Fly Fishing the Skwala Hatch on the Big Hole River
Everyone knows the feeling, the desire to experience the first dry fly fishing of the year in southwest Montana rivers stalls. The hatch of the first spring, also known as the best dry fly fishing of the year, the big hole river Skwal hatch.
About Stonefly Skwal in the Big Hole
The stonefly Skwal makes its appearance in spring and late winter collide. Fly fisherman from all over the country to capture the big brown. The Big Hole River that is in mid-April. As the ice breaks away from the big hole and the water is heated to between 45-48 degrees for a suitable period of time, Skwal begin to migrate to the banks of the Big Hole to hatch. The Skwal is a size # 8 - # 10 stonefly with an olive-colored body. Like most stoneflies, Skwal drag the rocky beaches and shrubs to hatch. Unlike most of the stoneflies Skwal but rarely fly in the air. These stoneflies tend to drag on the water when they lay their eggs. Skwal are difficult to see in the water, and sliding their tight ends on the surface.
The tactics of successful fly fishing the hatch on the river Skwal Big Hole
Three tactics are useful to know if you come to the Big Hole River to fish the hatch Skwal. 1) What is the water temperature? If it has been ranging in the 45-48 degrees for a period of several days could be Skwal hatching. 2) Have you been eating fish nymphs Skwal the last days? If so, adults are about to hatch. 3) If you walk along the river and see the rocks and willows Do you see any pods of birth, or stonefly Skwal rising trout on the surface? If you have no doubt the fish with dry flies.
Since this is the first hatch of the year with an important meal in the Big Hole, the trout tend to key in Skwal fairly quickly. These stoneflies are not in the same abundance in the large hole as Salmonflies stones or gold, but there are enough of them to make some great fly fishing. Dry fly fishing tends to be the best in the output queue racing along undercut banks, pools, and ice shelves.
The lower third of the Big Hole River is where the Skwal. Normally, the river is still frozen over in April by Jerry Creek. You will find your best Skwal activity below the town of Melrose in the Rio Grande bottom hole. This is not an easy path to take so make sure you are keeping your eye out for signs. This is a pre-exit hatch, so it occurs when the large hole is warming, but not as much heat as the snow begins to melt and the river blows.
How Time Big Hole River Hatch Skwal
Timing of this emergence of the large hole is 1 April to 15 May. Spring is a time of change, so you have to control river flows, temperatures and weather conditions to take Skwal elusive. Experience a fly fishing vacation in Montana to capture this explosion can not lose. This is a good time to experiment with trout feeding furiously, as they eat their first season stoneflies. Other rivers of Montana Skwal hatches are the Bitterroot River and Clark Fork River in western Montana. Note that in western Montana Bitterroot River Skwal hatching occurs approximately 3 weeks before the others hatch Skwal southwest Montana by the end of the valley is lower in elevation.