Update: All the info for CRAIG FISHING ACCESS SITE DRAFT ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT

FWP ACCEPTING COMMENTS ON CRAIG FISHING ACCESS SITE DRAFT ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT NEW CONTENT: See Image! Here is the Environmental Assessment I forgot to add! Read on. Recent news from the FWP office in Helena. Some movement in the Craig area with an opportunity for you to comment. Jan 28, 2021 12:00 AM Montana Fish, Wildlife … Read more

#TBT 2008 Snow Fly Shop

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] #TBT 2008 Snow Fly Shop The first year. 2008. It snowed then too. This image from the first week open. It may be the first day open April 4th 2008. Snowed heavily that week. Bluebirds were traveling through. The BWO’s were popping. Midge too. A lot has changed since the early days. We have … Read more

Snow Days Sunday, Monday, Tuesday...?

Snow Days. Bitter Cold. CLOSED Sunday, Monday, Tuesday…?

Snow Days. Bitter Cold. CLOSED Sunday, Monday, Tuesday…? First real storm of the true winter. Had some snow back in September and October. Then not much to speak about for the next three months. Until this weekend. Looks pretty good for fishing Friday and Saturday with snow and air temps amenable to both the swing … Read more

Izaak's Opening Thursday March 24th

Izaak’s Hiring Summer Staff 2021

Izaak’s Hiring Summer Staff 2021 Chef John Winders is hiring Summer Staff 2021. Give him a call at 406-235-3456 to start the process today! John needs all staffing positions to fill out the returning 2020 staff. Want to play in Craig all summer long? Why not nail down a job at Izaak’s and fish your … Read more

From several years back…

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From several years back…

This was the precursor for the Classic Scumliner HH Flick Somewhere Out West.

Sunday in Craig Montana.

The weather while not much for snowmaking or water generation for the summer, has provided a great period for winter fishing.

We will certainly need more snow for a good Drift Boat Sledding Session this winter…

Do your snow dance, safely inside your house, hidden from your children, to encourage snow this winter. Do it for our rivers!

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Last Call! Headhunters Fly Shop Hiring Shop Staff 2021

If you want to submit your resumer you better get on it. Closing Resume acceptance Friday. We’d love to hear from you. Submit today. By the way, no more shitty resumes, or cover letters without capitalization of proper names. All names are capitalized. And, Headhunters, is one word. Just like on all of our media, … Read more

Explore.org

Explore.org

Explore.org Winter time requires some background visuals as SOL works at the house. And Explore.org is one of the media outlets most entertaining. What a way to travel from the comfort of your at home work space. A couple to get you started below. I commonly have Pipeline in the background… Sea Jelly Tank Pipeline … Read more

Open 8-5 Daily

Open 8-5 Daily Too much like spring for us to stay away any longer. Now open 8-5 daily. That 8-1 game just does not make sense anymore this winter. Open yes. Masks yes. Shuttles yes. Guide trips yes. Casting lessons yes. Cabins yes. Trout Spey HQ yes. All yes here in downtown Craig Montana.  Spring … Read more

Saturday Zep Nobody’s Fault But Mine

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Saturday Zep Nobody’s Fault But Mine

Second reminder this young year to practice casting if you are a dry fly expert. Or wanna be DFO angler.

Casting accuracy is damn important if you like to put yourself in the right place, zone, state of mind.

If the trout does not see the fly, the trout does not eat the fly  –SOL Proverb

Today I thought that this tune could motivate us for the 2021 dry fly season. Or remind us that it is not anybody’s fault but yours, if you do not get bit. To me the pattern is a secondary issue. If the fly pattern is not presented perfectly, the fish will not eat it. EVER. Meaning the Mighty Mo. The perfect fly, that drags, even slightly, across the nose of your target, does not get bit.

So the fly is a secondary issue. Once again. The drift is king. And placement is secondary as well. Drift is the primary.

But today’s blog is about accuracy and placement. You can only  practice drift, on the water. The winter months do not give us as much opportunity to practice the crucial dry fly drift. I do understand practicing this crucial aspect, the most important component of the dry fly equation, can really only be done on the river. Or a stream with similar qualities of this river.

And that is why you should come twice this year. Or stay a week. Or both.

It is in fact the best time of year to practice that cast of yours. 25′-50′ casts catch a ton of fish on the Mo. That time is now. Most fly lines are designed to cast efficiently and accurately in this range. The Headhunter Fly Line, our proprietary dry fly specific line is made for exactly the distances mentioned above. 25′-50′ casts are the most common dry fly distances here on this famous dry fly tailwater.

