Bighorn River Fly Fishing in August
Water temperatures stabilize in August, creating predictable angling scenarios from one day to another throughout the Bighorn River. Advanced anglers relish the shallow water sight fishing opportunities using dries or lightly weighted nymphs.
Terrestrial fly patterns and dry/dropper rigs are go-to setups as the sun rises high in the August sky. Large hoppers with small, heavily weighted nymphs work well along deep seams and at the bottom of long riffles. As the floating grass starts to become an issue, many anglers prefer to fly fish with a single dry.
Anglers fishing the Bighorn River in August should anticipate increasing growth of troublesome aquatic vegetation during the heat of the summer. Experienced Montana fishing guides can help anglers with a variety of techniques to efficiently clean their flies. The floating grass is annoying for anglers but does not affect the trout’s willingness to eat well-presented flies.
August Fly Fishing Hatches on the Bighorn River
PMDs, Yellow Sallies, and Caddis are the predominant hatches on the Bighorn River in August. Trico hatches start to appear in late August and last into the early weeks of October. Grasshoppers, ants, and beetles are all available to the wild trout in the river and have importance throughout the late summer.
Small bait fish will start to be present along the edges of banks and pocket water, creating excellent streamer fly fishing opportunities.
Bighorn River Fly Box in August
Bighorn River Fly Fishing Techniques in August
Long dry fly leaders and stealthy presentations will achieve the best results for the angler fishing the Bighorn River in August. Carefully planned approaches to rising trout will reward the patient angler.
When nymph fishing, use short leaders and focus on fast shallow water or deep drop-offs along cliff banks. Heavily weighted tungsten flies get down quickly to the deep trout feeding near the river’s bottom in the long, slow glides.
Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide Pro Tip:
August hatches of PMD and Trico mayflies can be prolific. During peak hatch periods, trout tend to selectively sip on emerging naturals rather than feed opportunistically on drifting hopper patterns. However, perseverance typically pays off for the angler who is willing to stick with the large, single dry with an explosive take from larger trout.
Bighorn River Fly Fishing Trips in August
The Bighorn River remains relatively cool under the heat of August when compared to most of the rivers in the western part of the Treasure State. Montana fly fishing remains stable on the Bighorn and is a great change of pace for experienced anglers.
Expect crowded conditions and lots of floating grass which can create challenges for novice and first-time anglers.
Fins and Feathers has been outfitting Montana fly fishing trips on the Bighorn River for over two decades. We welcome advanced bookings for reservations with a 3-day minimum at $695 per day for 1-2 anglers fishing with our team of Bozeman fly fishing guides. Bighorn River trips are often part of our Montana fly fishing tours which also include a few days of guided fly fishing in Bozeman.
Contact Us for referrals on last-minute or single-day trips near Ft. Smith, Montana.
Bighorn River fly fishing trips can be secured online, via E-mail, or by calling us at 406-468-5019.