July 3, 2008

The Bighorn flow is 6,210 CFS, and has been dropping for the past week: Bighorn River Flow at St. Xavier   The Bighorn Lake Conservation Pool is 99% full.

The fishing pressure is less, now that a number of Montana rivers are starting to fish well.  The river is now clear all the way to Bighorn and below.

Steve says the fishing is excellent and nymphing remains the main game.  Streamer fishing is picking up, with Shiela's Sculpin continuing to produce.  Dry fly fishing is not happening yet, but the caddis should pop any day now, especially below Bighorn.

Recommended Flies:

June 24, 2008

The Bighorn flow is 8,940 CFS, down from 9,570: Bighorn River Flow at St. Xavier  It continues to be a very big river.  The Bighorn Lake Conservation Pool is 97% full.

The fishing pressure has been enormous, in spite of these high flows, with so many of the rivers in Montana being blown out.  But the river is now clear all the way to Bighorn and below.

Steve says the fishing has been slower the last few days and it is often necessary to cycle through a large number of flies.  These increased flows have made it mostly an upper river, nymphing game.  Use long leaders and a lot of weight.  The higher flows are washing a lot of large sowbugs, scuds, and worms into the current.  The biggest scuds and sowbugs are now losing their ablility to hold in the weeds and are getting washed into the current.  Insects are either not hatching at these flows or, if they are, they are not present in numbers that interest the fish.  Nothing is happening on top.   

Streamer fishing can get results, mostly on the Shiela's Sculpin.

Recommended Flies: