Memorial Weekend Bighorn Fishing Report

It’s sure has been a gloomy Memorial day weekend on the Bighorn, but it also made for great numbers of bugs and awesome dry fly fishing!  Despite the crappy weather, folks came out of the woodwork to get their fish fix.

There have been some excellent windows of dry fly fishing with Midges and Baetis, but with the sunnier weather up ahead, look for that to be more limited to early morning and late evening.  For those of you who got your fill of dry fly fishing, you know how good it is when it’s on!  With the flows being very low, if you approach the fish like you’re in a spring creek, you will have much more success.  I’m surprised at the amount of really nice fish I’m finding in slow, foot deep water or so.  5X is the norm, 6X might be necessary.  Improved Students, Cripple Thors, Smokejumpers, Para Adams and Midge Clusters are good to have.

The nymphing and streamer game has been interesting with flows below 2K.  The majority of fish are now in the middle guts of the river or off the seams, quite a ways of the banks.  Both produced well yesterday, but the trick was running the right amount of tungsten putty (or shot) and depth adjustment, and right current speed and depth for streamer grabs.  The fish seem to be turning off the ‘Pink’ window we saw most of this Spring.  Our best combo has been a 14-16 Carpet Bug and either a Green Weenie, Lil’ Ugly, MacGruber or simliar Baetis nymph off the back.  Small Rays (16-18) in tan or grey have been productive as well.

We’re in the shop daily selling hot new bugs, guide trips, lodging and boat rentals.  The 14 day quarantine restriction and out-of-State travel restrictions end June 1.

Stop in for the latest updates and stay safe and enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend!!