Spring Fishing Report - Bighorn River - Thermopolis, WY

Spring weather is finally here. Temps are in the 50s today and sunny, looks like we will be up into the 60s next week. Most of the low elevation snow is melted and the ground is soaking up most of it so we're hoping the creeks won't be running red mud.

Flow right now is around 1000cfs. Nymphing is good with sow bugs and midge pupa in various colors. Starting to see some BWOs around, no fish looking up yet but I'd bet a baetis nymph would do well in the afternoon.

Starting the day off right with Chris & Ben on Saturday. Photo: Chris Roberts

Talked to the guy at the Bureau of Reclamation yesterday, he says unless we get a bunch of  spring moisture there will be no flush this year and that river flows should stay stable thru April and into May. Good news for us fishermen.

March?

Cold start to March here on the Big Horn in Thermopolis. I think we're topping out at 4 degrees this afternoon. Should be the last of the cold weather as temps warm up into the 40's next week.

We are back from our steelhead adventure in Washington and boy did we have a good time...and of course Alyssa outfished me. But we are excited to start fishing on our home river again, as soon as the ice jams melt.

Open days for March: 10-15, 17-24 and a couple other dates here and there.

April is filling in fast... open dates April 2-10, 14, 20, 21, 25-30

Book before April and receive our 2018 rates $450 for 2/full day float $350 for one.

Hope to see ya on the water soon!

Bighorn River Fishing Report & Hosted Trips

Wow. No blog post since August. I apologize. We had a super busy end of summer and fall/winter. Fishing was good all the way thru November...most days... but August was probably the highlight of our season. But for now I'll expand on our recent fishing here on the Bighorn River. It has been okay. Definitely looking for warmer days following warmer nights to get the trouts active. Our hot bugs have been Ray Charles and midge patterns. The flow is around 1000cfs which is perfect. Slower, deeper runs and long leaders are the ticket. The bite window seems to be between 11am and 2pm. We are booking trips for the rest of January, but we will be heading to the coast of Washington for all of February to do some steelhead fishing. We are booking trips for March right now and it is starting to fill in... perhaps the best time of year to catch numbers of fish. Our snowpack right now is around 85%, so barring any late winter snow storms and/or major spring rains we should have normal flows for April, May and June.

In December we were fortunate enough to host some of our clients to Christmas Island for bonefish and giant trevally. We are already planning another hosted trip June 19-26 at the Lagoon View Resort. 7 nights lodging, 6 days guided fishing, all meals, $2400/person. If you can't make it for the summer trip, we will be going back in December. That is perhaps the best thing about Christmas Island... it fishes consistently year-round. Being as it sits so close to the equator it is constantly 85 degrees.

Chris & Alyssa hoisting one of many milkfish caught. These fish fight incredibly hard

A very nice bonefish from the flats of the lagoon

our guy Chris with a beefy GT

Sunrise over the lagoon, running out to Huff Dam

I have become obsessed with these fish. it's a tug-o-war when hooked

this was the first GT landed... right in front of our clients as the boat came to pick us up

Cigars, rum, and bitters after an awesome day of fishing with Georgie, Rand, Steve and Dr. Bill

Traditional outrigger canoe and $10,000 worth of rods & reels

Rainbow Runner, excellent sashimi. you don't have to go far to catch the bluewater species.

Bluefin Trevally, perhaps the prettiest of flats species

Chris hooked up with a milkfish

We have 6 spots open for these hosted trips to Christmas Island, email me bighorndrifters@gmail.com or give me a call 307-480-8457 if youre interested.


Also as a side note... our rates for guide trips will be going up this year to stay consistent with area outfitters, so book now before we jack the prices up in April.

We'll see ya on the river!