Fly Fishing the Big Hole River Includes a Big Hole River Fishing report Type of Stream Freestone Stream Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options. We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com. Species Rainbow Trout Brown Trout Brook Trout Cutthroat Trout Grayling (Wild) Size Medium - 155 miles long Location Southwest Montana Nearest Towns Wisdom Twin Bridges Melrose Season 3rd Sat. May - Nov. 30th (Some year-round catch and release areas) Special Regulations Access: Fair to Good Non-Resident License State of Montana Season 3rd Sat. May - Nov 30th (Catch and Release year-round some areas) Access: Good Non-Resident License State of Montana
Seasons:
The river is greatly affected by the seasons. Low water and warm water temperatures can be big concerns.
Spring:
During early spring the water is relatively low but during April and May it will increase from snow melt and top out in June. It doesn’t really blow out like many rivers do.
Summer:
Early summer will find the water dropping steady due to irrigation use and less water from the melting snow.
Fall:
Fall is one of the best times to fish the river. Cooler weather drops the water temperature and fishing picks up until late fall.
Winter:
The river starts icing over in late fall. Fishing during the winter is normally limited to Whitefish.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Big Hole River Montana Fishing Report, April 16, 2024
The stream is flowing well above a normal level and stained. There are still good Midge, March Brown, Blue-winged olive and Skwala stonefly hatches taking place.
Stream 1700 cfs (near Glen)
Level: 3.52 ft
Afternoon Water Temperature: 48 degrees
Clarity: clear
Weather:
Recommended Trout Flies:
Brown Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Blue-winged Olives: size 16, 18 nymph, emergers, duns and spinners
Aquatic Worms, size 12, pink, red, and others
Midges: Cream and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, work good here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippeta and adults
Skwala Stoneflies: size 10, nymphs and adults
March Browns, 12/14, nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Fly Fishing On The Big Hole River In Montana: The Big Hole starts from the outlet of Lake Skinner in the Beaverhead Mountains but that isn’t the extent of its water. It also receives water from the Pioneer and Anaconad Mountains. The section of the Big Hole in the mountains, as well as the sections in the Big Hole Valley, are equal in beauty to the surroundings of any of the great streams in Montana. Fly fishing the Big Hole River is a truly unique experience. The Big Hole River Valley isn’t your normal western trout stream setting. It lies at a relatively high elevation. It is very flat and huge compared to most of the Montana valleys. It is rather isolated and few people call it home. The valley is generally lies over 6000 feet in elevation and has weather patterns that range from severely cold to extremely hot. A summer night may be rather cold but change to bathing suit weather before the day ends. The Big Hole Valley is a top agricultural section of the Big Sky Country that produces as much hay as any area of the state.There’s lots of water of varying types to fish. The big river flows for a total of 155 miles before converging with the Jefferson River at Twin Bridges, Montana. It’s a small mountain stream until it gets near the Wisdom area in the Big Hole Valley. There the North Fork helps increase the flow of the river. Farther downstream it gains more water from several small creeks and the Wise River. The Big Hole River makes several turns along its way until it joins the Beaverhead River to help form the Jefferson River near Twin Bridges. Keep in mind the Big Hole is a freestone stream. Its water levels and flows strictly depends on Mother Nature and the amount used for agricultural irrigation. Over the years,it has gone through some tough periods of drought. The Big Hole Valley isn’t your normal tourist destination. It’s largest town is Wisdom and other than mosquitoes, there’s few of anything in Wisdom. When you visit Wisdom, everyone in town will know you are there. Dillion Montana is about sixty miles from the Valley, is about the largest town nearby.The Big Hole River is first a small, mountain stream with pocket water and plenty of smaller size trout. Once it leaves the mountains and enters the Big Hole Valley, it picks up water from many small tributary streams flowing out of the mountains. You can access the river at many locations above Wisdom but there aren’t any designated access sites. Country roads cross over the river many times and you can access the stream at any of them. Once the Big Hole River enters the valley, it slows down some and changes character altogether. There is little decline in elevation for the next sixty miles of the river as it slowly flows through the giant Big Hole Valley. When it leaves the valley, it changes again and flows through a canyon. There’s some pocket water and riffles, even some rapids in the thirty mile long canyon section. The surrounding area changes from wide open country and hay fields, to trees. The forest background doesn’t last long. As soon as the River gets through the canyon section and levels out some, the trees disappear. Wise River is the one and only town in the canyon section of the Big Hole River. Don’t blink your eyes or you will miss it. It empties its water into the valley at the little town of Divide, near I-15.From Divide, the Big Hole is again a different type of river. Cottonwood trees will begin to line its banks and it flows through a lot of private property. There’s still plenty of access. There’s several designated access sites along this section of the Big Hole River which is about twenty-five miles in length. This area is still sparsely populated. The next little town along the Big Hole River is Glen near the end of this section of the river. The river makes a turn near Glen and heads to the better know town of Twin Bridges – better known only because of little Winston Fly Rod factory. There’s still a fairly good amount of public access points. There four designated access sites and several that are not designated where you can enter the river. Although there are several areas along its route with public access for waders, for the most part, the river flows through private property. The best way to fish the river is to float it. You can cover far more water than you can otherwise. Along the way the river goes through many changes. It’s mostly a small pocket water type stream in its headwaters. When it reaches the Big Hole Valley it slows down and flows through many meadows. Then there’s the area where it flows through a canyon. Then there’s the larger river downstream that slows down and flows through open farmland. How you fish the river depends greatly on where you fish it. There’s few rivers in Montana that flow through such a wide variety of different types of water and terrain. The Big Hole River is truly a blue-ribbon trout stream. It has a good population of large, wild brown and rainbow trout. It has excellent brook trout fishing in its headwaters and many small tributary streams. There’s even a possibility of catching a Grayling in the valley near Wisdom. Make sure you keep checking the above Big Hole River fishing report. We update it often.
