Bighorn River Fishing Update November 20

Things are starting to look up on the Bighorn.  Water clarity has increased dramatically over the past 5 or 6 days.  There is some grass in the system, but not like it was a couple weeks ago.  Fishing seems to be picking up as well!

This is the time the Bighorn if you’re a streamer junkie.  The fish are just flat out ‘grabby’ right now.  Sink tips are certainly helping as many fish are still out in the main guts of the runs, but there are some good banks and pockets to pick apart on the lower river as well.  We’ve been doing really well on Thin Mints, Grinches, any kind of squirrel strip leeches and just about any color combo of buggers in sizes 4-6.  Some guys are picking up not as many, but bigger fish on the big articulated junk right now as well.

Nymphing continues to produce, but wouldn’t say it’s excellent, but good enough to pick up fish throughout the day.  Orange Scuds, Carpet Bugs, Glass Bead Sowbugs and Baetis nymphs are working well.

We’re seeing really good numbers of Baetis throughout the entire river and a few good fish looking for them (emphasis on ‘A FEW’).  There are sure a lot of small guys looking up, getting trained up for next season when they’re in that 14-16″ range.

This next season looks to be one of the better seasons we’ve seen in years, with an increased fish population and a huge variety of fish size.  Let’s just hope our water can be managed right!!