River Data:
River flow: 9,500 cfs
Water Temp: 65 F
Mountain Snow pack: 48% of average and falling
Lake Inflow: 8,044 cfs
Lake Level: Full
Hot Flies:
Nymphs: Sow bugs, worms and caddis pupae
Method: 8 foot 3x or stronger leader to one 3o split shot. 1ft or so to the first fly and1ft or so to the second fly.
Size 14-18 Grey Ray Charles
Size 18 -20 Sunken Trico imitations
Size 4-6 Steel worms. Red or orange
Size 8-10 Chenille worm
Size 16-18 Caddis patterns
The Water Temperature is extremely warm for the Bighorn River. Rumors of the first ever hoot owl restriction are creeping into lunch time conversations. Trout are a bit lethargic in warm water temperatures, but are still eating really well early in the morning and in the evenings. They have slowed down on the steel worm, but are eating chenille and other soft worm patterns well. In the mornings you can dead drift a sunken trico pattern. Trout will often gorge themselves on Tricos and not eat anything else for the rest of the day. So be prepared for slower nymph fishing on days of a heavy trico spinner fall.
Dry Flies: Caddis and Tricos
Method: 9 foot 5x leader to the top fly. 1ft or so leader to the second fly.
Size 16-18 CDC Caddis
Size 16-18 Caddis emerger
Size 16-20 Trico Spinner
Size 16-20 Trico duns
Fish are eating caddis fairly regularly in the evening. Water temperatures and air temperatures have been high so Tricos have started hatching. Fish are keying onto them, but to you have to get on the water between 5am and 7am. The dry fly fishing has been really good if you find yourself in the right place at the right time.
Streamers: Little shiner minnows and spawned rainbow, whitefish, sucker and carp minnows.
Method: 4-6 foot 0x or stronger leader to your first fly and 1-2 feet to your bottom fly.
Colors: White, olive, black, brown and yellow
The shiner minnows are starting to disappear from the slack waters on the banks. It’s hard to say if they are migrating downstream or getting picked off by ferocious trout waiting in the deep water. All the fry from the spring spawning species of fish are also present in the back waters. Throwing to the soft water on the banks is still the most effective technique.
Happy Fishing from Forrester’s Bighorn River Resort