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Bighorn River Fishing Report

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

The tailwater that never has a bad year: 5,000 trout per mile in the first thirteen miles below Yellowtail Dam.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
1,580 cfs
Air / High
93 / 96 F
Wind
NNW 2 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 06294500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Tap a marker for today's tip
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.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Bighorn River is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 1,580 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings clear skies, wind NNW around 2 mph, steady pressure near 1002 hPa and a high of 96. 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: Cooler at 88 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 Bighorn River ab Tullock Cr nr Bighorn MT.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 06294500.

1,3391,4851,6311,580 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp93 F
High / Low96 / 55 F
WindNNW 2-12 mph
Pressure1002.0 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset06:34 / 19:43
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 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Clear, 96/55 F, wind 15 mph, rain 0%

Fair or better. A 15 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Bighorn 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 Bighorn 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 Bighorn 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 87 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 92 F, wind to 13 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 85 F, wind to 9 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. Trout: catch-and-release strongly encouraged, current limits per FWP Bighorn rules. Access limited to designated public sites within the Crow Reservation: no bank trespass.

Access

Afterbay, 3-Mile (Lind), 13-Mile (Bighorn) FAS ramps. Fort Smith has fly shops, shuttles and lodging; book shuttles ahead in peak season.

About this water

Tailwater of Yellowtail Dam, Fort Smith, MT. ~13 premier miles on the Crow Reservation. 3,000-5,000 trout/mile; managed by Montana FWP.

Fishing Bighorn River: the full guide

A river with a thermostat

The Bighorn below Yellowtail Dam runs cold, clear and stable through Montana's high-plains heat: Afterbay releases hold the trout water at ideal temperatures year-round. That stability packs the first 13 miles (Fort Smith to Bighorn Access) with trout densities few rivers on Earth match: three to five thousand browns and rainbows per mile, averaging 15-17 inches.

Small flies, heavy fish

This is a biomass river: sowbugs, scuds and midges around the clock, baetis in spring and fall, black caddis in August, hoppers on the banks in high summer. The standard program floats Fort Smith's 3-Mile to 13-Mile takeouts nymphing tiny bugs under indicators; streamer anglers pull the banks for the big browns; dry-fly purists live for the fall baetis afternoons when pods rise in the flats.

Fort Smith practicality

The fishery runs through the Crow Reservation: access is at the state sites (Afterbay, 3-Mile, Bighorn), floating between them, and river tribs and banks are otherwise closed: respect it. Flow changes from the dam reshape the river year to year: check the release level (this page tracks it) before planning wading vs floating.

Common questions

Why does the Bighorn hold so many trout?

Stable cold flows and a conveyor belt of food: the dam smooths out floods and droughts while sowbugs and scuds reproduce endlessly in the fertile water. Stability plus calories equals density.

Do I need a guide or shuttle?

Not a guide (wade access at the three sites is real), but floaters need shuttles: Fort Smith shops run them daily. First trip with a guide accelerates the small-fly learning curve dramatically.

What flows are best?

Roughly 2,500-3,500 cfs is the sweet spot: wadeable edges, defined seams. Above 7,000 it becomes a boat river with fish on the banks. The current release is on this page: check it before you commit.

Is fishing good at Bighorn River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Bighorn Lake77 miBighorn Lake93 miFort Peck Lake114 miBoulder River123 miYellowstone River152 miGallatin River193 mi
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