Montana Fishing Reports ยท Southwest Region
Around Melrose and Glen, the lower Big Hole is a classic freestone river with big browns, lots of public access and great fall streamer fishing.
Looking for the latest Big Hole River Melrose river report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Big Hole River โ Melrose.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Big Hole River Melrose fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The Melrose gauge reads around 530 cfs, clear and cold.
Streamers on gray days, and BWOs on cloudy afternoons. Nymph the riffles with a Pat's Rubber Legs and a small mayfly nymph.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Melrose, bring: Woolly Bugger #4-8, Sculpzilla #4-6, Pat', s Rubber Legs #8-10, JuJu Baetis #18-20, Parachute Adams #16-20, Zebra Midge #18-22, RS2 Emerger #18-22, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-20, Black Beauty #20-24, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Big Hole River Melrose details
| Access | Fishing access sites at Maiden Rock, Salmon Fly, Brownes Bridge and Glen. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 5,100 ft |
| Nearest town | Melrose, Montana |
| Best season | Spring through fall |
| Fish | Brown and rainbow trout |
| Regulations | Montana's stream regulations vary by district and river. Check Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks regulations for the current rules. A Montana fishing license is required for anglers 12 and older. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 3X to 5X tippet |
| Camping | Fishing access site campgrounds along the river |
| Kids | Partly. |
| Good to know | Low summer flows can bring hoot-owl restrictions. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Cold.
Spring
BWOs and runoff.
Summer
Salmonflies, caddis and hoppers.
Fall
Streamers and BWOs.
How to get there
From Butte, take I-15 south to the Melrose exit.