Fly Fishing Guide to Big Hole River: As mentioned above, fly fishing the Big Hole River largely depends on where you fish the river, water levels and seasons.A word of caution. If you fish this area, or anywhere in the Big Hole Valley, during the months of June and July, you should be aware that there will be huge numbers of mosquitoes. The valley is usually flooded to irrigate the farmer’s crops. The first frost that usually occurs as early as the middle of August, will reduce the numbers, but otherwise you will need plenty of protection and insect repellent. You will also find reduced numbers of mosquitoes in the lower sections of the river.The Big Hole River above Jackson is a small mountain stream. It’s mostly small brook trout fishing. When the stream comes out of the mountains at Jackson, it changes to a slower moving stream with less decline. The trout are still mostly brook trout but grayling begin to show up. This section is tightly enclosed with willow trees in many areas. Most of the stream is on private property. The area near Wisdom has the most grayling. These fish are easy to catch and as a general rule, will take just about any attractor fly.Below Wisdom you will begin to find some rainbows and cutthroat trout mixed in with the grayling and brook trout. The stream around the Wisdom area is a meadow stream that meanders back and front through open areas. This section has a lot of cattle grazing along the river and flows mostly through private ranch and farm property. From Pintler Creek downstream to the Dickey Bridge the river flows along highway #43 and there is plenty of access. The stream flows are usually very slow in this area. You will begin to see some brown trout and more mountain whitefish in this section. In the early year when there is enough water, the stretch near Sportsman’s Park can be floated. However, low summer and early fall flows can make it difficult. From Dicky Bridge downstream to Divide you will find a diverse range of water including a section of the Big Hole that runs through a canyon. The water increase in speed an becomes pocket water with lots of runs, riffles and deep pools. There are some large boulders that makes getting around difficult in places. This area has to be accessed by trails. Rainbows become the most plentiful species. This section has special regulations so make sure you are aware of the current rules. There are several boat launch locations in this section. The most popular section of the Big Hole is the area from Divide downstream to Glen. There is little bank access. Most all the fishing is done from drift boats. On the upper end rainbow trout is still the most predominate species. The lower part near Glen has more brown trout than rainbows. There’s special regulation area in this section of the river between Divide and Melrose. It is currently not open year-round, rather only during the general Montana fishing season.The last section of the river, from Glen down to High Road, there’s some more water that can be floated. This area can get low during the summer. It contains mostly brown trout including some very large ones.
Big Hole Hatches and Trout Flies: Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Big Hole River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. 1-800-594-4726. The hatches on the Big Hole River varies with the sections of the river. Not all the insects are found throughout the entire length of the river. Some are only found in certain types of water, so keep that in mind. You want find Trico mayflies in the fast water of the canyon section, for example.As with many other trout streams, the Blue-winged Olives are among the most important hatches. They hatch over a long period of time and allow some dry fly fishing opportunities that otherwise would not exist. The BWOs start hatching about the first of March. It can last until the first of June. A second hatch takes place starting about the first of September. It can last until the first of December, depending greatly on the weather.Next to the BWOs, the most important mayfly is the Pale Morning Dun. They too hatch over a long period of time, starting about the first of June and lasting until as late as the first of September.The only other substantial hatch of mayflies are the Tricos. These hatch on the slower, smoother sections of water during August and September.Caddisflies are often the most important insects. Spotted Sedges are the most plentiful species. They start hatching around the first of June and can last on into August. Their Little Sister Caddisflies start about two weeks after the Spotted Sedges and hatch about the same length of time. In the headwaters you will find some Great Gray Spotted Sedges during the month of July. There are several other species of caddisflies in the Big Hole River but they usually don’t exist in plentiful quantities.About the middle of June you will find three important species of stoneflies. The Salmonflies usually start first. It can last for almost a month but it only occurs in the fast water sections of the river. It is a huge hatch that is very popular with local guides. About the first of July the Golden Stoneflies start hatching. They are found in the same type of water as the Salmonflies. The Yellow Sally, or Little Yellow Stoneflies, start hatching about the first of June and can last until the first of September. They are found in more areas than the other larger stoneflies but not in the slow water sections of the Big Hole. Don’t forget to have a good selection of streamer flies. The river has plenty of minnows, baitfish species and sculpin. Streamers work great early and late in the day, and when the water is stained from heavy rains. Terrestrials become very important during the months of July, August and September. Imitations of ants, beetles, and grasshoppers work great at times, especially in the meadow areas.Use our “Perfect Fly” hatch chart and select your flies for the time you will be fishing. Please give our flies a chance to work for you if you haven’t done so already. We feel confident that you will be more than satisfied with them. Keep checking the Big Hole River fishing report to keep up with changes in the flies and hatches. We update it often.