Montana ·
Bighorn River Fly Fishing Report - November 1, 2026
BIGHORN RIVER
ReportNOV 1 — 8, 2026
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Flow
1610CFS
Bighorn R bl Yellowtail Afterbay Dam nr St. Xavier
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Water Temp
—
Updated 2026-10-31
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Weather
35–49°F
Mostly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
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Clarity
Clear
Check post-storm
Flow is running at 1,610 cfs with a gauge height of 61.07 ft — slightly down from last week's 1,750 cfs and firmly in the sweet spot for nymphing clear, well-defined seams. Overcast skies and rain moving in by midday Sunday will compress the best dry-fly window to the morning hours, but expect BWO and midge activity to fire under the cloud cover.
What's Working — Hot Flies
Juju Baetis Tungsten #22
22
BWO WD-40 #22
22
Parachute - Blue Wing Olive #22
22
Black Zebra Midge(TBH) #20
20
Tungsten Tailwater Sowbug - Rainbow #10
10
Tailwater Sowbug - Rainbow #10
10
Pheasant Tail Tungsten #20
20
Roza's World Spain Perdigon Barbless #18 - 32
18
Egan's Frenchie #12
12
Barr's Flashback Emerger - BWO #22
22
Corn-fed Caddis (CDC) Tan #20
20
Tungsten Rainbow Warrior - Pearl #22
22
Hatch Chart
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | 20-22 | Moderate | 10 AM - 1 PM |
| Midge (Chironomid) | 20-24 | Heavy | 9 AM - 3 PM |
| Caddis | 18-20 | Light | 11 AM - 2 PM |
| Scud / Sowbug | 10-14 | Heavy | All Day |
| Pheasant Tail / Mayfly Nymph | 18-22 | Moderate | 8 AM - 12 PM |
Best Time Window
- 7 AM - 10 AM: Pre-fog-burn nymphing in deeper runs with sowbugs and Frenchies before the BWO hatch kicks off.
- 10 AM - 1 PM: Prime BWO and midge hatch window — work flat tailouts with emergers and parachute dries before rain arrives.
- 1 PM - 4 PM: Rain-driven nymphing in inside seams and deeper slots; brown trout go on the feed ahead of the front.
Guide's Tip
From the benchWith rain arriving by late morning and flows at a very fishable 1,610 cfs, get on the water early and target the long, flat tailouts below riffles where BWOs and midges will be concentrated near the surface. Set your indicator rig to fish 18-24 inches off the bottom in 3-4 ft runs using a heavier sowbug or Frenchie as your anchor, then switch to a lighter emerger or WD-40 as conditions soften under cloud cover. Once the rain moves in and the dry-fly window closes, drop back to a pure nymph setup and focus on the deeper inside seams — brown trout will be stacked there ahead of the weather change. Keep your drifts long and mend aggressively; at 1,610 cfs the current has enough push to drag your indicator if you're not on top of it.
Main Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Mountain Whitefish
