Monday Morning Montana Fishing Report
Fished yesterday afternoon with my wife. Saw a few other boats on the water below Craig. Boats from the top to the bottom and some Easter wade fishers as well. Looked like family time on the river. Good work. Spend time with the family!
Bobber Lobbers
Pink is still the word. Top flies range from Amex, to Bubble Yum’s, to Caviar Scuds, to Rainbow Czech Nymphs, to worms. Danielle fished the Peep Show with success and then the LGM, the Pearl LB, and the Micro May. How about Lanier’s Lucent Lightening Bug. Good as well. Come by for a comprehensive mayfly nymph selection. Literally a couple hundred bins of mayfly nymphs. Honest.
Most are not adding lead at this point. Most of the time the fly, with enough wight tied into it, will get the bug to the fish. If you need, add some s;out. You gotta touch the bottom occasionally. You just do.
If the trout do not see the bait, they do not eat the bait.
Rule Number One of nymph fishing. The Golden Rule if you will.
Drift may have a little something to do with it. But it is not the primary. Depth is the primary objective. Don’t ever forget that fact. The Golden Rule.
As streaky steady as the bite has been since November. The bobber lobbers are getting it done. As some of the Headhunters Guides have passed on that the bigger fish live upriver and the smaller fish live downriver. Do you want fast and furious action with the nymph bug? Head into the canyon. If you want a better sized fish with not quite so rapid fire like net use, head up river.
The upper river, as all of you know, produces an amazing Rainbow Trout. Great fatty Bows.
The canyon and lower produce lots of smaller Rainbows, with some lunker Brown Trout. You have to k=make that decision. Changing it up makes yo a well rounded angler.
DFO’s
Slashing fish on the midge is what I witnessed. Then some relatively consistent action on a couple inside lanes. Not too may bugs out before 5 pm Sunday. Upriver? As you have read here on the HH Blog the Dam area at night has been good. Any historical midge outlet can be good as we see the sun blocked by the clouds yesterday afternoon and coming this week ahead.
BWO’s are here in very small numbers. Meaning like 3 at a time. Or for the reach. So, not so hot. Yet. But remember the subsurface game gets rolling as the predecessor to the surface BWO. And the swimming baetis is out there. It is out there man.
Dry-dropper? You could. But why not roll a big fluffy midge pattern after yo whack a few on a nymph. Change it up and learn a bit about your river.
Chuck and Duckers
Not so good. Here and there you hear some decent reports but for the most part not so good. Some talk about the sink tip and the depth you are achieving. Good to try the deeper lanes and the shallower regions as well. Then focus on the better of the two.
Swingers
Better that the single handers. A good swift jig can get you some action. Also the fish are getting on board int eh center near the front end of the presentation. Demo Rods out daily. Come by and get your Swing on. Do it.
Late March in Montana
March Madness is in full swing here not eh Mo too. How is your bracket? When you are in the dumps come out for a spring fling on the Missouri River. We’d love to host you. Warmer than normal weather keeps us busy and making fresh coffees several times through out the morning and afternoon. Always friendly, helpful, experienced staff at the helm at Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig.
- Spring Special Guide Pricing is $350 thru April.
- Craig Trout Camp Lodging starts $125/nt in downtown Craig.
- Rental Boats $150/day.
- Headhunters Open daily @ 8am.