8/29 BIGHORN FISHING REPORT BIG HORN FISHING REPORT

There are still a lot of weeds on the Horn right now. Don't let them scare you away though, as we've had some awesome caddis dry fly fishing over there lately. On overcast days you may see some big PMD's (size #16). Fish were all over these guys near the Grey Cliffs.

If you want to get away from the crowds, try floating 13 to Mallards or from Mallards to Two Leggins. These are longer floats, so plan on a full day. Bring your black caddis, midges, and scuds. The hopper and streamer fishing can also be good down low, so don't be afraid to bring along a 6 or 7 weight rod and slap 'em in there...

As for the morning fishing, you can still expect to get some good dry fly fishing in. Take a look at this wad of midges below. Fish were taking these starting as early as 8:00 in the morning. Our favorite midge dry is one of René Harrop's hanging midge (shown right below the PMD). If you choose to drop a midge emerger behind this, you can really mop up some fish, although I often prefer fishing just one fly. Fishing one fly makes it easier to whip your fly dry and then lay it over the fish with better accuracy. Either way you'll have a lot more fun fishing this way than nymphing with a scud or worm...

Rig your nymphs up with 4x tippet, 6x for your dries. Make sure you have plenty of split shot for dredging deep - (what makes the difference between a good nymph fisherman and a great nymph fisherman? 2 split shot). Also don't be afraid to row back up on the inside and float past the pods of feeding fish a few times - especially if you caught them the first pass through - because that means your weight is probably perfect for that spot.

Sure it's drive, but spending a little time behind the wheel is good for you every once in a while. From Livingston the trip should take you 2 1/2 to 3 hours depending on how fast you drive. If you're looking for a friendly and clean place to stay, check out the cabins at Cottonwood. They are within walking distance of 3 mile access and are a great place to stay and visit with other anglers before you get some shut eye. Give them a call... 406-666-2391

Recommended Tackle for dries and nymphs:
490 Z-axis, G.Loomis 9'#4 Streamdance Presentation, or Winston BIIX 5 weight. Ross Evolution 2, Lamson Litespeed 2 Scientific Angler's Trout taper line or Rio Selective Trout.

Need the perfect flies for a quick trip to the Horn? Give us a call and we'll set you up with everything you need...

One other idea is to float 3 to B, but push down right away and get ahead of the pack. Quite often at the end of the day, you'll see guides pushing down from the Grey Cliffs to the pull out. To my thinking, the fish in that section would therefore be less pounded on...