Big Horn River February Report: Stable Flows, Midges Hot, 20+ Fish Days Possible

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things angling around Big Horn, Montana. It's Sunday, February 22nd, 2026, and we're kickin' off the day at 8:30 AM local time. No tides to worry about here on the Bighorn River—it's all about those freestone flows from the mountains—but water levels are steady at about 1,200 cfs per the USGS gauge at St. Xavier, perfect for wading. Weather's lookin' crisp: highs around 42°F today, lows dipped to 22°F overnight, with light winds from the northwest at 5-10 mph. Mostly sunny skies after some morning fog burns off, according to the National Weather Service forecast for Big Horn County. Sunrise was at 7:05 AM, sunset at 5:58 PM—plenty of daylight to chase 'em. Fish activity's pickin' up with this stable cold front. Recent reports from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks show solid action on rainbows and browns in the 16-22 inch range, plus a few cutthroats hittin' 4-6 pounds. Locals pulled in 20+ fish limits yesterday near the Afterbay—walleyes are active too, with some 28-inchers on jigs. Smaller stockers are everywhere, but the big boys are keying on midges and baitfish. Best lures right now? Go with small woolly buggers in black or olive, size 12-14, or Pat's Rubber Legs stonefly nymphs for the deeper runs. For bait, fresh nightcrawlers or salmon eggs are killin' it under a float—drift 'em slow in the seams. If you're spinnin', try 1/8 oz spoons in gold. Hot spots: Hit the Bighorn River's Yellowtail Dam Afterbay for easy access and hot nymphing—park at the boat ramp and wade the tailout. Upstream, try the Two Leggins area near Hardin for riffle-runs holdin' browns; public access is prime there. Bundle up, check regs, and leave no trace. Tight lines! Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.