Bighorn River Fly Fishing
Fly Fishing on the Bighorn River spoils many fly fishermen. With an abundance of trout and a large average size it makes for a very healthy fishery. The Bighorn River boasts an abundance of freshwater invertebrates such as scuds, sowbugs,and aquatic worms(annelids). The endless supply of this high-protein meal not only contributes to it’s quick growth to large sizes, but for strong and thick trout as well. It is a rare occasion to catch a skinny trout on the Bighorn.
The nymphing on the Bighorn remains a very consistent due to the abundance of the freshwater vertebrates as discussed above but the second most important category of bugs would have to be the Midges and Baetis (Blue Winged Olives) that are so prevalent throughout all of the cooler months of the year. Our early spring dry fly fishing that truly starts in February consists daily spells of Midges and Baetis hatching for various lengths in time. Sometimes it’s a quick 30 minute chance while other times we can spend a whole day fishing to rising pods of rainbow’s and browns.
Our summer hatches consist of PMD’s, Yellow Sallies, Trico’s and Black Caddis. The black caddis is by far our densest hatch on the Bighorn and usually begins late July and continues into September. With so many naturals on the water sometimes the hardest part is timing your cast with the rise pattern of the fish and having the luck of your fly being chosen among so many naturals.