Practice Casters are great for building the necessary skill set. They produce astonishingly similar feel and timing to the 30′ cast. Cast short, cast long, and do it inside your house! No need to stand int he driving snow. Nope.

Building muscle memory. Teaching your brain and arm and wrist and hand to cooperate. To communicate. You will not progress without this primary element of your casting game. Achieving that desirable muscle memory is so damn important in the game too. Your brain and body need to communicate to complete the repetitive electric transmission.

And it is Saturday. Go practice between NFL games. Because if you cannot get the fly to the right spot this dry fly season…you will sing out loud “Nobody’s Fault but Mine!”

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Dead Flies Don’t Swim Holiday Viewing

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Dead Flies Don’t Swim Holiday Viewing

Dreaming of summer while enjoying the Holidays here in Craig Montana.

Dry flies come to mind. It couldn’t happen today as the wind is blowing a hundred.

Enjoy the holidays. Be safe.

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The Days Get Longer…

The Days Get Longer… The shortest day is today. Thank goodness. Tomorrow the days get longer, and that alone can get us through til June. That one warm thought. The next hatch is in a couple months. The lowly midge fly. We’ll take it. Nymphing and swinging til then. PMD’s fill our winter heads. Enjoy … Read more

The Movement | Dancehall | Sugarshack Sessions

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The Movement | Dancehall | Sugarshack Sessions

If you have not tuned into the Sugarshack Sessions, you will know what to do today if you are not a NFL fan.

The Movement is one of my fav’s.

If you need more check out Cali Roots and waste your day away tomorrow.

I know what I’m doing today. And tomorrow. Whilst tying flies of course for the 2021 forthcoming season.

If the wind don’t blow too hard on the Mo

 

PS.. I’d visit the Mo during the late June PMD sessions. Totally my favorite time of year. I sing this tune while parked at the Dancefloor watching PMD’s emit from the holy waters of the Mo.

 

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18 days til Christmas

18 Days til Christmas

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 18 Days til Christmas A reminder to you out there in Headhunters Land that the days are slipping past as Christmas races towards us. Another reminder that shopping with Fly Shop Small is damn important to us and the other small businesses out there, near here, near you. We love to hear from you … Read more

Fly Shop Small

Fly Shop Small Saturday

Fly Shop Small Saturday Yes we are open. Yes we are small. Yes we are a fly shop. Yes today is Saturday. Shop with us today. Everyday! Yes we thank you. Check out the Black Friday Sale here! Always online, in store, or on the phone. We can help you out. Ship anywhere. Quickly. P.S. … Read more

Silly Saturday Scenery

Silly Saturday Scenery

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Silly Saturday Scenery A few midges in your box that are always a strong bet on the Mighty Mo include the Zebra Midge, CDC Hanging Midge, Griffith’s Gnat, Cluster Midge, Double Posted Cluster, and Buzzball. Don’t leave home with out them. And if you do forget any of the must haves stop in the … Read more

FISHSKI Video today. Great Skiing Weather?

FISHSKI Video today. Great Skiing Weather?

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FISHSKI Video today. Great Skiing Weather?

All we got today is wind, snow, and drifts.

Tomorrow? Sunshine. Digging out from the aftermath of the Blizzard.

Watch this classic first. Then tie flies. Rest your weary bones from rowing, casting, thinking?

Then watch the Seahawks. Or your local FB Club.

We are headlong into November. A strange fall already. Wind and sun. Or, snow and wind.

Not sure which we prefer? You?

TROUT2H trips out all week long. Meaning tomorrow and beyond. Still looking for the big BWO. Nowhere in sight. Will keep looking. Will keep you informed. Not holding my breath though.

Just gonna have to swing ’em up I guess.

Enjoy the last of your weekend. We are headed outside with a snow shovel…

You can always keep pace with us on our additional media sites like FB, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, and Instagram.

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VOTE. Closed Tuesday November 3rd

VOTE. Closed Tuesday November 3rd

VOTE. Closed Tuesday November 3rd We are closed, Headhunters Closed, Tuesday November 3rd. Our shop staff, our guides, and you…VOTE on Tuesday November 3rd. VOTE. On Tuesday. VOTE. More Montanans have voted by absentee/mail ballot than have in any other election. 515K already in. Some key races here in Montana. So go vote Tuesday.

