Bighorn Beckons: Late June Trout Bonanza on Montana's Premier Tailwater

Artificial Lure here with your up-to-the-minute fishing report for Big Horn, Montana, June 22, 2025. Sunrise kicked off at 5:23 AM and sunset’s coming at 9:10 PM, giving you a full Montana day on the water. No tides to worry about here—inland fishing at its finest—but water flows are a big deal. River flows have recently stabilized around 3,500 CFS and the water is running clear, with a temp hovering right around 49°F, perfect for trout activity. There’s still a bit of grass and drifting debris below the Three Mile stretch, but most of the river is in prime shape for both wading and drifting. Weather today looks typical for late June in the Bighorn valley—mid-60s to mid-70s, light winds, and cloudy breaks. These slightly cooler, breezy days have been keeping the bite strong through most of the system. The fish are hungry. Nymphing has been producing the best numbers all week, with anglers reporting exceptional subsurface action. Your top flies are Black Micro Mayflies, Pearl/Olive Jiggy Perdigons, Black Zebra Midges, and Tailwater Sowbugs. Carpet Bugs, Cotton Candies, and UV Scuds are also in heavy rotation, and don’t sleep on red bead worm patterns or classic green weenies—these have been a meal ticket with the current water clarity. Streamer junkies, there’s action for you too. Sparkle Minnows, Skiddish Smolts, and black Peanut Envy patterns have been moving chunky browns and rainbows out of those deeper holes and runs. Fish those streamers slow and deep for the best results—especially once the afternoon breeze kicks up. Dry fly action is close: With water temps ticking upward, Baetis (Blue-Winged Olive) hatches are due any day, and the Pale Morning Dun (PMD) hatch is right around the corner. Have some size 16–18 PMD and caddis dries ready for when you see trout starting to rise in the riffles and flats. Recent catches are classic Bighorn—rainbow and brown trout, averaging a solid 16 inches with plenty of fish pushing the 20-inch mark, especially in the deeper, cooler water. The lower pressure this season has the fish extra opportunistic, and folks floating and wading both report consistent hook-ups. My hot spots for today: - The stretch just below Afterbay Dam for clear water and concentrated fish. - The “Three Mile” access, targeting the deeper shelves and midriver buckets, especially for those streamer takes. A final reminder, the rainbow spawn is winding down—do your part and steer clear of active redds in the gravel flats to protect next year’s fishery. Thanks for tuning in to this Bighorn fishing update with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe for your next local report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.