Fishing Locations

Cold weather is the great enemy of winter fishing on the bighole. Ice Jams and ice flows are the name of the game. If you do find a day a hole in the icyness , stick to the upper river. The name of the game this time of year is midges. These bugs make an appearance around 1 pm or so and will stick around for a few hours in the afternoon. A good imitation is a small purple haze or a black parachute. If the bugs are not out, nymphing will produce. Running a bigger fly such as a pats rubber legs or a worm pattern with a smaller mayfly nymph behind is a good option. Be aware as well that this river experiences ice flow quickly. Make sure you call before you head over. Expect ice on the cold days. 

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Fly Pattern Suggestions

Dries| Griffiths Gnat: 16-20, Renegade: 16-18-20, purple haze: 14-18, royal wulff: 12-18, Royal trude: 12-18, lime trude: 12-18, rusty spinner: 18

Nymphs| Bubble Back BWO: 16-18, BH Pheasant Tail: 14-16-18, Green Machine: 18-20, CDC Pheasant Tail: 12-14-16-18, Rubberlegs Olive, Olive/Brown: 6-8-10, Ugly Bug: 4-6-8, Red Belly Yuk Bug: 2-4 Coppertone Delektable: 6-8 Lightning Bug Pearl, Gold, Purple: 14-16 IED Worm: 10 Copper Johnson Yellow, Red, Blue: 12-14-16-18, Pats Rubber Legs: Olive, Black, Coffee, Tan: 8-12

Streamers| JJ Special: 4- 6 Sculpzilla's Tan, Olive, Black: size 4-6 Haymaker Sculpin Olive, Brown: 4 Bellyache Minnow Tan, Olive: 1/0-1 Micro Zonker Tan, Olive, Black: 8 Fatheads Yellow: 2 Sex Dungeon Yellow, Rust, Natural: 2 Home Invader Yellow, Olive Space Invader: 2 Flash Fry Brown & Yellow: 2 Space Invader Brown Yellow, Tan: 2-4-6; Brown/Copper Sparkle Minnow 4-6

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