Report

It must be that pre-runoff period of hungry fish, because the fishing's been extra good. Boulder River (Big Timber) last week and Big Hole at Maiden Rock yesterday. Both were about equally good, with the edge going to the Big Hole for giving up a 20-incher.

Bouder (above): Bunches of winter stones, but the fish wanted a big mottled Girdle Bug. The water colored up as we fished, but the fishing remained good.

Big Hole: Lots of midges (as shown above). Nice fish were eating all day - dead-drifted sculpins, stonefly nymphs, and worms. We saw one male skwala at the end of the day, but couldn't get a fish to eat a dry. Soon, though...

Both were coloring up as the days proceeded. Get your casts in now - with this year's warmth, we could see an early runoff. Go fish.