Bighorn River Rundown: Trout, Streamers, and Midday Bites in Big Sky Country

Artificial Lure here, reporting from Big Horn, Montana, with today’s fishing rundown for November 5, 2025. The Big Horn River is showing off its true fall colors with **steady flows and crystal-clear water** that make sight fishing a real treat. According to Montana Outdoor, fish activity is solid — nymphing remains king, streamer action has picked up, and there’s still enough surface bite to keep the dry fly folks happy. We haven’t seen the crowds since October faded, leaving plenty of river to yourself. Most anglers I talked to this week are still landing good numbers of **rainbow and brown trout**, both in the prime 14–18-inch range, with the occasional bigger brown mixing things up — especially near the gravel bars and slower tailouts. The weather this morning is a bit cooler, hovering in the mid 60s, with clouds and a few rounds of light rain moving through in the early hours, as the National Weather Service reports for Northern Big Horn. Winds are out of the northwest at 10–20 mph, so plan for a little extra current and some tricky casting along the open banks. That said, a calm patch is expected by this afternoon, making the post-lunch hours your best bet for topwater or streamer action. **Sunrise** hit at 6:22 AM and **sunset** will be at 8:01 PM, giving anglers a full window to take advantage of the noon warmth that usually sparks a little uptick in trout feeding[11]. With the days getting shorter and the water cooling down, that midday bite becomes sweeter — keep an eye out for blue-winged olive hatches, which are a signal for hungry fish and a must for your fly box right now. Hot lures and baits for the Bighorn this week are: - **Nymph rigs**: Small Pheasant Tails, Zebra Midges, and orange scuds have all been producing. - **Streamers**: Olive or black Woolly Buggers, Sculpzillas, and the classic Sparkle Minnow are working, particularly during overcast spells. - For bait fishing (where allowed in certain sections), **nightcrawlers and PowerBait** are landing plenty of rainbows and a few cutthroat. No tidal report today — the Bighorn doesn’t have tides, but river flows are stable and the big wind yesterday flushed some food down from the upper sections, putting fish on the feed. Lake anglers are still finding **smallmouth bass and the occasional northern pike** moving shallow as the water cools, especially in the back bays and around submerged structure. Pike are still quick on flashy spoons and paddletails, while smallies are hitting crankbaits and jigs fished slow and low. Swimbaits and chatterbaits are worth a shot if you’re after something bigger near the weed lines. **Hot spots this week**: - The stretch between the Afterbay and 3 Mile — ideal for streamer and nymph anglers, especially in the afternoon warmth. - The side channels around Bighorn Access — lower pressure, plenty of holding water, and a real chance at a big brown swinging a streamer. Word from longtime guides: afternoons are fishing best, especially from 12 to This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.