Date: May 28, 2017
Flows: 14,000 CFS
Water Temp: 53 F
With high flows and limited wade fishing, guide trips are a great option.
Nymphing has been the top fish producer in the high flows. Long leaders and plenty of weight are needed in this big water. Big sowbugs with either a Skinny Nelson or a midge pattern have been solid. Running a worm pattern has been great as well, producing more fish below 3 mile.
Dry fly fishing on the Bighorn has been hit and miss. Your best shot is in the evening, targeting the calmer water and seams.
Streamer fishing has been solid to great depending on the conditions. With the high flows, lots of shiners have been pushed down into the river, where primarily browns have been targeting them. If fishing a bigger streamer, cast to the banks and keep it moving. Dead drifting a smaller pattern under an indicator has been producing as well.
Fishing the warm water species on the reservoir and Afterbay has been a change of pace. Carp and smallmouth on the reservoir have been consistently eating both Super Beetles and Cicada patterns on the surface. Though carp on the Afterbay have been trickier, eating leeches below the surface, we’ve definitely seen bigger fish caught. Slow strips with a small leech pattern has been the ticket.
Nymphs
- Fire Bead Sowbug #14-18
- Pink Crush #14-16
- Rainbow Warrior #18
- Skinny Nelson #16-18
- Wire Worm #6
- San Juan Two-tone or Hybrid Steelie #12
Dries
- Smoke Jumper #20
- Student #22
Streamers
- Sex Dungeon (white or black) #6
- Aztec #4
- Olive buggers #4-10
- White buggers #4-10
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