There is a subtle shift happening on the Bighorn right now that only the people who spend time here actually notice. The sun is rising a little later and going down a little earlier. The light is different — softer, more golden, arriving at a lower angle across the canyon walls. Summer is not over, but the river knows something is coming.
And what is coming is some of the finest fishing of the entire year.
August on the Bighorn is a best-of-both-worlds month. Trico spinner falls happen at dawn with clockwork reliability, bringing fish to the surface in the calm morning air. By afternoon the hoppers have taken over — big browns sliding tight to the undercut banks, waiting for the inevitable mistake. And then, as the evening light goes golden and the canyon cools, something magical happens.
The caddis hatch begins.
What the Bighorn is most famous for — and what most visiting anglers completely miss — is the August caddis hatch. Both tan and black caddis species hatch in extraordinary numbers as the summer evenings cool. When it happens, trout that spent all day tucked in deep cool water suddenly appear everywhere. They move from their daytime lies into the riffles, the seams, the shallow flats — feeding aggressively in water you can actually reach and read.
The evening caddis hatch on the Bighorn is not subtle. It is one of those moments on a trout river that stays with you. The air fills with insects, the surface comes alive, and for an hour or two before dark the fishing is as good as it gets anywhere in the American West.
What to Use During the Caddis Hatch
- Corn-fed Caddis CDC Tan #20 — dead drift or skate and twitch
- Elk Hair Caddis Black #16 — evenings along the banks
- Corn-fed Caddis CDC Peacock #18 — perfect for skate and twitch during midday caddis flights
One technique worth knowing: unlike most dry fly fishing where drag-free is everything — a caddis skating across the surface triggers explosive strikes. Give the fly a small twitch and let it sit. That moment of movement is often all it takes.
Looking Ahead to September
As August comes to a close we can already feel September arriving. The cottonwoods will begin to turn. The crowds will thin. The big browns will start moving ahead of the fall spawn. And the streamer fishing — already good — will turn extraordinary.
If September on the Bighorn is on your mind, now is the time to reach out. We have a small window of availability in early September and would love to see you on the river.
Call us at 800.665.3799 or email info@forrestersbighorn.com.
Forrester's Bighorn River Resort — Fort Smith, Montana
Orvis-endorsed fly fishing since 1992 | 800.665.3799 | forrestersbighorn.com