Mark Raisler

Squeeky Oar Lock is cold. The New Year will bring some goo fishing...swinging flies for the next 4 months. Then...spring brings dry fly fishing. Hooray!
Dearborn Boat Ramp Work

Dearborn Boat Ramp Work

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Dearborn Boat Ramp Work Some work going on at the only county owned boat ramp on our river. This Wednesday at noon-ish. Will update tomorrow or tonight when we see what has happened. We believe that it is already finished and we will return to business as usual. Don’t know where they put those big … Read more

Silly Sunday Scenery Blackfoot River Off Color

Silly Sunday Scenery Blackfoot River Off Color

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Silly Sunday Scenery Blackfoot River Off Color Westside rivers are all out of shape. Maybe not today, not tomorrow, but this spring for sure. They have a bunch of snow lying in wait, in those hills, in those mountains. Lots. So the Mo will once again absorb the pressure from across the state. Displacement is … Read more

Friday Foto Spring Eagle Image

Marmot Saturday Wildlife

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Marmot Saturday Wildlife Sunny. Warm. Windy. This Marmot sunning himself Saturday late morning. The water is rising again on Monday. It is getting higher. Enjoy your weekend. Warm weather this coming week too. What will the snow pack do? We’ll see!

The tide is rising

Friday Foto The tide is rising

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Friday Foto The tide is rising Came up to 8480cfs yesterday. More coming on Monday. This wekend’s weather is gonna be warm! Calm today Friday and super windy Saturday. Decent Sunday. Rain and wind Monday. But no snow in the near future! Izaak’s open Wednesday thru Sunday so you can get your BBQ fix here … Read more

5 Ways to Skin the Spring Cat!

5 Ways to Skin the Spring Cat!

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5 Ways to Skin the Spring Cat! Kinda been off and on out there. Some days better than others, but the theme could be described as not all that consistent. Waters rising off and on, mostly in this last month coupled with cold water temps currently at the 39F mark have made for tough sledding. … Read more

Still some snow in the hills!

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Still some snow in the hills! In the mountains too. Pooled up water everywhere here and there. I drove back from Kalispell today and witnessed winter. Yep, still alive and well on the westside of the divide. The image near Swan Lake Hwy. 83. Here? Yes. Bottom line is the mountains, hills, and flats have … Read more

Monday Morning Missouri River Fishing Report

Monday Morning Missouri River Water Update & Fishing Report

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Monday Morning Missouri River Water Update & Fishing Report Montana’s Missouri River Water Update Yes indeed Mother Mo is treating us to above average water this spring. High? No. That is the question we and every other fly fishing professional gets numerous times a day when the water is above average for any period. And … Read more

The snow is gone…for a short while

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The snow is gone…for a short while It came, it went. It’ll come again on Monday, then again later in the coming week. It was so very pretty Friday morning. A cleansing of the dirty snow and dust and mud that follows winter. I guess dust will be around this summer too. Wetter, and cooler. … Read more

Osprey Sunset

Osprey Sunset

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Osprey Sunset YEs, the Osprey have arrived. Last week sometime. I was away so I don’t know the exact date that our local fish hawks flew into town. Historically on the 30th, or 31st. I think they were a couple days late. This bitter winter held them up! The Missouri River Osprey are here now. … Read more

Pink Lightening Bug Just Add Vise Kit

Pink Lightening Bug Just Add Vise Kit

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Pink Lightening Bug Just Add Vise Kit

This might be a good idea to tie on fishing the Mo this spring.

One of the standard issue fly patterns. I first saw it from local legend Dan Gard. Don’t know if he invented it, or tipped it, but he was the first one to have it.

Bob Brent may have invented it. One of those two. I think it was Dan though. Dangerous Dan  Gard. Great fly creator. Funny feller. Have a couple stories about guiding with Dan my first or second year ont eh Mo. Fun times. Enjoyed it a lot. Learned a ton from the likes of Dan Gard and Geoff Ferguson in the front end of the 2000’s. May more too. But I like the way those two tie their flies. Fuzzy. Shaggy. Good looking. Fishy.

I think it was Dan’s baby.

Tie this feller up if you want to catch some with the bobber this spring.

The Headhunters Online Shop is LIVE again. Our crack web team, John, put the new version together this winter. Lots of work. Great looking store. Ready for action. Why shop on Amazon wen you can get your fly fix here online.

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Summer Foreshadowing

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Summer Foreshadowing Looking at the end of winter today?  Maybe. Before we get to thinking about summer we have to get ourselves into spring. And that may happen this month? We sure hope so. A couple days of 60’s but not enough strung together to make much difference. We did have a bit of early … Read more

Brown Trout Like Snow!

Brown Trout Like Snow!

