Big Horn River Fishing Well: Butte and Bozeman Outdoor Report
By Matt Schauer

Posted: September 22, 2012

Hello, Angie here from Bob Ward & Sons. Are you twiddling your thumbs waiting for the fall hatches? Of course not, you’re out there in BUTTE & BOZEMAN fishing up a storm! From what I’m hearing, you should be, too.

In BUTTE the fishing on the BIG HOLE has drawn some crowds in the last week due to cooler temps. Bring your Spruce Moth patterns or Caddis with a Beadhead dropper & make your own success! Gold is the color for Mepps or Panther Martins, for our spin guys… the JEFFERSON’s been best north of Waterloo Bridge fro Browns…bring your Gold spinners here, too, or Olive Caddis & Parachutes for Dries…CLARK CANYON has  great reports from trolling on the Lone Tree or Red Rock portions of the reservoir, use a deep-diving crankbait to get into the feeding lanes! GEORGETOWN LAKE has picked up after a lull in the Kokanee Salmon traffic…Crocodile Spoons or Swedish Pimple blades with the treble hook exchanged for a GloHook & Maggot have been the best tools of the trade here for Kokanee!

BOZEMAN likes your chances on the UPPER MADISON, where dead-drifting Sculpins has been a producer, or try a Stonefly with a Caddis Pupa dropper to entice the fish…a FEW Blue Winged Olives have been spotted, but the swarms just aren’t happening quite yet. The water is cool & the Browns are moving around, so get on up, especially below Hebgen! The LOWER MADISON will take your Streamers, so use something in the YELLOW range, like a Fathead or a Yellow-Brown Flash Fry in szs 2-4…best spot for Streamers is around Bear Trap…the Whiteys are on the spawn in the YELLOWSTONE, so toss the bigger trout a Whitefish Pattern Streamer, or go with Olive, Tan or Black colors, like a Silveys Sculpin in a 2,,,don’t discount your Nymphing chances here, using a Dark Brown Clousers Crayfish in a 10, or a Rubberlegs Goldenstone in a 6! Carters Bridge access is open & fishing well, we hear! Let’s talk the GALLATIN…BWOs are out, but chancey right now. It’ll get better. Use Spruce Moths, Rubberlegs or Caddis Pupa to entice the fish here! Our Streamer fave for the Gallatin is the Black Krystal Bugger, in a sz 6.

If you’re in the backcountry, keep an eye open for bear & bring along your spray…a hunter was mauled in the Gallatin Valley last weekend. Also check the internet for fire activity in the area you may wish to hunt or fish…many wildfires are still burning statewide, & smoky conditions are still pretty heavy in some areas! In town all weekend? Stop by & shop our Fall selection & get the new waders, wade shoes, lures, flies & wind or water resistant clothing you need NOW. We’re set for YOUR adventures! Meantime, we’ll see you OUTSIDE! More next week!

New Podcast!

Riley's Meats - Butte Wild Game Processing