COVID-19 UPDATE
Bighorn County remains closed to lodging, VRBO, Airbnb, and sit down dining. We will have an update for you over the next few days, but don’t expect these restrictions to lift anytime soon. Health officials are trying to keep outside tourists from coming into the area at this time. Read more...
We consider Mid March – May as ‘Spring’ on the Bighorn. The river behaves a lot different than the Summer months. Water temps are cooler, days are a bit shorter and often times we deal with colder weather. To be a successful angler, sometimes you must break the rules and old habits. Read more...
The Cotton Candy has become a Bighorn Guides’ favorite Sowbug pattern for the past few years. It’s a fairly simple pattern to tie and holds up great. It’s definitely a ‘Must Have’ pattern for the Spring the Bighorn. If you don’t like tying them, you can order them straight from us HERE. Read more...
It looks like COVID-19 regulations have caught up to us in the Bighorn Valley. As of 5 PM yesterday, March 20th, all lodges and accommodations have been asked to close down for at least a week and then a reevaluation will take place. Luckily no cases, yet, in our region. Our retail fly shop will remain open most every morning for shuttles, flies and supplies. Read more...
Pat Schelle is one of our most valuable assets to our business and provides many of the custom patterns that fill our bins and put Bighorn trout in our nets. Here is a cool article Big Sky Journal did back in 2009 about Pat and his famous pattern, the LBF. If you haven’t fished this pattern yet, you need to! Read more...
Sowbugs have no doubt become maybe the most abundant food source underneath the surface for Bighorn trout. We’ve come quite a ways from the Ray Charles, although still a very effective fly. There’s no doubt this year with a few less fish in the river, the fish will be more selective and having a range of different patterns will be a must. Read more...
Flows are up to 4250 CFS from last weeks snowmelt and the fishing is still great. Water temps have come up as a result and the fish have spread out a bit more. We even saw a good amount of fish up on Midges yesterday (a first for this year) and several Baetis down lower, so maybe a sign of things to come?.. Read more...
We’re lucky to have the Bighorn in our backyard as a testing ground for new product. I’ve been waiting all winter for the shipment of the new Orvis Recon to arrive and it walked through the door last week. Perfect timing for a good weather day on the Bighorn. I got it rigged up with a Scientific Anglers Anadro 6 wt and went to work. Read more...
It looks like we’re going to have a great weekend ahead of us. We’ll be around the shop all week and weekend so come in and pick up a new license, flies, shuttle, or whatever else.
Nymphing continues to be the most productive fish catching method. I would say it’s consistent, but inconsistent. Read more...
Winter fishing on the Bighorn is about more than catching fish. Finding those good weather windows where you can get out and fish with some buddies to fish with in the past and enjoying a beer on the river is what it’s about to us. It also helps when the fishing is good! Read more...