole River Fishing Report

Fish On! In the Big Hole River

by sunriseflyshop

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Flows on the Big Hole are starting to come up daily due to some snowmelt but not enough to put the fishing down. Fishing has been pretty darn good lately even with the slight bump in flows. Clarity remains around 4 feet. We have some skwalas around and March Brown mayflies. Our Big Hole River guides have been fishing on the upper Big Hole, Canyon stretches and the lower Big Hole. All three sections of the Big Hole has been fishing well. Water temperatures are hitting the magic number of 50 degrees lately, which has gotten the streamer junkies excited. We have done well on black, olive, and tan streamers. As we all know, conditions this time of year can change quick. Give us a call for up to date information. 406-835-3474.

Book your Spring Special fishing package today! 

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Recommended Flies: #10 Water Walker Olive; #8 Mr. Beam; #12 Parachute Adam’s; #8 T.J. Hooker; #8 Pat’s Stone; #12 Prince Nymph; #10 Squirmy Worm; #8 San Juan Worm Pink/Red #6 Smokin’ Mirrors Black; #6 Flash Minnow Yellow; #6 She Deamon;  Sex Dungeon Black/Yellow/White

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Big Hole River Fishing Report

by sunriseflyshop

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During last week we saw some colder temperatures that stopped some of the spring snowmelt and we saw the river drop back down near historical averages. With the drop in flows the visibility improved and we started having some really good fishing. We started seeing a few skwalas flying around, and as a result  fish were coming up for a dry fly. Our best fishing for the last few days has come while using a dry/dropper with a Skwala dry and a San Juan worm. The forecast for the next week is calling for some warmer daytime temperatures and as a result we might see the river start to bump. Hopefully any increases will be minimal and we will continue to see good fishing on the Big Hole. Give us a call at the shop to get the most up to date report on the river condition.

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Fishing has remained very good on the Big Hole lately.

by sunriseflyshop

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Fishing has remained very good on the Big Hole lately. We have hatches of PMD’s, Yellow Sallies, drakes, Caddis, and nocturnal stoneflies. Our best dry fly fishing has been in the morning and during the day when we have cloud cover. If you get out at dawn the nocturnal stonefly fishing has been fantastic on large stonefly dries. In the evening the the caddis hatches have been thick from Jerry Creek down to Melrose. Streamer fishing has been good in the fast riffle water during the middle of the day and in the early morning hours. Around 10 am you will find fish up eating PMD’s.

Recommended Flies: #12 Rogue Stone; #10 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #10 Purple Haze; #12 X Caddis; #8 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #12 Pheasant Tail; #12 Pearl Lightning Bug; #12 Red Copper John;#12 Psycho Mayfly PMD; #12 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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Dry fly fishing on the Big Hole has been excellent this week and it should remain that way for the next several days.

by sunriseflyshop

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Dry fly fishing on the Big Hole has been excellent this week and it should remain that way for the next several days. The overcast weather we have had has kept the fish looking up and several big fish have been landed on the dry fly this week. We have hatches of Golden Stones, PMD’s, Caddis and Yellow Sallies. We have been fishing on the upper River near East bank and the Canyon sections of the Big Hole for our best dry fly fishing. Flows remain above average for this time of year. Streamer fishing has been very good for all the streamer junkies that hit the Big Hole. We have done best with natural and olive colored streamers.

Recommended Flies: #12 Rogue Stone; #10 Chubby Chernobyl tan/orange/Gold/Purple #10 Purple Haze; #12 X Caddis; #8 Pat’s Stone Brown/Black; #12 Pheasant Tail; #12 Pearl Lightning Bug; #12 Red Copper John;#12 Psycho Mayfly PMD; #12 Caddis Pupa; #6 J.J. Special; #4 Smokin’ Mirrors; #4Mr. Creepo #4 McCunnes Sculpin; #4 Mini Loop Sculpin

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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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The Spring Rollercoaster Continues

by sunriseflyshop

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As we enter another pattern of colder and wetter weather, the Big Hole River is again on the drop and river temperatures are creeping back down into the low 40’s.  The fish have still been very active chasing streamers, but with water temps dropping we might see slower fishing in the mornings.  The forecasted high for the next 5 days ranges from 45 to 55 degrees, which should be sufficient to keep the river warm enough to continue the phenomenal streamer fishing we have been seeing.  The benefit of the cold and wet weather system that we are going to see this weekend is that it will bring with it overcast skies, which will also help continue good streamer fishing.

Below are a couple photos from Lou’s guided trip on Tuesday.

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Streamer Season

by sunriseflyshop

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The colder weather over the past several days has brought the flows on the Big Hole River down to around 2500cfs and increased the visibility to more than two feet.  This lowering of flows and improvement of the clarity has made for some great spring fishing.  Even though we still haven’t really seen much sign of the Skwallas, the streamer fishing has been really good.  As usual for the Big Hole, yellow has been the hot streamer color, and slow stripping has been the most successful technique.  Below are three  nice fish that one of our clients caught this past weekend.

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Perfect Spring Conditions

by sunriseflyshop

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The Big Hole River is in prime condition and is fishing amazingly well.  Even though we haven’t seen a lot of adult Skwallas, the fish are looking up and eating Skwalla patterns on the surface.  And if you are willing to drop a nymph off of your dry fly, the action becomes even more intense.  If that wasn’t enough, fish are also chasing yellow and brown streamers.  Spring fishing couldn’t be better!

Below is a fish that our client Woody caught yesterday.

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Southwest Montana fly fishing finally has something positive to report.

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Southwest Montana fly fishing finally has something positive to report.  We have some valley temperatures above freezing.  These warmer day time highs above freezing will start to get the ice off the lower Big Hole River.  Right now we are still at winter flows and with the ice on the river you will not be able to get a boat down.  On the warmer days some midge activity will be getting some fish looking up.  Still your basic nymphing techniques of Pat’s Stones and San Juan worms in the tail out deep areas of the run will get you hooked up.  If you are looking to wade fish I would recommend being where springs enter the river.  Our Big Hole River fly shop is gearing up for a great Spring season and our Big Hole River guides are ready to get on the water.

the Big Hole Snowpack is looking very good.  We are at 140% snow/water content and 115% of normal snowfall for this date in time.

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