Big Catch on the Bighorn: October 2025 Fishing Report

This is Artificial Lure back with your Big Horn Montana fishing report for October 28, 2025. What a spectacular late-October stretch we’re having—folks are waking up to classic crisp mornings with that hint of steam rising off the river, and let me tell you, it’s got the trout moving. Sunrise this morning came right around 7:44 AM, and we’re expecting sunset at 6:10 PM, so anglers have a nice full day to work those pools and riffles. Weather-wise, yesterday brought in the kind of high, clear skies that make the Bighorn Valley glow gold and rust, with a gentle breeze and temperatures easing up into the low 50s by afternoon. No rain on the radar, so the river’s holding steady—air temps at dawn in the mid-30s, so layer up and bring gloves for a chilly start. According to the latest from Snoflo, streamflow is running a bit low for the Bighorn at about 5,950 cubic feet per second—just 72% of normal, but still ample for floating or wading. Water clarity is great, with just a whisper of fall color coming in from the banks. For those checking on tides, remember the Bighorn is a freestone-fed river system and not tidally influenced, so focus on river flow and temperature instead. Water temp’s holding nice and cool, just right for trout activity, especially in those prime morning and late afternoon slots. Trout action has been hot this week. Recaps from the Bighorn Fly Shop are talking several big browns showing up, along with solid numbers of rainbows coming to net, especially in the stretches below Afterbay Dam and down toward the Bighorn Access. Guide boats reported most nets holding a dozen or more fish on solid half-day floats, with two or three browns over 20 inches landed every day since last weekend. One lucky angler drew cheers with a 23-inch slab of a brown just upriver from Soap Creek. Midge, Baetis, and the odd late Trico are the main show—autumn blue-wing olives hatching most consistently from late morning into early afternoon. The best fly patterns have been size 18-20 olive Baetis parachutes, CDC emergers, and split-back nymphs. Black zebra midges, pink sowbugs, and ray Charles in tan or grey are crushing it below the surface. Most folks are having the best luck running double nymph rigs, especially through runs near Three Mile and below the dam. Streamer bite is also turning on as the clouds roll in and the breeze picks up. Toss olive or white sparkle minnows, JJ’s, or smaller sculpin patterns tight to the banks in the lower light—strip slow and hang on. For spin anglers and bait fishers, small gold spoons and Panther Martins draw plenty of strikes in the deeper eddies. Gulp minnows or nightcrawlers fished just off the bottom have pulled in a few bonus walleye near the Bighorn bridge—nothing huge, but enough action to keep things interesting. Hot spots to try today: - That classic Afterbay to 3-Mile stretch, especially behind the islands and on the soft edges where browns are staging for the spawn. - The quiet side channels below Big This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.