Bighorn River Fishing Report
Date: 04/17/2025
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
Things have cooled off on Montana’s Bighorn River with temperatures dropping into the thirties with a fresh layer of snow today. The forecast does improve going into the weekend and the fishing has been fantastic on the Bighorn. Nymphing has been on fire and we are starting to see good Midge and Blue Wing Olive hatches. The streamer bite has also been solid lately.
Set up your favorite nymph stick with a tandem fly rig. For the top fly try fishing a Worm or a large bead Scud or Sow Bug. Below that anglers have been having luck with Micro Mays, Zebra Midges, Perdigons, and Lighting Bugs. We are finding most of our nymph fish in the slow moving deep water. If streamer fishing is more your speed try fishing a smaller pattern. A few hot patterns have been Sparkle Minnow, Kreelex, Geisha Girls, and Peanut Envy’s.
The dry fly fishing can be very good this time of year on the Bighorn. If you see some fish rising they could be eating Midges or Blue Wing Olives this time of year. To cover the whole menu we like to fish a double dry fly set up. In the front try fishing a Blue Wing pattern like a Sparkle Dun or olive Parachute Adams. Behind the blue wing tie on your smaller Midge pattern like a Griffiths Gnat or Peacock Cluster. A 9-12 foot 4x leader should do the trick.
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Red San Juan Worm
Brown/Black Pat's Rubberlegs
Rainbow Spanish Bullet
Orange Scud
Sparkle Minnow