Fall Fishing Bonanza on the Bighorn River - Boots on the Bank Report

Good morning fellow anglers, this is Artificial Lure with a boots-on-the-bank fishing report for Big Horn, Montana on Thursday, November 6, 2025. The Bighorn River is showing its best autumn attitude this week. Recent mornings have started out crisp, bellyaching in the low 30s, but by noon you can shed a layer as temps reach into the upper 40s, maybe low 50s. We're seeing classic Montana fall: chilly dawns, little wind early, and mostly clear skies with an occasional stray cloud. According to Fins and Feathers Bozeman, that midday warm-up has trout on the move, with increased activity from late morning into early afternoon—so don’t sleep in too long![Fins and Feathers Bozeman] Sunrise today comes at around 7:02 AM, with sunset dropping over the horizon at roughly 4:44 PM, so you’ve got a stretch of fishable daylight that rewards both the early risers and the after-work crowd. No tidal report is needed—Big Horn’s a river town—so what you’ll want to watch for is steady flows and clear water, which are prime right now thanks to a week of calm weather and minimal rain. Montana Outdoor notes that the river is in prime fall form with steady nymphing and improving streamer action. Expect hungry browns and rainbows eager for a bite, especially as the cold temps keep them looking to bulk up before winter.[Montana Outdoor] As far as the catch: The river has been offering up healthy browns and rainbows mostly in the 14–18 inch class, with some bigger fish sniffing out the deeper runs and soft seams. Nymphs have been steady—try a size 16–18 Pheasant Tail or Zebra Midge under an indicator, and run your rig tight to the bottom. For those looking to get aggressive, streamer fishing has fired up; olive and black Woolly Buggers, Sparkle Minnows, and small Sculpins are moving fish, particularly in the slots and near brush piles.[Fins and Feathers Bozeman; Montana Outdoor] If you’re after numbers, the Bighorn stretch near the Afterbay to 3-Mile is producing consistent strikes. Fishing has been, by local standards, “pretty dang good”; most boats are reporting 10–20 fish in a morning float, with an even split between rainbows and browns. Bank anglers are getting action too, especially tossing small nymphs or dead drifting worms in slower water. If bait’s your game, nightcrawlers on a drift can stir up the resident bottom-feeders when the water gets cold. For fly traffic, Blue Wing Olive (BWO) hatches linger through mid-morning whenever cloud cover rolls in, so keep Griffith’s Gnat and BWO dries handy. Terrestrial action is mostly finished, but dropping a small stonefly or a scud as a trailer has been the ticket for picky trout in slower water. Best baits this week: - **Nymphs**: Zebra Midge, Pheasant Tail, Rainbow Warrior - **Streamers**: Sparkle Minnow, olive Woolly Bugger, Sculpin patterns - **Bait fishers**: Nightcrawlers and pink Powerbait for rainbows Hotspots to try: - The Afterbay launch area—short walk for waders, easy access for boats, lots of soft This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.