Early Summer Big Horn: Nymphs, Smallmouth, and Long Light Windows

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Big Horn country fishing report out of south‑central Montana, centered on the Bighorn River near Fort Smith and down toward Hardin. We’re sitting on a classic early‑summer pattern. Overnight lows dipped into the upper 40s, and daytime highs are set to climb into the mid to upper 70s with mostly clear skies, light winds in the 5–10 mph range, and just a small chance of an afternoon thunderstorm popping up over the breaks. Sunrise hit a little after 5 a.m., with sunset coming close to 9 p.m., so you’ve got a long window of low‑light feeding on both ends of the day. No tides to worry about this far inland, but flows and clarity are the key. On the upper Bighorn near Afterbay, flows are running moderate for June and the water’s cold and clear enough for strong trout activity. As you move downstream toward Bighorn and the Yellowstone confluence, the water warms, stained but fishable, and the warm‑water species turn on. Trout first: rainbows and browns have been active in the tailwater section from Afterbay down to about Bighorn Access. Anglers in the last few days have been reporting steady numbers of 12–16 inch rainbows with the occasional 18–20 inch brown mixed in. Most fish are coming off nymph rigs and smaller attractor patterns. Think subsurface: sow bug and scud imitations, small mayfly nymphs, and midges. A #16–18 beadhead under an indicator with a bit of split shot has been the ticket in the deeper runs. For spin anglers on the river and nearby ponds, small silver or copper spoons, 1/8‑ounce marabou jigs in olive or black, and small crankbaits in natural baitfish patterns are producing. Light line, 4–6 lb test, and a slow, steady retrieve is your best bet in the clearer water. Downstream where the Bighorn meets the Yellowstone, the warm‑water bite has been picking up. Folks have been bringing in decent numbers of smallmouth bass with a few pushing the 2–3 pound mark, along with channel catfish and the odd walleye. Soft‑plastic grubs and swimbaits in green pumpkin or shad colors, worked along current breaks and behind rock piles, have been drawing strikes from smallmouth. For cats, try classic cut bait or nightcrawlers on a slip sinker rig, set just off the main current seams. Best bait options right now: nightcrawlers, leeches, and minnows where legal. Nightcrawlers are doing double duty, catching everything from trout to cats. Leeches on a slow‑drift rig are deadly for bigger browns holding in the deeper slots. Couple of hot spots to circle on your map: First, the stretch from Afterbay Dam down to 3‑Mile Access. Drift the inside seams, and pay attention to softer water behind mid‑river structure; that’s where a lot of those nicer browns have been hanging. Second, the water around Bighorn Access down toward the mouth, especially in the evenings. As the sun gets low, baitfish push tight to shore and both smallmouth and walleye move up—perfect time to throw small crankbaits or swimbaits. Best times today are first light until mid‑morning and then again from about two hours before sunset until dark. Midday can still produce if you go deeper with nymphs or bait and target shaded banks and deeper holes. That’s the rundown from Big Horn country. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn