New Breed Chicks Rule Here’s soon to be pre-med student Jesse Dewitt whacking fatties on the Mo over the weekend. Jesse is a fly fishing beast!! Thanks Andy for sending this pic along. It made our day for sure. Fishing all week long here at Headhunters of Craig. The weather is gonna cooperate. Spring Special … Read more
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Snow day here on the Mighty Mo. a great day to spin up a few flies. And why not tie up the Thin Mint for your next visit to the Mighty Mo?
Or use it on your local resource. It’ll work anywhere. This adaptation of the classic Woolley Bugger.
Order your Just Add Vise (JAV) Kit here. Easy peasy. It’ll arrive on your doorstep in a couple days.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/336679355″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
New Fly of the Week: Rusty Trombone 7wt bringing in new flies for the season at Headhunters Fly Shop. We have always been know as the go to shop for flies in the canyon and many know us as carrying the Best Flies under the Big Sky. Truth? Come in and judge for yourself. You … Read more
Friday Foto It’s March 71F today on the river. Calm for the morning session, windy for the afternoon. Tonight possible snow flurries. Again on Saturday nite too. Montana. Spring. Normal. SNAFU. The fishing is picking up. Along with the springlike weather the water temps may start their annual climb out of the cellar. A bundle … Read more
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Montana Fishing Film Festival in Helena Friday March 6th at the Grandstreet Theater.
Put together by Matt Devlin of Missoula Montana. These are film by Montanans for Montanans. Unique in that sense. Really cool.
We had the films in Craig for a couple years and truly enjoyed the format.
Go see the 2020 selection this coming Friday nite in downtown Helena. Fun times. A good stoke.
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Late Winter Fishing Report by Richard The weather has been unseasonably warm, which typically means the wind is turned up to 11. Controlling a drift boat in gusty conditions can be difficult to say the least, but the rewards can be totally worth it if you’re willing to get blown around a bit. Here’s … Read more
Monday Morning March Fishing Report Hello March. Hello Missouri River anglers. Hello Spring? The groundhog did predict spring. Not six more weeks of winter. Last year at this time we were in a deep freeze. Real deep. Snow and ice and air temps below zero. The average temperature last February in Great Falls came in … Read more
Back of the House 2010 Looking at the back of the shop about ten years ago. That Parrothead sign is important to me. I’m gonna refinish it soon. Maybe this next week. Saturday on the Mo. Kinda warm, windy, not too many folks around. Yesterday, Friday, 3X the folks on the river. Tomorrow Sunday? Oh … Read more
I wrote a recent blog reminding us, we, the industry need to be a aware of the wants and needs of all anglers. Reminding us that whether you be a nympher, a streamer junkie, or a dry fly fanatic there is a place for you in this widely accepting recreation group. While some of us … Read more
I’ve been rolling around a personal progression of fly fishing for a couple years and as of late it has been haunting me daily. I believe that we, as an industry, are educating our anglers in an improper way. We are giving the perception that if you do not want to dry fly fish, that … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 50/50 On the Water Film Tour For those in Bozeman check out the 50/50 On the Water Tour at the Rialto Thursday February 27th 630 pm sponsored by the Fishing Outfitter Association of Montana. [/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZj-z0UT194&fbclid=IwAR2f1rV-SJQ2ozXhRGzm0tX3BpUe_i_HK6n1Tq8ynO6hXbYqVgmE0yLghmA”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Winter Day Dreaming Another installment of Dick Magill. Angler. Thanks for the great summer story today Richard. I too am looking forward to the summer season. Not that I don’t like spring, and I don’t really like winter…summer keeps my motor running. Long days, warm evenings, frothy Margarita’s, PMD’s. Ahhh. Summer. I’m getting really excited … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The Police Live at Beat Club 1978 Showed off the Chameleons this past week. But they do not compare to the talent in this late punk band. The Police. The Police had a hand in shaping the music of the 80’s. Pretty strong showing. Raw talent. Honed. Practiced. Edgy. Punk-ish. Just like a young … Read more
Friday Foto Hardy Country Windy. Warmer. Still winter like here in the canyon and beyond. The weekend even warmer. And probably windy. February is nearly over. Hooray. My least favorite part of the year. By a wide margin. March is around the corner. Hooray. More midges. That is good. Have a great weekend. HH open … Read more
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This is our original promo video from 2009. HH opened the doors April 4th 2008. Scumliner’s first video for HH of Craig. Of course he then went on to shoot some killer vids over the years including back to back Drake Magazine Trout Film of the Year Humor Category.
Enjoy on this February Thursday.
Still winter here in Craiglandia.
Book your Spring Special Trip today. Guide Trips $400 March 15th thru April 30 2020. This could be our last Spring Special. Next year, 2021 we are going to two rates. Off Season $450 Thanksgiving thru April 15th. Peak Season $600 April 16th thru Thanksgiving.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE1QPmbLe04″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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The rod tip path has to be straight.
Convex round rod tip path does not work if you want to improve or move forward in any way in your fly fishing career.
Dropping the rod tip on the fore-cast is never a good idea.
Never. Never ever. It never ever works well. Ever. It is a physics equation, and you folks who are god like…it does not work for you either.
Never. Ever. Never ever.
Enjoy this tip this Sunday.
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Don’t Fall. The Chameleons 1983.
Punk Rock Weekend Hit.
Take the hit.
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Mid February Fly Fishing Report Montana’s Missouri River Fished yesterday with HH Guide Shane Wilson and friend Adam Craig to Stickney. Had a great time. Fished a couple hours. Not hard. Social yes, fishing yes, lots of fishing energy, no. A short fishing session with air temp 22F, calm, partly overcast. Breeze came up from … Read more
#TBT from Headhunters of Craig The shop when we signed the lease in November 2007. It has changed a bit since then. More changes ahead? Of course. We do not believe in static behaviors. That is for the rest. Staying in one place, in one moment, is for those with no imagination! No drive. Headhunters … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Bubble Yum Scud Tying Video Tie this up for winter, spring, and early summer. The large tungsten bead can get you to the zone without adding split shot to your line. Fewer hinge points means fewer tangles. And fewer tangles are good! 7wt came up with this pattern that fish just love. A scud … Read more
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Tonight in Helena Montana Grandstreet Theater 7pm.
A whole lotta fishing tonight, in the capitol.
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February Blues and a Couple High Points February pretty much sucks. Historically average fishing, that means for the winter months. Not comparing the February fishing to the summer months, but comparing it to the winter months. And average is just that. Milk Toast. The good news is the advent of some good midge action. Yessir. … Read more
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Snow on the ground here in Craig.
Blowing pretty hard around the river.
Some may stay home and watch this cool Hawaiian Surf Flick.
Others may tune into the XFL!
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Guiding 4 the Future A great cause. Shane Wilson and I attended this past year. Shane was the outstanding student of the course, scoring a perfect score on the final exam. And winning a sweet Sage Ignitor courtesy of Sage Fly Rods. We have a couple of our guides headed to the course for … Read more
Foul Weather February Weekend Looks kinda bad. Or not. This is just another forecast. Some are true, others aren’t. Open daily @ 8.
TBT Squeeky’s 1st Fly Shop Gig This was my first fly shop gig. My first fly fishing mentor Pat Ward opened this little shop, even a bit smaller than HH, in Gold Creek on the Naches River. The Naches is a tributary of the Yakima located on Hiway 410 Eastside of Washington State. Mt Rainier. … Read more
Another installment from Richard today on this very blog. The wildly popular Dick Magill. Angler series speaks of fly boxes, winter, and the tying bench today. Enjoy. Happy Hump Day. Book your spring trip. Discounts galore! Where Do Your Flies Live? We’ve seen some unseasonably warm weather here in Craiglandia over the past few weeks. … Read more
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One of my Fly Fishing Goals this year is to Cast Better. And getting out to the lawn, to the river, or the park is not always easy with daily life getting in the way. But I gotta get better so I have began to use the Practice Casting Rod again.
There are several practice rods available for you and me to use. And they all work. There’s at least 5 of them out there. Originally Wulff had one called the Fly-O. Looks like it is out of production as none avail on their site or elsewhere. And it was cool. Bamboo is cool. The Wulff’s brought us som many fly fishing things that are useful!
Currently I am using the one from Orvis. But again found the ECHO MPR Micro Practice Rod in the garage as well. So now I have two. Perfect.
One in the house. One in the garage.
Back to the pitfalls of daily life with children (I have none) and dogs (I have none) and spouses (I have one) and the lack of time to get out to the park etc. To scratch out time to do this very thing, get better with fly rod in hand, is difficult at best. And I do understand where this falls into (your) the priority list.
Very low.
If the desire is there, and I know it is for you, then how do we accomplish this very simple and non-time consuming task? With a Practice Rod is how.
2 minutes will help. As you have heard me preach many times over the years practice casting is important for your Missouri River, or your local ditch, success. You do not need 2 hour long sessions to make you better this year. No. Several 2-10 minute sessions. I would argue that 10 minutes may be too long. 5 minutes will get you there quickly.
Spend time with the tool in your hands
I was at a Top Golf in Scottsdale AZ during a Spring Training Baseball jag a couple years back and took a golf lesson from the Pro. One of the things he said that made an impression on me was “Get yourself a club. An iron. Any iron. Go get it from the pawn shop. Does not have to be in good shape. Any iron. And while on the couch just hold it. Just feel it. Play with the grip. Get comfortable with the club. Just spend time with it. And that will help in the long run. Familiarity with the tool. Spend time with the tool in your hands.”
Man-O-Man. What great advice. Fly Casting is just like that. A practice casting rod allows you to spend time with the tool without making a big production out of it.
I cast while sitting on the couch. I cast while interviewing prospective Headhunters Fly Shop employees. I love holding a fly rod in my hand. It is a life passion of mine. My job. My everything. And this tool is a perfect way to advance my cause, without heading to the river.
And, you can go to the next level with this rod. Are you an intermediate caster? I believe most of us are just that. But I also believe that many will never progress beyond this point. Why? Not enough time with the rod in your hand. I get asked all the time “How can I get better at accuracy, distance, casting?”
Answer? Practice man. More time with the rod in your hand. And a practice caster will get you there.
Some say to me “I’ll practice when I get to the water. I don’t like practicing at home. It’s boring. I want to be on the water, it’s not the same.” Excuses for mediocrity is what I think those are. Cop-outs.
Be the Trout Hero this year!
You want to be good this year? Better than last year? You want to go to the next level? Like advanced casting? A Practice Rod is in your future.
And for under 50 bucks you can be the Trout Hero this year. Not the Trout Bummer bro. You want your fishing partner to invite you on the next cool fishing trip? Then you better step up my fishing friend. ‘Cause that lame ass effort you displayed last year ain’t gonna get you no more invites.
And I am thinking about the common story in the boat. One guy spends 3/4 of the day, or more, casting, not at the fish. He is casting poorly. He is practicing on rising fish. No time for practice when you are At the Show!
If you truly want to catch more fish, and make your fishing partner happy, picking up the dinner tab eases the pain for one of the days, but not all. You got more days fishing ahead of you.
It is immediately evident to the fishing guide, and the fishing partner that you have not put in the time. Your buddy has spent time in the park, in the living room, rod in hand. He has put in the time. And if you are having trouble reaching that rising trout at 25′ down and across…bro, you need to practice at home!!!!
Time with tool in hand. That is the operative portion of this discussion. 2-5 minutes a day. We can all afford that kind of commitment.
The beauty of a practice rod is that there are not fish in front of you. You can truly focus on the cast. Not on catching fish. Removing the fishing factors from your casting sessions is damn important. Pro football players practice. Scrimmage yes. But in game real time with a 300# gorilla trying to eat you…does not create a positive practice environment.
The practice rod can help with these most common casting issues listed below.
Dropping the rod tip. A huge problem. 90% of casters do this. It is an enormous casting epidemic. If you are one that does this, you will never progress past the skill that you are right now.
Stopping the rod upright. Not parallel to the water. Yes, the same issue as above. A big problem. The physics of the cast do not work when you do this. Not once. Not ever.
Reach Mend (Cast). An important tool for casting flies at rising trout.
All the rest. Tower Cast. Off-Shoulder Cast. Left Handed Casting.
Practice with your eyes closed! Try it.
Practice with a rod in each hand. Do it.
While there is a double haul kit you can get for your ECHO MPR, it does not feel like the real deal. It sort of does. But, most importantly, you can get the mechanics, the nuts and bolts, of that cast accomplished with the kit.
I am off to the garage, with coffee in hand, to get after it. I mostly practice with my off-hand. My left hand. Why not get good at both. I have been casting left handed for well over 10 years. But I still need a ton of work on that side. John says that it has been what I have focused on since the inception of HH. He may be right. I do focus on this daily blog and the media component daily as well. If I could type, and practice casting at the same time…Whoa!
There you go. Motivation for 2020 fishing? Maybe. I know I am stoked to get better this year. And casting is at the center, the core, of this goal.
Do it. It’ll make you better. It’ll make you smile. It’ll allow more use of the net this season.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/188010822″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Fly Fishing Film Tour in Helena Tuesday Nite February 11th Helena, MT 2020 Fly Fishing Film Tour Grandstreet Theatre Feb 11, 2020 at 7:00 PM (MST) Helena, Montana The Pat Barnes Missouri River chapter of Trout Unlimited is proud to bring you the 2020 premier of the Fly Fishing Film Tour in Helena, MT at Grandstreet … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Want to join the Have some great resumes on tap at the shop already with interviews being conducted as we write! But it is not too late to get your resume in to mark@headhuntersflyshop and sara@headhuntersflyshop.com Why not work with us this summer and beyond. Fun work atmosphere, great structure for learning and advancement, strong … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] High Winds in Central Montana? Yes. Only when the winter temperatures peak the 50F mark. We are forecast for 60F tomorrow. With increased winds. Winds Winter fishing is here on the Mo and we have seen lots of anglers out this past week. Winter rules apply. Today and tomorrow will bring high winds. But … Read more
Fly Fishing Film Tour in Great Falls Friday Nite! The Annual Fly Fishing Film Tour stops into Great Falls Montana Friday Nite January 31st! A long winter already? They seem longer every year we get older. So why not stop out and head to the Do Bar in GF, have a couple Oly-Pops, and watch … Read more
Ditching Old Faithful From our revealing Dick Magill, Angler Series comes todays blog by crack staffer and writer Richard. Want to speak with Dick Magill? Stop in and see him weekly @ Headhunters of Craig. When you are on the water and you’re are digging through your streamer box, what’s going through your mind? Are … Read more
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You know, the first good day.
That is what Cheap Trick’s “Ain’t that a Shame” Live at Budokan ’78 makes me feel like.
You gotta turn this up to 11. Then push play.
The build up with drummer Bun E. is reminiscent of late May on the Mo. The sun is shining longer each day. Summer is near. You hear word of a couple PMD’s seen on the lower river. Then some at Mountain Palace. 5 days later…
Push Play here man. (If you haven’t yet man)
And that is what PMD’s in June and July feel like to me. Pure rock and roll. Just like this hard chargin’ guitar rock theme. Rick Nielsen on screaming lead guitar. Robin Zander, who looks like a rock star, with the vocal gymnastics of late 70’s rock and roll vocalists. Tom Petersson laying down a deep bass beat coupled with Bun E. Carlos stroking the drums like a polished dry fly angler.
Strong. Full of sound. Analogous to an epic PMD emergence.
Play it twice. This track deserves it.
I’m gonna play it loud when I get home tonight again. Possibly with an overpoured Margarita.
And run a mental movie with the summer sun on my head. The light breeze delivers the blooming Lilacs past my nose. The soundtrack of nature emanating from the earth. The act of PMD’s inundating my being on their journey upstream…
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Silly Sunday Scenery Trout Spey Cast A nice January Weekend here in central Montana. Air temps breaking through the 50F mark. And anglers are out. Enjoy your Sunday outside.
Friday Foto Sara & a Pot of Dry Fly Gold We are still a couple months from daily dry fly activity on the Missouri River here in Craig Montana. But each day we get closer. Water levels for the summer are looking normal. At least so far. Way too soon to predict the winter, late … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Kelly Galloup’s Sex Dungeon is without a doubt one of the most popular large tandem streamer patterns in the West (World?). The articulated movement, swimmy materials, and large deer hare head that pushes water making noise is a great combination. It’s an expensive fly – lots of materials and complicated – but we sell lots … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Overlooked Fly Fishing Gear A post by Dick Magill from Headhunters of Craig. Thanks Dick, appreciate the insight today. Fly fishing has come a long way over the years. The technological advances in the sport have opened many different possibilities for anglers including where people can target fish, how long they can stay in … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Of Caddis and Summer 50F outside today. Did some yard work, turned the compost pile, fooled around in the garage with fly gear. And saw my favorite fly box. Bought it for a dollar at Bob Ward’s Bozeman 25 plus years ago. A soft sided foamy floater. It called to me. I keep Squeeky … Read more
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Cool vid today not eh HH Blog.
Playoff Football on TV. The Australian Open starts too.
Weather’s the best it has been in at least a week on the river today. Temps well above freezing! Anglers around.
And looks pretty good for the week ahead too.
While the store has been quiet this past week with walk-in traffic the phones have been ringing. A lot. It is the time of year to lock in your dates. The late you wait, the more difficult it becomes. Smart anglers book early.
Check out the vid. Pretty fun to watch. Far more hands touch each fly rod made today. And they are producing higher quality technologically advance products!! We can all appreciate the modern fly rod. And fly lines too!
January. Half way home this month. Winter. Ahh. Hooray.
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Saturday. A good day to watch a video about choosing a streamer line.
That is step one.
Step two is to call your fly shop and get a couple.
Our number is 406-235-3447.
If you are wondering.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/382106228″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Frozen Friday Foto Slushy in the canyon. Frozen below Pelican Point on the lower. Free up top. And the air temps may crawl out of the cellar.
Weekend Fishing Forecast Richard writing the Blog today. Thanks Richard. Glad you survived the arctic temps this week! Here we are in the middle of January. As I’m writing this fishing report, air temps are struggling to get above zero let alone the freezing mark. The Mo is currently 34 degrees and running at 5700cfs … Read more
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One of the great casters, instructors, and minds in todays fishing world. He also makes some pretty popular rods by the name of ECHO.
Tim today talks about Off-Shoulder casting. Truly an important cast here on this big river in Montana we fish daily. The Missouri River in Craig.
Why? Because the wind blows all the time. And sometimes upriver outta the north. Making it difficult. It may not blow against the grain all day long, or it will…nevertheless if you cannot execute this cast, those days will not yield many trout. Or opportunities.
So why not increase your chances and learn this valuable trout casting tool before summer 2020. Winter is a great time to add a couple tools to your box.
I am not one who learns casting on the water. Not enough time for that. When I’m on the water I am fishing. Not practicing. Learning is what you do off the water. Ask any great caster what they do. I know pro athletes don’t learn fundamentals on the field. No way man. Not during game time.
Yes, some yahoo is gonna comment that they can learn new casts, tread in unfamiliar waters, and conjure up some casting brilliance from the ashes of his last cast… on the water. And maybe you can sir. But the casting mortals, which is all of us but you, are best serviced by learning this kind of cast on the lawn. In a casting laboratory.
Yessir. At a time when you can concentrate on the cast. Not the rising trout.
Go out and practice this cast. It will not take much time to learn. Nope. You will pick it up pretty quickly. Because your brain already knows how to cast. And when you need to employ the Off-Shoulder Cast on the water, you will already know how it feels!
That other fella, your fishing partner brother-in-law will be thrashing around tomahawking freely rising trout. Unfortunately he’s the guy who can learn, on the water.
And then turn to you in the back of the boat and say “You wanna give these a shot?”[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/215218143″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Fly Fishing Resolutions Great photo above of Guide Eric Mondragon fishing with friend Carl and Golden Trout-Dog (TD) a couple years back. This image is what spawned me to write out my fly fishing resolutions. That image signifies all that is good with fly fishing. Outdoors, sunshine, dry flies, pets, friends, boats, the sound of … Read more
Craiglandia. Sunday. January. 2020. Big day for the Seahawks. Gotta beat the Packers. Gonna be tough inside Lambeau today. Snow on the ground. It’s tough in Craiglandia this morning too. Snow on the ground. Temps plummeting into the too cold to fish region. All week long it will be awful. But e will be in … Read more
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Saturday here on the Mo. Fishable today. A couple cabins rented. Several boats on the water. Coffee drinkers at the shop. Swingers on the water.
And summer conversations on the shop phone. Anglers locking in summer guides and lodging. Now is the time to get your perfect 2020 Craig Montana hook-up.
A classic vid today from Sharptail Media from 8 years ago. We enjoyed shooting this short with Simon.
Arctic temps greet us tonight as we move into the 3rd week of January. Looks like very little fishing will be done Monday thru Friday. Some days the temps will not crawl above the ZERO mark!
Whoa. That is cold. Call first if for some reason you are headed up to Craig. We may not be at the shop the entire time. When the mercury plunges below the ZERO mark we spend less time in the shop. Pretty cold in that shabby little fly shack in Craig! Not really built for winter conditions. More of a summer place…
So today we bring you Sipping Dry. For summer memories. Summer dry fly action. For summer warmth. In this type of weather we must think of the sun, fantasize about Trico hatches, and wait for the snow to go away. The long wait.
Only another 4 or 5 months. That’s all.
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Friday Foto The Beginning Snowing and freezing here in Craig today. 6 months from the Trico hatch. That is my motivation today. Thinking about the future. And warm weather. And dry fly fishing. And Trico’s. The beginning. Friday Foto. It starts with a couple. Then a few. Then…
A first look at our water forecast in 2020 John and I recently spoke about the water levels for the first time this winter. While we are not scientists, biologists, water managers, degreed in any way that would make us qualified to gauge what will happen in 2020…below is what we spoke about. A bit … Read more
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Zack Dalton of RIO takes us through a few of the knots you should know heading out on the water.
No more Monday Night Football? Go nuts. Tie knots.
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Still swinging here on the Missouri River, but those water temperatures have dropped and the fish have really tanked up in those winter lies. Sink tips and gentle presentations are key, and productive spots are far fewer than they were a month ago. No surprise really, the Mo’ typically hovers just above the freezing mark … Read more
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] How to (fish) January on the Mo! It can be cold out there. It can be windy. It can be lonely. It can be fishy. Or not. It can be just great to wander around the river. Whatever your motivations are we are gonna give you How to (fish) January on the Mo! Water … Read more
Silly Summer Sunday Scenery John Ewing casting at rising fish this past summer. John is a non-local local fishing the Missouri River at least a couple times a year traveling from Maine. A long time Missouri River lover and he today provides our image for Silly Sunday Scenery. John spent his career behind the lens … Read more
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Pretty stable for the next ten days with air temps in the mid 20’s at night along with daily highs in the mid 30’s. Lots of cloud cover predicted so may be a decent time to fish?
The average temperature for January includes a highs of 35F and lows of 15F with 0.51 inches of precip which adds up to about 9″ of snow. The wind chill can be impressive with winds from the north. The prevailing wind is generally from the southwest which is not nearly as biting as the evil wind. Check out the 2020 totals here on US Climate Great Falls site.
The water temperatures are not terribly cold. Yet. Currently hovering around 35-ish. Bouncing between 35-37F for the past couple weeks. Without the frigid well below zero temperatures for a good long spell the river will not become slushy or un-fishable.
The water levels are holding in the lower than average zone by about 1400cfs. Don’t know as of posting what the water direction will be before the end of the wet season in June, but we do know our snowpack is below average.
Cold. Our coldest fishing month. Or one of the top 3. Again we will not know the outcome until later this spring. The non winter-like November and December have led us into quite a boring start for the New Year. Wear warm clothes, warmer socks, and bring your Thermos.
Morning fishing is for those who like to sneak out there before the fish are bothered by the winter sun. Some wait until after breakfast to begin their slow journey to the river. Fish the noon til 4pm slot until the sun stays out later if you like the meat of the day. As the winter fades to spring then you may begin to enjoy the morning more often. But that is a couple, or a few months away.
Nymphers come on strong in January. The primary attack for fish catching includes anything pink. Or at least start with anything and then figure it out. Firebeads are really a hot ticket in the next couple months. Really strong through the end of spring.
Fish the real winter water all month long. The stale stuff. Almost stopped, yet still moving. The inside bends towards the end of the moving area. Then focus on depth. The water is pretty low so go with shorter than normal rigs. Split or not is your choice. A house divided on this lead filled topic.
Swingers comprise about half of the winter Missouri River angling participation stats. Skagit fishers are getting fish on the line. Fishing pretty well from top thru the canyon. Check with the shop before heading out for not only boat ramp health but shelf ice coverage.
Open daily for all things Trout. Your leading Montana fly shop for all things Trout Spey. We have the full lines of RIO, Scientific Angler, OPST, and Airflo spey lines, tips ,and accessories. We have become the authority in this arena with the entirety of the staff engaged and involved with the two handed rod all winter long.
January is a busy month for booking spring, summer, and fall guide trips and nightly Missouri River lodging. You want to start your Missouri River legacy this year? Or continue your family Montana trip? Start making your Montana trout memories by getting your name on the books for 2021.
Headhunters open daily @ 8am til 1pm. Mask Mandates continue at Headhunters of Craig. Enjoy your January whether you be skiing, finishing up the waterfowl season, or hibernating. Give us a shout. We love talking trout![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/88700134″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Successful Situations Two traits that make fishing some dry fly fishing guides popular with guests is the ability to put the angler consistently into successful situations. Just like good sports coaches, strong educators, great fishing guides…they all have the ability to facilitate successful situations. I’m certainly not speaking about finding the easiest targets either. Those … Read more
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Happy New Year to all of you out there in Blog-land, the Headhunters Stratosphere, and friends from all walks of life.
We wish you all the best in the year to come.
Achieve your goals, laugh a bunch, and of course fish more than last year.
Whichever side of the cosmic universe you lean, remember that when you are flyfishing, nothing else matters.
The great equalizer.
Zen and shit.
That is a comforting concept.
Embrace it in 2020.
Happy New Year.
Make it a damn good one.
A year, no, a decade full of memories…
Ed Note: Ziggy covering up top, Bob and the video below.
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