Headhunters All-Star Macie Speaks about the Summer

Headhunters All-Star Macie Speaks about the Summer Ed Note: CLOSED tomorrow Tuesday November 3rd. GO VOTE! Ed Note: Macie came to us early summer with another HH All-Star Jack who says his article is forthcoming. Many of you met and have had interactions with both of our newest shop staff members. We could not be … Read more

Friday Foto

Friday Foto A rainbow face today on the Headhunters Blog. Halloween tomorrow. A good looking weekend ahead of us as we endure the high winds this Friday afternoon with gusts reaching beyond the 50mph mark. Now that is windy! Tomorrow not as much. A typical forecast with highs in the lower 50’s and the winds … Read more

Fire On the Mountain A Teton Gravity Research Film

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Fire On the Mountain Film

Watched this Wednesday night. Awesome.

A Teton Gravity Research Film. Super freaking cool.

Far better than watching the Dodgers win the World Series last night. Unless you are a big LA fan. Then this would still be best…

Totally worth the hour on ESPN2. Want to see more? Check out the Chris Benchetler site. It is cool. Order the DVD, album, hardcover book!

If you are a super Dead fan you may have seen this film. If you aren’t, here you go.

Now you can watch it today on your laptop. And dream of big powder days, the perfect wave, spending time with friends.

And dream you should. Listening to some cool tunes by the Dead.

A perfect Thursday. Watch it at lunch. It’ll change your afternoon for the better.

You’ll be smiling.

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Dick Magill presents Cold Weather Prep

Dick Magill presents Cold Weather Prep From the Chronicles of Dick Magill comes this timely article about dressing properly for the conditions. The fall dn winter conditions that we see here on the river can come in quickly, are far harsher than many first timers realize or recognize, and can be quite dangerous for your … Read more

Closed Saturday October 24th

Closed Saturday October 24th

Closed Saturday October 24th Lots and lots of snow will make travel difficult tomorrow. Headhunters Fly Shop CLOSED SATURDAY October 24th. Yep. Powder Day in Craiglandia. We will be open late Sunday morning if the conditions are right for safe employee and angler travel. Certainly call the shop and check in with us 406-235-3447 if … Read more

October November Planner

Late October November Missouri River Fishing Planner

Late October November Missouri River Fishing Planner Good times here on the Mo. Calm today. Overcast. Moist. Cool. And yes, calm. That is the type of weather we yearn for here on the Mo in the fall session. So many good things come from the proper water temperature, right now a perfect 53F with flows … Read more

Montana Trout Spey Headhunters

Two-handed Trout Season

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’ve started Two-handed Trout season a little earlier than normal this year. Actually, some of are swinging every month of the year, but Late October to late December are what we consider “prime time”. The fishing is pretty good right now. The fish are big and we’ve had a half dozen guided trips out this … Read more

Stick Figure Rise and Fall

Stick Figure Rise and Fall Video

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Stick Figure Rise and Fall Video

Rise and Fall. Some of those actions here on the Mo.

Water temps falling. Weeds falling by the wayside. The water has already fallen.

The bite is rising. The fish will soon be rising daily. Our excitement level is rising. We love fall.

We truly enjoy the late fall period too. November and December bring us joy.

A great tune by Stick Figure today on the HH Blog. Hump Day. Turn this one up and dance, in your office, like a fish! Or close your eyes and run some mental movies of rising fish. Fish rising to  true baetis.

Rise up and book your trip. Fall into Craig Montana. We will welcome you with open arms.

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Thursday Foto

Thursday Foto

Thursday Foto This is from two years ago. Snowing this weekend. 2018 Last year? Trout Spey Camp with over a foot of snow and temps not reaching above freezing for the week. In fact near zero for a couple days too! 2019 2020? Summery with fall colors. Sure is nice floating. Fishing is picking up … Read more

Low Water.

Low Water. Ever wonder what low water looks like on the Mo? Come on out. 3160cfs at the time of this blog Tuesday nite. Ever been this low before? Oh yeah. But not for a while. 2001-2003 above and below. Fished just fine. In low water for consecutive years! Honest. Less water? Yes. Same number … Read more

Saturday Canyon Update

Saturday Canyon Update

Saturday Canyon Update Fished the canyon yesterday. Not too bad. Been a while since I had been down there and enjoyed the float. Fished an October Caddis Dry the entire time, save for a spell when we tossed the streamer. And got one on the streamer. Black Leech. Saw a few fellers swinging down there. … Read more