Wyoming Bighorn River (Thermopolis Wyoming)
Date and Time: April 28th, 2025
Weather Conditions: Weather Forecast
Water Conditions: Current Flows
Hatches, Insects, Other dietary options for fish:
- Hatches: Baetis, Midges, Caddis
- Insects: Sowbugs, Leeches, Worms, Bloodworms
- Other: Eggs, Minnow, Crawdads
Fish Activity:
The fish are looking up and feeding actively on the Caddis and BWO hatches. Fish are also opportunistic about the post “Steak and Eggs”, lots of small fry are in the water along with eggs. Fish are chasing streamers. The Streamer bit and Dry fly action has been a welcome change to the traditional nymphing systems.
Flies:
- Baetis: Brown Copper Ribbed Perdigones, Juju Baetis, RS2, WD-40, Flashback Pheasant tail, Mercury Baetis, Green UV Thunder, Chocolate UV Thunder, Bubble Back Baetis, Radiation Baetis
- Midges: Black Beauty, Mercury Midge, Zebra Midge, Manhattan Midge, Mayhem Midge, Annelids
- Sowbugs: Soft Hackle Hot Head, UV Sow, Carpet Bug, Gut Sack Sow Bugs, Walt’s Worm
- Other: Sunny Side Up, San Juan Worm, WireWorms, Thin Mint, Pine Squirrel Leech, Black Wooly Bugger, Goldie, Rusty Trombone, Meat Whistle
Catches and Success Rates:
- Fishing pressure has picked up a bit, which is making the fish a little more selective, but we’re seeing below average numbers. Most of the fish we’re bringing in are rainbows, with a few browns mixed in—especially in the faster runs. Right now, we’re averaging about 10 to 15 fish in the net per day, so there’s still plenty of action out there. The moss season has started with the increase in flows from 700 to 950 in the last few weeks.
Local Regulations and Updates: 2025 Current Fishing Regulations
General Fishing Tips: The fish are on the edge of the runs, towards the tail outs. Once the BWO hatches kick off, fish start suspending and keying in on emergers. In the mornings, we’re typically running about six feet from with a small weight to indicator, adjusting depth as needed depending on the water we’re working. The significant caddis hatch has moved fished into the riffel during the day to eat.
Crowd and Access Information: The Bighorn is very busy this spring, with a lot of folks knocking the rust off and hitting the water. The number of boats has been on the rise the past few years, and this season is the busiest we’ve seen in a while. To avoid the crowds, consider spreading out, varying your launch times, or finding some wade fishing spots.
Future Predictions: More summer-like weather is just around the corner, with that you will see an increase in both moss and insect activity on the river. As the water warms, expect fish to become more active during the morning and evening hours. Additionally, we should see flows increase once farmers start requesting water for irrigation, which typically happens around May 1st when the canals are turned on. We also expect the fish to work towards less pressured areas of the river. This is going to make it hard to catch fish in the traditional runs.
