"Big Hatches, Big Browns on Montana's Bighorn River"

Greetings from Big Horn Montana, this is Artificial Lure bringing you today’s fishing report for April 23rd, 2025. Spring has truly sprung on the Bighorn River and the fish are awake and hungry after their winter slumber. Weather is finally mild enough for a full day out, though expect some wind which is typical this time of year. Sunrise hit around 6:08 AM this morning, with sunset coming up at 8:12 PM—plenty of daylight for a long float or to work a few favorite runs from shore. No tides to worry about out here, just solid river flows. The water is still carrying a bit of a green tinge in places, with some grass and moss breaking up, but clarity is improving downstream of the Afterbay and should be prime in the coming days. Flows are steady, and water temps are still cool, so the fish are piled up in the deeper runs. Nymphing remains the top producer this week. Fish are gorging on sowbugs and scuds, so be sure to rig double nymphs with a Tailwater Sowbug or Firebead Sow Bug paired up with a black Zebra Midge or BWO nymph. Worm patterns in any color are also working well—think San Juan Worms, Bloody Marys, and various Perdigons. For those who like it flashy, Pearl or Olive Jiggy Perdigons have landed quite a few rainbows lately. The streamer bite is coming on, with Sparkle Minnows, Skiddish Smolts, and Geisha Girls getting chases from big browns if you work the deeper, slower slots[1][4][5]. Dry fly action is just starting to heat up with midday BWO hatches if the clouds roll in and the wind calms down. Keep a small BWO or Griffith’s Gnat handy if you see fish rising during the warmest part of the afternoon. Reports from the last few days have been solid, especially on nymphs and streamers. Anglers are netting good numbers of healthy brown and rainbow trout, especially near the Afterbay Dam and down through Three Mile and Mallards Access. Trout numbers hold strong as always here—expect to connect with fish in the 14 to 18 inch range, with the occasional beast pushing past 20. For hot spots, focus your efforts from the Afterbay down to Three Mile in the morning, then slide downstream towards Bighorn Access by afternoon. Fish are congregated in the deeper, slower runs—look for structure and seams. It’s shaping up to be an excellent week as the river clears. Stock up on sowbugs, worms, and flashy streamers and you’ll stay tight to fish all day. Good luck out there and tight lines from Big Horn. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.