If you base the fishing on just the weather this week you would give it a 10!
The fishing is heating up. We reserve the 10 fishing rating for the summer with fantastic dry fly fishing. But I think we could give it a 7 1/2. Even if it was a 5 the 55 degree weather boosts it up a couple strokes.
All normal here ont eh MO. Normal snow pack, normal winter fishing. The fish are of course in the slow paced water but also in some shallower and quicker tailouts. Fish it and find them.
Pink is the word with a side of midges and a few mayflies. Fish bugs before they hatch. John will always remind folks that it is always smart to throw subsurface caddis flies in May. Advance that theory a couple months and you begin to fish your slender bodied mayfly patterns in February and March.
The streamer crew is active and excitable. The double fisted swingers are out there in force as well. Our streamer selection is busting at the seams and growing.
The interesting facet this winter is the river spread of the winter anglers. I don’t think anybody has been all the way to Cascade, but would certainly believe it if someone has floated the lower. Boats have been to Pelican on several occasions this month.
While can fish up towards the dam end you should not feel obligated to stay glued to the upper river if you don’t want to. Craig is always a great starting point.
Some more dry fly action reported this week as well. Look for midge activity in any of the sower side channels or inside bends. They do not make an appearance every day but do not forget your dry fly boxes in the truck.
Water temps up a touch this week with the high and bright sun. They will wander around south of 40F for another month before the move up the scale in March sometime. Flows are 3.5K+ and somewhat stable.
Wade fishing has been pleasant. The wind has been present from the middle of the week onwards. This weekend temps should reach the upper 40’s with a traveling partner of wind. Sometimes the weather forecaster iix wrong about the wind. Overcast, warm, and calm? A weather non-event we all can fall in love with.
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Did the cascade run yesterday. WIndi was down until noon and plenty of midge action to be had. Fish were sitting on the top ends , right off the drop, and they were grabby. It was really hard for me to see them at first as I wasn’t expecting them in the fast water, but upon closer inspection I had 20 fish podded up doing the breast stroke right in front of me. 5 casts 5 fish you get the idea. Theye were dumb.
Streamers in all those inside turns where it slows and deepens. Start short, and work the whole length. They are there and they are grabby. Only boat on the river, only boat at the take out, it was frigging awesome. Bypass the typical good summer spots and think about time. It’s over at 5. For the dry ingredients was fishing a buzz ball and a trico dun trailer. Every fish ate the trico.. Streamer was a sparkle minnow did not change all day. Enjoy!!