November 16th Missouri River Fishing Report

November 16th Missouri River Fishing Report

Water temps are steady at 43F with water flows about 4000cfs. All good for late fall fly fishing along with the November 16th Missouri River Fishing Report.

Been fishing this week while John has been out guiding Spey anglers. Some of th staff has been out too swinging a few flies around.

Streamer fished yesterday with good success before lunch and a bit of success near dark. Would’ve thought it would stay strong as we got off to a fantastic start stripping leeches. Had two of them on at one point. Also got some good action on a Sparrow. A larger soft hackle looking fly has been working well. Anything you tied up right after you started tying flies, in the nymphal style will work. All those overly dressed shaggy flies that your buddies laughed at…who’s laughing now?

Good weekend weather ahead too. With the fall winds there is enough leeward shores to find yourself a nice wind free lane. Drive up and down the Missouri River corridor and find your own Valhalla.

Want to drift that boat of yours this weekend? We have shuttles available all winter long. Headhunters is open daily.

How about lodging? We have that too. Discounted starting today. You can bed down in  a cabin here in Craig, Craig Trout Camp properties,  for a scant buck-twenty-five. Guide trips with our core staff including John and Mark for $450. Winter pricing now in effect. More on this topic tomorrow!

So swinging flies has been effective. How about a single handed spey line or cast. More on that topic soon as well.

7wt says…Just throw the flash!

Softies, leeches, and the bigger stuff to for the dredgers out there including the always fishy Kreelex, Clousers, Thin Mint, traditional buggers in all flavors, some smaller articulated junk if you like to go that route, and some of you do! We have an extensive selection of swinging flies. And more to come as we expand this winter to include even more of your favorites.

Trout Spey Line Center too. If you ask we probably have it. Call today for any info in regards to the spey deal. Check out John’s fantastic blog yesterday about the Trout Spey Line Up 2017-2018.

Nymphers doing well with and without split shot. The water is up a tad so you may want to employ a “B” into your bobber game. I know it has worked for me recently. Or get a Bomb Fly on there. Tie up your own with Tungsten and lead on the shank. Or a lead substitute. Try Tungsten Split too. Get it there quickly. The goal of nymph fishing is to get the baits there damn fast and keep them there a long time my friend.

Winter fare is the key for winter nymphing. A month or so to go with normal flies. Exhaust that PT excess this moth on the Mighty Mo.

Thanksgiving weekend? Come on out and stay in Craig, drink at Joe’s, eat at Shotgun Annies of Wolf Creek. Perfect.

Dry fly anglers finding some fish on the sides of reality, as well as super duper secret type waters. Not necessarily secret waters, but water types you may think are too small, narrow, skinny…you get what I’m typing. I still am seeing fish in subtle and soft inside lanes that I have not seen in 10 years.. Yesterday again saw some fish tipping up ever so effortlessly in the smallest of seam margins. Un-real. Gives me a warm feeling seeing them. A lot of the time I never even mention it to those I am fishing with. That kind of fish deserves respect. And, if you don’t see it yourself then you still have more dry fly game to get man. Truth.

Even fishing guides gotta hold some it of back. This coming from the choir leader.  Many argue that we here at Headhunters tell too much. Maybe true. We do hold some back. The deal with educating is that you get some haters. I still and will always believe you gotta execute to catch the trout. So the progression of an angler, the evolution of an angler has changed from 25+ years ago.

But so has the world man. Even you cannot stop it…

We know a bunch more with the advent of online education services. And the thirst for learning has never been so high. Honest. We all strive for more. Well, only anglers who want to grow in the sport and catch more trout.

I am old enough to remember going to the local Packwwod Washington Public Library and requesting inter library loan books that could take as long as 6-12 months to arrive. The internet beats the hell out of that system. And you simply cannot argue that fact.

The collective staff of Headhunters Fly Shop telling you here on this daily informational blog will not change your catch rate.

Standing in a river or pond for 10’s of 100’s of 1000’s of hours is the primary educator of anglers worldwide.

Always has been, always will be. Period.

So there you have it. Diarrhea of Squeeky’s crippled mind this Thursday morning.

Thanks for reading. We appreciate your comments, your insights, your business. Think of us for your holiday shopping needs. Or you could buy something from a store that does not provide daily, albeit inane, entertainment during your morning Bailey’s and Coffee session.

Your choice.