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Big Hole River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The last river of the grayling: Montana's undammed freestone jewel, salmonfly June and the Wise River braids running wild since forever.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
223 cfs
Air / High
71 / 71 F
Wind
SSW 18 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 06025500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Big Hole River is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 223 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings a mixed sky, wind SSW around 18 mph, rising pressure near 1007 hPa and a high of 71. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 76 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Big Hole River near Melrose.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 06025500.

199237275223 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp71 F
High / Low71 / 51 F
WindSSW 18-26 mph
Pressure1007.0 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain26% cloud, 9%
Sunrise / Sunset06:56 / 20:03
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 71/51 F, wind 19 mph, rain 9%

Fair or better. A 19 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Big Hole River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Big Hole River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Big Hole River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 70 F, wind to 19 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 24 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 75 F, wind to 24 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 80 F, wind to 18 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Montana requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Montana license + AIS pass. Grayling: release immediately. Hoot-owl closures common late summer: check FWP.

Access

Divide, Melrose, Maiden Rock canyon, Wise River, Fishtrap FAS accesses along MT-43.

About this water

153 undammed miles, Beaverhead/Deer Lodge counties, MT. The last grayling river of the lower 48.

Fishing Big Hole River: the full guide

The wild one

The Big Hole runs undammed from the Beaverhead's high valley: Montana's most beloved freestone and the last river in the lower 48 with native fluvial Arctic grayling. Browns and rainbows fill the famous miles (Melrose, the canyon, Wise River's braids): brookies and grayling hold the upper meadows: and the river's moods: flood, glory, drought: set southwestern Montana's fishing calendar.

Salmonfly royalty

Mid-June's salmonfly emergence is the Big Hole's carnival: size-4 naturals crawling the willows from Melrose through the canyon, drift boats bumper-to-bumper, and browns that forget every lesson they ever learned. The golden stones and caddis that follow keep the dry-fly month running: if you get one Montana float a year, June here makes the case.

The grayling covenant

The upper river's grayling: sail-finned, iridescent, fragile: survive through cooperative flow agreements with ranchers: a conservation landmark. Fish them gently in the meadow reaches (small attractors, quick releases) and watch for closure notices in hot, low summers: hoot-owl rules protect the river that protects them.

Reading the Big Hole year

May: pre-runoff streamers and the first big fish of the year. June: runoff drops into salmonfly glory. July: hoppers start, flows drop: fish mornings. August: low-water finesse and the drought watch (closures possible: check FWP). September-October: streamer browns in the canyon and solitude. The river runs on snowpack: our gauge at Melrose is the season's dashboard.

Common questions

When is the Big Hole salmonfly hatch?

Typically June 10-25 as runoff drops: Melrose through the Maiden Rock canyon is the epicenter. Book shuttles and lodging a year out: Montana plans around this fortnight.

Can you fish for grayling in the Big Hole?

Yes, gently: the upper meadows hold the last native river grayling in the lower 48: small dries, quick release, and closure-notice awareness in hot years. Catching one is Montana history in hand.

Is fishing good at Big Hole River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Beaverhead River22 miClark Canyon Reservoir44 miGeorgetown Lake48 miMadison River50 miEnnis Lake50 miJefferson River58 mi
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