Weather Conditions: Weather Forecast
Bighorn River Hatch Chart: Hatch Chart
Water Conditions: Current Flows
Hatches, Insects, Other dietary options for fish:
- Hatches: Baetis, Midges, Caddis
- Insects: Sowbugs, Leeches, Worms
- Other: Eggs, Minnow, Crawdads
Fish Activity:
The fish are incredibly active right now, feeding aggressively and consistently throughout the day as they work to pack on weight ahead of seasonal changes. We’re still experiencing spring-like weather patterns, with frequent pressure changes and scattered thunderstorms rolling through the area. These shifting conditions can significantly influence fish behavior—barometric pressure drops and incoming storms often disrupt feeding patterns, making fish either more active just before a front or more selective and sluggish during unsettled weather.
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, Macgruber, Adams, Parachute Adams, Candy Shop Spinner, Adult Antonios
- Midges: Black Beauty, Mercury Midge, Zebra Midge, Manhattan Midge, Mayhem Midge, Bloodworm
- Caddis: Elk Hair, Goddard Caddis, Catastrophic Caddis, Graphic Caddis
- Sowbugs: Soft Hackle Hot Head, UV Sow, Carpet Bug, Gut Sack Sow Bugs, Walt’s Worm
- Other: Crane Fly Larvae, San Juan Worm, WireWorms, Thin Mint, Pine Squirrel Leech, Black Wooly Bugger, Goldie, Rusty Trombone, Meat Whistle
Catches and Success Rates:
Fishing success has been above average lately. With shoulder season officially here, the water is seeing a mix of activity—including plenty of fishermen, kayakers, and paddle boarders. On a typical day, we’re landing 14 to 16 quality fish. While rainbow trout continue to make up the majority of our catches, we’ve noticed an increase in brown trout showing up over the past few weeks.
Local Regulations and Updates: 2025 Current Fishing Regulations
General Fishing Tips: For standard indicator rigs, we’re typically running three flies, with about 5 to 7 feet from the weight to the indicator. We’re using 4 to 8 grams of weight, and 6 lb fluorocarbon for the tippet. Dry fly fishing has been productive during active hatches. I’m running a 12-foot 5X leader for presenting dries. For streamers, I’m using a 7.5- to 9-foot leader on a floating line and targeting the banks—especially areas with faster-moving water where fish are holding and ambushing prey.
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.
