Hey there, fellow anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Big Horn, Montana fishing report for March 17, 2025.

First off, let's talk weather. It's a chilly one today with temps hovering around 40°F and partly cloudy skies. Bundle up if you're heading out! Sunrise was at 7:15 AM and sunset will be at 7:12 PM, giving us a decent amount of daylight to work with.

Now, onto the fishing. The Bighorn River has been fishing pretty well lately, especially for trout. Anglers have been having good luck with rainbow and brown trout in the 14-20 inch range. The fish seem to be most active in the early morning and late afternoon hours.

For lures, I've been hearing great things about small jigs in pink and orange. Panther Martins in gold and brown have also been producing. If you're fly fishing, sowbugs and midges are your best bet right now. Don't forget to try some streamers too - olive woolly buggers and white zonkers have been effective. Bait fishermen are doing well with nightcrawlers and salmon eggs. Just remember to check local regulations on bait usage.

As for hot spots, the stretch of river below Afterbay Dam has been particularly productive. The Three Mile Access area is another good bet, especially if you're wade fishing.

Tides aren't a factor here on the Bighorn, but water flows are important. Currently, we're seeing flows around 2,300 cfs from Yellowtail Dam, which is pretty good for fishing.

One last tip: keep an eye out for midday midge hatches. If you see fish rising, switch to a small dry fly and you might just land yourself a trophy.

That's all for now, folks. Remember to handle those fish with care and practice catch and release when you can. Tight lines and see you on the water!