"Braving the Bighorn: Wintertime Trout Tactics in Frosty Montana"

Howdy folks, Artificial Lure here reporting from frosty Big Horn country—it’s Monday, November 17th, and there’s still fish to be had if you’re brave enough to bundle up and wet a line. Weather out here in Big Horn, Montana, is classic November: mornings hovering in the low 20s, warming (if you can call it that) into the upper 30s by midday. Skies are mostly cloudy according to weather maps from WeatherBug, but we’ll see a peek of sun now and then, and at least the winds will be light. Bundle up, layer on the thermals, and keep that coffee hot—fingers get stiff quick in this chill. For those keeping track, sunrise hit us just before 7:20 am, and you’ll lose your light about 4:39 pm, so work those prime morning and late afternoon hours. As there are no ocean tides here—no need for tidal charts—focus on river flow: the Bighorn’s running clear and cold, with moderate discharge. Expect fish to be stacked near slower wintering holes and deep runs. According to FishingReminder, today’s major bite windows line up with 8 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. That afternoon dusk bite has been money for bigger browns chasing baitfish. Montana Outdoor’s latest report says it’s “cold, quiet, and pretty great if you’re still fishing.” Hunters are out in force, so most river access sites are quieter, and the fish aren’t spooked by boat traffic. The Bighorn below Yellowtail’s still your best bet: plenty of recent reports of 16-20” rainbows, with a few browns nudging above 22”. Drift boats are few, and wade anglers have been picking up nice stringers up at the Afterbay, Three Mile access, and the famed 13 Mile stretch. The word on the river is that the rainbows are hugging bottom in deep slots, especially near slow seams behind big rocks and undercut banks. Brown trout are post-spawn but still aggressive—streamers and big nymphs are catching jaws. Recent catches? Two anglers at Bighorn Access boated 14 rainbows between them yesterday, mostly running 16–19", all healthy and hot. Another regular out of Soap Creek netted a husky 22" brown on a black sculpin while swinging through a deeper bend. Best lures and baits for today: - Go **with olive and black sculpin-pattern streamers**, dead-drifted or slow-swung on sink-tips. - If you’re nymphing, **eggs, small pink or orange midges, and flashy split-back Baetis** patterns are the ticket. - Flows are stable enough for nymph rigs: a size 16–18 red or black zebra midge beneath an egg pattern has tempted plenty of bows. - Don’t shy from a classic San Juan worm in pink or red after a cold snap. Cherry-picked hotspots for November: - The **Afterbay** section up by the dam—warmer water, steady flows, holds fish all winter. Low crowds, some big rainbows chasing midges. - The classic **3 Mile Access** run—several productive gravel bars and depth transitions. Try the seam down from the island for brown trout on streamers. - For a quick outing, the deep bend just below **Bighorn Access** continues to deliver, with both waders and This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.