Bighorn River Fishing Report
Date: 09/02/2025
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Bighorn River is fishing well right now. Mornings are best with steady PMD activity, especially below 3-Mile. Trout are rising in the flats and softer seams, but they’re picky—clean drifts and light tippet matter.
Caddis are around too, more so in the afternoons. Hoppers and ants are getting some eats, mostly along shaded banks and grassy edges.
Nymphing with a sowbug or scud to a small PMD emerger or zebra midge has been productive. Fish are holding in slower runs and soft edges, feeding just off the bottom. Lighter rigs with subtle presentations are working best, short leashes in the mornings, longer setups as the sun gets higher. You don’t need much weight.
Streamer fishing has its moments early and late. Smaller baitfish patterns like sparkle minnows and skiddish smolts are moving fish in deeper runs and near structure.
Overall, it’s a good time to be on the Bighorn. The bugs are there, the fish are active, and the river feels right.
Additional Resources:
- September fly fishing guide to the Bighorn River
- Bozeman fly fishing guide to September
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Skiddish Smolt
Tailwater Sowbug
Orange Scud
Sweetgrass Hopper
Black Lite Brite Perdigon
Black Zebra Midge
PMD Crackback
PMD Jigster
Bighorn River Fly Fishing
The Bighorn River, emerging from the base of Afterbay Dam near Fort Smith, Montana, is one of the state’s premier tailwater fisheries. Fed by cold, consistent flows from Yellowtail Dam, the river offers exceptional fly fishing opportunities across the first 35 miles—especially between the Afterbay and Bighorn Fishing Access Sites.
The most popular stretch is the 10-mile float from 3-Mile to Bighorn Access. Here, anglers find productive seams, riffles, and side channels that are ideal for both floating and wade fishing. Dry fly action peaks during PMD and BWO hatches, while nymphing remains effective year-round.
Crowds are common from spring through early fall, particularly in the first three miles below the dam and at the 3-Mile fishing access site. This easily wadeable section includes legendary runs like the Breakfast Hole and Hot-Dog Run, where trout stack up in knee-deep gravel-bottomed riffles.
Further downstream, fishing pressure decreases and trout numbers taper off, but float anglers willing to explore these more remote stretches will find reprieve from the crowds.. Late summer and fall can be tricky due to aquatic vegetation and irrigation returns.
Whether you're casting dries, drifting nymphs, or stripping streamers, the Bighorn delivers consistent action for wild brown and rainbow trout—making it a must-visit for serious fly anglers in Montana.
Additional Bighorn River Fly Fishing Resources
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