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Brown Trout Like Snow! Guide Shane Wilson and this fishy feller got on top of the heap Saturday while snowing and cold on the Mighty Mo. Good to great fishing on a daily clip. Midges? Sometimes. Gotta go to know. How will you know if you don’t go? Nymphing is really good. Streamer fishing is … Read more

Silly Saturday Scenery Wishing for Summer Edition

Silly Saturday Scenery Wishing for Summer Edition

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Silly Saturday Scenery Wishing for Summer Edition Snow on the ground today. Gone tomorrow? Maybe locally. We are looking at warmer temps for the coming week with daily air temps breaking the 60F mark. On the horizon are BWO’s. They should be just around the corner. But before that happens we need the water temps … Read more

Single Handed Spey Video

Single Handed Spey Video

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Single Handed Spey Video w/ Simon Gawesworth of RIO

Today on the Headhunters Fly Shop Blog we bring you this fantastic video with Spey Casting Guru Simon Gawesworth of RIO Products.

We get lots of questions about this newer style of single handed casting and Simon will break down a few myths and confusion points in this informational and educational video.

Really worth watching. A couple of fellers from Spokane empty the single handed spey cast on the St. Joe in Idaho. We see a few using it here as well. Mark has been sneaking around with his for the past year. IT comes out more and more in specific situations. Swinging soft hackles, small leeches, or even overhanding long distances just for fun!

Enjoy this flick from RIO today on the Headhunters Blog. Headhunters of Craig is Your Trout Spey Shop!

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Headhunters Spring Special

Headhunters Spring Special thru April 30th!

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Headhunters Spring Special thru April 30th! Our annual discounted guide trips and local Craig lodging have become quite popular. If we believe Oscar Wilde and his quote, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” then we are doing just fine. Our 8th year of the Headhunters Annual Spring Special … Read more

Foxee Minnow Just Add Vise Video

Foxee Minnow Just Add Vise Video

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Foxee Minnow Just Add Vise Video

Last week we showcased the Mozuri Minnow. This week we hit you with the ever popular Foxee Minnow.

Just caught a couple in my boat last week with this very fly. Clousers too. Marabou Closers too. And, the Kreelex.

Love me a Foxee Clouser. Tie it up for fall success or all Trout Spey season long. Black. Or your color scheme too. Get creative.

Enjoy your Thursday. The fishing is becoming stinky hot.

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Late March Missouri River Fly Fishing Report

Late March Missouri River Fly Fishing Report

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Late March Missouri River Fly Fishing Report Water flows are above 6K coming out of the dam at 6230 currently. Then add a couple hundred at the Prickly Pear, the Dearborn, the Sheep Creep, Wagner, Prewitt, Stickney and you have above average water flows for March. That spreads the fish out. But, it also does … Read more

Aguas de Marco Elis Regina

Aguas de Marco Elis Regina

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Aguas de Marco Elis Regina

Waters of March.

That is where we are at. Higher at 6.7K  cfs and the fish have spread out a bit. Certainly tougher to find. Smaller sweet spots.

Streamer anglers have been finding a few though. Bigger and blacker seems to be one of the tips overheard at Headhunters this last weekend. Lots of anglers out there swinging, stripping, and looking for heads. A few of them out there too, but don’t hold your breath.

Ridding the reservoir of water in anticipation of some of that snow coming off front end of this week before we flirt with late winter storms upcoming towards the end of the week.

The Dearborn still blowing some mud into the river.

This version of Aguas de Marco is worthy. Elis nails it. Of course a tune by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Waters of March runs through my head whilst swinging.

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Izaak's For Sale

Izaak’s of Craig For Sale

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Izaak’s of Craig For Sale Izaak’s opening April 5th! Thursday thru Sundays for a few weeks to start with 4-9pm! Awesome. We can’t wait until se can saddle up to the bar and enjoy fantastic BBQ and more! New items on the menu and I hear rumor about taco’s! Izaak’s of Craig is For Sale. … Read more

Rainbow Czech Nymph Just Add Vise Kit, Video

Rainbow Czech Nymph Just Add Vise Kit, Video

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Rainbow Czech Nymph Just Add Vise Kit, Video

The legendary Rainbow Czech Nymph offered by Headhunters Fly Shop of Craig Montana.

Included is the video above. Come by the shop picking up the Just Add Vise Rainbow Czech Nymph Tying Kit. Tie a zillion my friend. This fly only works from this week…until last week next year.

The Rainbow Czech nymph is attached to most nymph rigs 365 days a year!

It used to me our #1 seller in the shop. Now it may be Wilcox’s Little Green Machine. I’d tie the LGM below the RB Czech. Then get your net ready.

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Hump Day on the Mo

Hump Day on the Mo

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Welcome Spring! Hump Day on the Mo The new South Fork Skiff at rest. You can order yourself up one at Adipose Boatworks of Helena. Enjoyed fishing in this last week with Shane of HH and Justin of Adipose. A perfect craft for those minimalists. Of which, in this game, there are few. Lightweight, manuevable, … Read more

Missouri River Trout Spey Spring Swing Report

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Missouri River Trout Spey Spring Swing Report In one word. Good. Some days great. The fish do make the ultimate decision. Fished with Ninch and our Sage rep Thursday and Ninth put on a show. Outfishing Kurt and I by a wide margin. Why? Lots of reasons. Ninch is a predator on the water. Not … Read more

Dead Drifter on a Hoody

Dead Drifter on a Hoody

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Dead Drifter on a Hoody Our most popular Hoody with the Headhunters Dead Drifter art is back. Come by while supplies last. These really do go fast! Happy Friday. The weekend looks good for fishing. Swing on by and fill your cup of coffee and check not he hottest fly patterns on the river.

