Bighorn River Fishing Report
Date: 10/20/2026
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Bighorn River has been fishing decent lately, although the annual lake turnover has made things a little less consistent than they were earlier in the fall. There has been some greenish water coming out of the dam, and the changing conditions have made the fish a little more difficult to catch. The river is still fishing, though, and anglers are finding success with nymphs and streamers. Late morning through the afternoon has been a good time to focus your efforts, particularly as bug activity picks up.
Nymphing continues to be the most reliable approach, with tailwater sowbugs, orange scuds, carpet bugs, and smaller mayfly nymphs all worth fishing. Frenchies, pheasant tails, and blowtorches have also been good options, particularly later in the day. Getting your flies down to the fish has been important, and anglers should be prepared to adjust their depth throughout the day.
Streamer fishing has been improving with the cooler weather, especially on overcast days. Rusty trombones, goldies, thin mints, and smaller woolly buggers are all good options. Dry fly fishing has been less consistent as the caddis activity begins to slow down, although there are still opportunities to find fish feeding on smaller mayflies. Blue-winged olives are worth keeping an eye out for during the afternoons, particularly when the weather is cloudy.
Additional Resources:
- October Fly Fishing in Bozeman, MT.
Stream Flows
View stream flow graph on USGS
Recommended Flies
Black Lite Brite Perdigon
Tungsten Tailwater Sowbug
Tailwater Sowbug
Skiddish Smolt
Orange Scud
White Peanut Envy
Olive Mini Dungeon
Olive Double Gonga
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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