Bighorn River Fly Fishing
The Bighorn River below Yellowtail and Afterbay Dams is one of the most consistent fisheries in Montana across the calendar. Controlled flows, stable water temperatures, and a strong wild trout population make it a reliable option when freestones are frozen, blown out, or warming beyond safe limits.
While many anglers think of the Bighorn strictly as a spring destination, it is better understood as a true year-round tailwater with prime windows in spring and fall, dependable winter fishing, and selective but productive summer opportunities when approached correctly.
Guided Bighorn River Trips
We focus on the upper river between Afterbay, 3-Mile, and Bighorn Access. These sections provide the most consistent structure, feeding lanes, and wading opportunities, and they allow us to adapt to changing flows and pressure.
Most trips are float-based with strategic wade stops. The pace is deliberate and instructional, with an emphasis on depth control, clean drifts, and reading subtle changes in speed and seam definition that make tailwater fishing effective.
Rates
- Full Day: $700 for one or two anglers
- Half Day: $600 for one or two anglers
What’s Included
- Guided float trip
- Boat, safety gear, and transportation on river
- Rods, reels, terminal tackle, and flies if needed
- Cold drinks; shore lunch on full-day trips
- On-the-water instruction throughout the day
How the Bighorn Fishes Through the Year
Winter
One of the most reliable winter fisheries in the state. Midges and BWOs keep trout feeding in stable weather windows. Ideal when ice and snow limit freestones elsewhere.
Spring
Prime season. March through May delivers consistent hatches, large pods of feeding trout, and comfortable flows. This is the heart of the Bighorn program and one of the best classroom tailwaters in the West.
Want the full shoulder-season plan? Prime Spring Fishing hub.
Summer
Still productive but more selective. Weed growth, pressure, and flows matter. We plan around timing, fish early or late, and choose stretches that make sense rather than forcing the river.
Fall
Cooling water and lighter pressure bring the river back into a strong window. Nymphing and dry-fly opportunities improve as trout settle into predictable feeding lanes.
Beginner to Advanced Anglers
The Bighorn works for a wide range of anglers. Beginners benefit from forgiving structure and steady action. Intermediate anglers refine drift control and depth management. Advanced anglers treat it as a technical tailwater laboratory, working pods with long leaders and precise presentations.
Part of a Larger, Year-Round Plan
The Bighorn is one piece of a broader year-round program based out of Livingston. We recommend it when it fits your dates, travel plans, and goals—not as a default add-on.
Many guests fish it as a dedicated day or two at the front or back end of a trip, pairing it with the Yellowstone or spring creeks when conditions line up.
Call or text (406) 224-8972 to talk through Bighorn options.
Conservation & Professional Affiliations
Supporting local rivers, professional instruction, and long-term guide development through these organizations.
