7,500 Trout Per Mile
| The Bighorn is not the kind of river to befuddle all but the elite fishermen. It offers an average of 7,500 trout per mile. Not to say these fish do not provide challenge, but alongside one of our Orvis-endorsed guides you are almost guaranteed a fair share of fish photo ops. History suggests that you could bring in a trout between 18” and 22”. | Entering Montana more then 150 miles downstream from its origin in Wyoming, it flows into Bighorn Lake, formed by the Yellowtail Dam. “The Horn,” as anglers call it, is nationally recognized as one of the premier trout streams in the United States, and Forrester’s happens to have access to the best spot on the river. | |
| Rates and Packages | Preparing for Your Trip |
A River For All Seasons
Springtime Favorites
Prime fishing gears up during the spring season. Millions of Midges can be found skimming the water’s surface during this time. These Midges account for almost 87% of the insect life in the river. Adult Midges form little clusters that entice trout to rise for hours on end.
A good cluster Midge pattern, subsurface Midge Pupae, Griffith Gnat or Parachute Adams should bring great results. Blue-Winged Olives appear late in spring producing an impressive hatch that summons anglers from across the country.
Summer on the Bighorn
Anglers and guides watch for two trout favorites during the summer: the Pale Morning Dun (PMD) and the little Yellow Stonefly (Yellow Sally). PMDs typically make an appearance between mid-July and August 1st.
It is important to note that trout will key in on certain stages of a hatch on select days, so we suggest that you vary your patterns and be creative. Remember to watch the river and see what’s coming off. Keep your PMD nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners close at hand and use them to your best advantage.
Black Caddis by the millions start to appear once the above insects dissipate. They swim to the surface to hatch, then swim to the bottom to lay their eggs. So during the late afternoon you can have a good hatch while making flight is occurring.
Fall, a time we all love.
Fall means Tricos and the height of dry fly fishing. For anglers, this is a magical time on the Bighorn. Spinners begin to fall each morning – sometimes lasting for two months.
Our guides are experienced in the fine art of timing, which is an important aspect of Trico fishing during this time of year. With all the naturals on the water, you will find that a trout may pass up your fly several times before taking it. Why? Because trout have a rhythm. They break the surface every five to 30 seconds, while allowing for several flies to pass over. Timing your cast can result in a nice catch. By November, trout will be rising to autumn Baetis or Midges. This is the perfect time to work the big runs.
Winter, a beautiful and surprising experience.
Midge hatches prove to be very heavy during the beginning and end of winter. The two most effective methods of fishing are streamers across deep, slow pools, and nymphing with small Midge patterns.
