5 for Friday June 26th 2020

5 for Friday June 26th 2020

5 great tips to get you through the Missouri River summer weekend ahead. We are currently sitting just 10K @ 9840cfs. Water temps 58F. Will it come down this weekend? Maybe, or not.

We are waiting fo the storm to develop Sunday thru Tuesday to see if we will see more water come our way. If that storm does not develop wee expect to see flows drop this coming week as the lake extra water evacuation should be mostly completed.

Keep it tuned to your information source on the Mighty Mo for updates as they happen.

5+ for Friday

  • PMD nymphs are what is for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Anything brown, or orangish, or yellowish, or a Caddis Pupa will get the job done under the surface. But what is gonna work today? Boy I don’t know yet. Ask me tonight. The key is to change your rig often if it is not working. TH fish are active and will move a great distance to take the right fly presented properly. IF you stay too long with one thing, unless it is working, you may be stymied!
  • Depth is the key to June success. The water is deeper so change your depth often. IF you are not scraping the bottom often enough get deeper.
  • Fish those quick gravel bottomed runs for PMD feeders. Once you have your gear rigged and it is working, find that faster quick speed water for good nymphing. Deep, gravely, moving. Toss it in and let it ride.
  • If you are nymphing out there from a boat, the rower plays a big role in your success. If he or she is not keeping the boat moving the same pace as the river, and playing the game along with you the anglers, you are on a boat ride. The rower must engage the blade of the airs for you to get the net wet. Dig ’em in, repeat. Stroke, stroke, stroke…
  • The dry fly anglers are getting some action. There are fish rising at this level and you need to stay on it if you are gonna succeed. Look for the shallow tops of islands, subsurface middle river bars, sunken islands, soft edges with current lines attached, old haunts…but not the 6K spots. Find your 10K spots.
  • PMD dry flies are the key. And caddis. Both are the top ridiculing bugs this time of year. Crips are getting attention. Skittering caddis. Tape Wing, Stocking Wing, D & D Crips, Poly Winged Crips, Harrops anything, CDC Emergers, floating nymphs, transitional duns, half- borns, stillborns…
  • Don’t get down if those PMD fish are uncatchable. If they are eating right at the surface, but not on the surface, they can be nearly impossible to catch. Keep trying or move onto fish that are actually eating from the surface.

Shuttles daily. Demo Rod Sale! Sale rack fo clothing. Sun shirts with cool HH logo’s and designs. Buff’s. Masks for anglers. The Best Fly Selection Under the Big Sky. The most river lodging by far. Call Julie @ 406-868-5473 for guiding and lodging bookings. Shop open daily 7am. River Maps. The friendliest fishy staff on the river.

See you in Craig. Be safe. Wash your hands. Mask up. Make that first cast count. Be kind. Respect others. Enjoy your weekend and today, with 5 for Friday.

1 thought on “5 for Friday June 26th 2020”

  1. Hi Mark,
    Judy and I went out with Max Mattioli on my B-day, 24 June, great guide and asset for Headhunters. My special request was to get retrained on all the basics and techniques on throwing drys, no nymphing. Max accommodated us above and beyond. Flows were up and we spent the day “Headhunting, looking for slurps and sips”. Found our fair share thru out the day and landed/netted a 4lbs brown on a ant/pmd rig. Took a while because Max didn’t want me to take the cripple/closest one to the boat out of the 7 we were patiently watching. I think I got the big one (Max may argue that point) but it doesn’t matter its the largest Brown I have ever netted on a #16 PMD dry fly. Thanks for a great day.
    Rich

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