Friday Foto

Friday Foto Get your Lodging lined up image

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Friday Foto Get your Lodging lined up image Parked in front of Brown Drake Lodge swinging on Thursday. Got a couple here. You want to fish to a few trout sipping here in the mid Summer? Or in the fall for a trout spey run in your front yard? Pretty killer. I’d book it today, … Read more

YNP Bans Felt Soles

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MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY –Aquatic invasive species (AIS) could have devastating ecological, economic, and recreational impacts on Yellowstone National Park. They are costly to manage and extremely difficult to eradicate. Due to the urgent need to prevent these destructive species from entering the park, felt sole waders and boots worn by anglers will be banned … Read more

Spring Training

Spring Training in Montana

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Spring Training in Montana

Tomorrow starts the Spring Special here at Headhunters of Craig. Cheap guide trips and cheap lodging. Yes it is coming, Spring we mean. Warm out all week and snow tomorrow.

April is the big push for this special as it runs through the end of the month. Call today and get yourself some good dates as the BWO’s begin to play a part toward the middle of the month.

Streamer lovers get in on the spring bite too. Some of the beer fish of the year can come in April. Nymphing is rock solids dn the dry fly, as mentioned above can be epic fishing midge and BWO hatches. Blind fishing not too bad as the education of trout has just begun for the season.

Spring baseball is underway along with the sunnier skies and air temps we are excited here at Headhunters Fly Shop and Guide Service. Lots of new products enter the store in March and April for the summer anglers.

Even more importantly are the flies that 7wt has added this year. More streamers of course, and more Trout Spey patterns too. Our ever expanding and up to date fly selection is second to none on the Missouri River. The difference? Lots of angler input from all of us, and the cash register. If that fly does not move quickly to the river, Ninch puts it in a fly cup and gets rid of them! Honest. The difference maker here in Craig is the focus on the flies. A dead fly pattern does no-one any good. The retailer or the consumer. Dead flies gotta go! And they do here @ Headhunters.

Catching more fish has always been our focus and that has not changed. Educating the Missouri River angler is also our interest. Knowledge is what the fly fishing consumer is always looking for and we are here as a partner in that process.

A dry fly only video. Rare in today’s market. Yes, Headhunters is a dry fly friendly shop. Hunting Heads is what our business is based on. But we make our mortgage payment selling nymphs…go figure?

Headhunters is your Missouri River Entertainment, Information, Education, and Customer Service leader

Check out Scumliner Media Vimeo 

March SPEY CASTING Madness
The women clinic on the 24th has room!

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"Hatred for guides overtaken by Massive Pink Flamingo Floaty"

“Hatred for guides overtaken by Massive Pink Flamingo Floaty”

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“Hatred for guides overtaken by Massive Pink Flamingo Floaty” Saw a few of these craft hanging from the Sam’s Club roof today. The first thing I thought of was “Hatred for guides overtaken by Massive Pink Flamingo Floaty”. Although the hatred for guides delivered by those who surf the Massive Pink Flamingo Floaty cruising down the … Read more

Silly Sunday Scenery

Silly Sunday Scenery

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Silly Sunday Scenery Blackfoot River Sunday morning. Image shot from Scotty Brown Bridge. Temperature 13F. Still winter on the westside too. But, air temps in Craig 47F today. Getting warmer all week long reaching the low 50’s. A couple dozen drifters floating the Missouri River Sunday. This window of nicer weather has allowed a much … Read more

March SPEY CASTING Madness

Spots available in March SPEY CASTING Madness Women’s Session

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Spots available in March SPEY CASTING Madness Women’s Session Still spots open for the March 24 session. This Introduction to Women’s Spey Casting is presented by Whitney Gould, Sara Roholt, and Beth Langell. An all day affair filled with laughter, knowledge, casting, and fun! Call the shop today for additional information and to get yourself … Read more

Tying one on

Tying one on

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Tying one on Snow all weekend long. Snowed pretty hard last night. Why not, after our snowiest February in history we ay as well continue the theme for another month. Shane this last week tying on another trout spey fly. An olive leech. He then walked out and swung up a couple trout. I think … Read more

Squeeky's Fly Sort Update

Squeeky’s Fly Sort Update, including rants

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Squeeky’s Fly Sort Update Maybe half way through of my annual fly sorting, configuring, culling process. Certainly making headway. I’m finished with the PMD box most recently. Trico’s done. Worms and such box. Done. Tiny mayfly nimps, done. Scuds and sows. Yep, finished. Caddis ahead of me. And much more. A combining of some boxes … Read more