Montanas Legendary Bighorn River

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Montanas Legendary Bighorn River

• History and Origins of the Bighorn
• Insects of The Bighorn
• Whats the best time to come
• Fishing the Bighorn
• Our Operation

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History of the Bighorn

• Begins as the Wind River
• Flows through Boysen Res.
• Then to Wedding of the Waters
• Name Changes to Bighorn River
• Then into Bighorn Canyon/Bighorn Lake
• Created by Yellowtail Dam

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The Bighorn Before the Dam

• Very poor habitat for Aquatic Life
• Constantly muddy
• Very warm water
• Suckers, Carp, Chub, and other warm water species
• Brown Trout occasionally visited from the
  Bighorns feeder creeks
• Extreme flow changes
• Highs of 38,000 cfs to lows of 220 CFS

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Creation of the Dam

• Main purpose of water storage
• Secondary purpose of power generation
• Construction began in 1961 and completed in 1967

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Stocking of the River

• Between 1966 and 1973
• 100,000 Cutthroat
• 500,000 Rainbows
• No Browns were ever stocked
• A successful strain of Rainbow was found
• No cutthroat survived
• Last fish stocked in 1986

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Controversial Era

• Located in the heart of the Crow Reservation
• Indians claimed the river as their territory
• Only Crow were allowed
• River patrolled
• 1981 Supreme court ruling
• Federal waterway
• Public between high water marks

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A Great Tailwater

• 70 mi. long
• 500 Deep
• Limestone Canyon
• Raises alkalinity
• All the typical tailwater advantages
• Constant ideal temps.
• No extreme seasonal flow

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The Best Tailwater?

• Afterbay Dam
• A secondary reservoir between the large reservoir
  and the main river
• Kept low for power demands
• Protects from river scourge
• Settling qualities

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Insects of the Bighorn

• Non-Hatching (always productive)
• Scuds
• Sow Bugs
• Worms
• Hatching (times of the hatch will be discussed
  later)
• Midges
• Baetis
• Black Caddis
• PMD
• Trico

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Scuds

• A Crustacean
• Quick moving legs give a fuzzy appearance
• Tan, Pink, and Grey Sizes 12-16

Tan Scud
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Sowbug

• Crustacean
• More slender than a Scud
• Ray Charles, Soft hackle Sowbug
• Grey, Tan, and Pink sizes 16-20

Ray Charles
Soft Hackle Sow Bug
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Worms

• Aquatic worms
• Imitated best by the San Juan Worm
• Red, Wine, Flesh, Two Tone
• Micro (16) or large (8)

Micro Two Tone Flesh body, Wine Head
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Midges

• Very consistent hatch
• Cooler Darker Days
• Black, Red, Cream
• Sizes 18-24
• Larvae, Pupa, and Dry

Red Glass Bead Midge
Red Midge Pupa
Red Smoke Jumper Midge
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Baetis

• Consistent hatch on cool dark days
• Much like midges
• Sizes 16-22
• Nymph, Emerger, and Dry

Bighorn Baetis
Crippled Thor (baetis emerger)
CDC baetis
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Black Caddis

• The most dense hatch
• Nymph, pupa, and dry
• Sizes 14-22

Ultra Caddis
Bighorn Caddis Emerger
Slow water Caddis Black
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Pale Morning Dun

• Sparse Hatch
• Nymph form is most productive
• Sizes 16-20

Bighorn PMD Nymph
Pale Morning Dun
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Trico

• Formerly the biggest hatch
• Low water hurt, but they are recovering well
• Sizes 18-22

CDC Trico
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Best Time To Come

• Each season offers unique opportunities
• Different skill levels
• Extremely consistent nymphing

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Spring (March-May)

• Best dry fly fishing of the year
• Baetis and Midge dries
• Can be technical fishing on top
• Emergers and nymph forms
• Fewer rainbows in main channel
• Spawning season pulls many up to the shallows

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Summer (June-August)

• Nymphing picks up when water temps start to rise
• Most productive fishing possible
• Great time for beginners and those new to
  nymphing
• PMD hatch
• Nymph form is most productive
• Hopper Time!

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Summer Cont.

• Sight Fishing
• Fish actively feeding in 1-3 of swift water
• Black Caddis
• Very dense hatch
• Lots of fish on surface
• Lots of naturals on surface

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Fall (September-November)

• Very aggressive Browns
• Great streamer fishing
• Non-hatching insects

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Brown Spawn (mid. Nov Dec)

• Very heavily fished
• Hurts the population
• Below large spawning beds
• Pools below
• Fish feeding on washed out eggs
• Never walk near the spawning beds

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Winter (December-February)

• Nymphing
• Deeper runs
• Midges, baetis nymphs, sowbugs
• Possible dry fly
• Baetis

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Fishing the Bighorn

• Drift Boat
• Guided trip
• Rental drift boat
• Wading
• Tactics
• Deepwater Nymphing
• Technical dry fly fishing

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Drift Boat Fishing

• Best way to experience the Bighorn
• Guided trip
• Show you the ropes quickly
• Very productive and efficient
• Renting a drift boat
• Very calm river
• Obstacles and minor rapids are easily avoided
• Forgiving river to learn how to row a drift boat

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Wading

• Few access points
• Good stream access laws
• Three main access points
• Afterbay
• Most floats start here
• Three Mile (Lind)
• Best wading access
• Bighorn
• Most floats end

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River Map
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The Bighorn Rig

• Strike Indicator
• 9 3X Leader
• Weight
• 4s then 6s
• 18 of 4X tippet to lead fly
• 18 of 4X tippet to trailing fly

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Where to Fish

• Shelf
• Stacked up well below the shelf
• Seam
• Deeper the better
• Deeper Runs
• Very productive
• Avoid mostly still water
• Finicky fish will have a lot of time to inspect
  your rig

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Water Flow

• Small group in Lovell, WY
• Higher levels in Bighorn Lake
• Minimum flows are set
• No change to happen
• Flows not the best for trout
• More water more quantity of fish
• Less water larger fish
• Side channels dry up
• No habitat for smaller fish

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Our OperationThe Most Complete Lodge on the
Bighorn River

• Fly Shop
• Guide Service
• Drift Boat Rental
• Restaurant
• Lodging
• Motel Style Rooms
• Luxury Home Rental

• Most efficient option
• The most affordable option
• 3 day 4 night all inclusive guided 720
• 3 day 4 night all inclusive drift boat rental
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• The most convenient location
• Your Choice of Great food