Brule River Calendar:

April:

Steelhead are generally around from the opener (the last Saturday in March) until the end of the month, and some years through the first or second week of May. Large Stone Fly nymphs fished deep with an egg dropper are most successful. As water temperatures rise swinging flies such as Wooly Buggers and Strip Leeches can produce some explosive strikes.

May:

The Upper Brule River opens on the first Saturday in May. Hendricksons will usually be hatching as the season opens. This hatch provides the angler with an opportunity to take some nice fish on dries in the middle of the afternoon, a fairly rare occurrence on the Brule. As the month progresses, start looking for Sulphurs to show in the evenings. May is an excellent time to take some nice trout on streamers.

June:

June is when the hatches on the Brule really get going. The beginning of the month you can expect prolific hatches of Sulpurs. Duns will start emerging early in the evening with spinner falls lasting well into the darkness.

 By the middle of the month, Brown Drakes will start to show. This hatch can be maddening, some nights you will se huge clouds of spinners hanging above the riffles, and unless conditions are just perfect, they don’t drop to the water. When they do, the fishing can rival that of the Hex Hatch. 

Baetiscas, a mayfly with no abdomen, will also show up in the middle of June, Though not as consistent as Sulphurs or Brown Drakes, this is a fly that you should definitely carry a few of in your fly box.

The Hex Hatch is probably best known and heaviest fished of the Brule hatches, and for good reason. This is the fly angler’s best time to catch large Brown Trout consistently on the Brule River. Start looking for these giant mayflies anytime after about the 20th of June, lasting past the 4th of July.

July:

Things slow down a bit during he month of July. Early mornings and late into the evening with terrestrials will produce some fish on top. Tricos will show up towards the end of the month in the mornings. These small mayflies don’t usually bring up large fish, but, the fishing can be very satisfying. Casting small flies to rising trout, is always a great experience, even if they’re not the largest trout in the river.

Also in July, some lake run Brown Trout will start showing up. Early in the morning or late in the evening and all night long will give you your best chance at success. Big streamers fished deep in low light conditions are the way to go.

August:

Tricos continue through out the month of August, with fishing remaining consistent in the mornings.

August is also the month where “night fishing” becomes a way of life for us. Fish big top water bugs and big streamers. This is a truly an experience to its own!

September:

Tricos begin to tail off by the middle of the month, but the night fishing continues to improve. You should also carry some ant patterns in your box , though not really consistent, ants can bring big fish to the surface.

Fall steelhead and Coho Salmon along with a few Kings will start entering the lower river in September, not in great numbers yet, but definitely an option.

The Upper Brule River closes the 30th of September.

October / November:

Steelhead and Salmon fishing will reach it’s peak during this time. Smaller nymphs seem to produce better in the fall than the spring for steelhead. Large bright streamers work best for salmon  The Brule River closes to fishing on November 15th.