Late Winter Bighorn River: Jigs, Live Bait, and Trophy Rainbows Below Yellowtail Dam

Howdy, folks, this is Artificial Lure, your Big Horn, Montana fishing whisperer, comin' at ya from the banks of the mighty Bighorn River on this crisp late February mornin'. Winter's hangin' on tight here in Big Horn County—think highs in the low 30s, lows dippin' to teens overnight, with light winds from the northwest and partly cloudy skies keepin' things steady. Sunrise hit around 7 AM, sunset 'bout 6 PM, givin' us a solid 11 hours of daylight to chase bites. No tides to worry 'bout this far inland, but river flows are steady at 500-700 cfs below Yellowtail Dam, perfect for wadin' in. Fish activity's pickin' up as ice melts off smaller waters like Anita Reservoir nearby—rainbow trout, brookies, and yellow perch are active in the shallows, especially mornin' and evenin'. Locals report solid catches last week: strings of 10-14 inch perch, feisty 16-20 inch rainbows, and a few walleyes pushin' 24 inches from the Bighorn. Amounts? Dozens per angler on good days, with perch schools thick after that cold snap built safe ice earlier, now openin' up. Best lures right now? Small jigs tipped with wax worms or minnows—1/16 oz chartreuse or pink for perch, gold spinners for trout. Live bait kings it: nightcrawlers or corn for walleyes under a slip bobber. Fly guys, nymphs like pheasant tails are hatchin' bugs just right. Hot spots? Hit the Bighorn River access below the dam for trophy rainbows—Afterbay's gold. Or try Pompeys Pillar FAS on the Yellowstone for perch and smallies; easy wade, low crowds. Bundle up, check ice edges if venturin' reservoirs, and respect limits—Montana FWP says keep it sustainable. Thanks for tunin' in, y'all—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.