The Missouri River October Experience

The Missouri River October Experience

Playoff Baseball. It feels like fall when the Boys of Summer are playing fall baseball. Fish during the day and watch playoff baseball at night. October is great in my book because baseball feels good with a cocktail or two.

Streamer Flies
Kreelex Mania

Football. Both college and pro ball keep us interested in the fall time. Weekends are for football. Or fishing. Or hunting. Or…

Blue Winged Olives. The coolest fall bug there is. Afternoons can be filled with cripples, emergers, and duns. Your choice. This slate winged insect is what keeps anglers interested. Those non-local locals are here for just this reason. Our favorite fall mayfly.

Streamer Junkies. Lots of out of work guides up here on the Mo chucking the streamer rod. Lots of guests here tossing it too. Lots of us excited about those overcast afternoons presenting the big fly n search of the bigger trout that call the Missouri River home. Flashy or not so flashy that is your choice. With the lower water levels this fall you can either get it done with a floating line or a intermediate tip. Some like to dredge the center of the river with grain weights that make some tremble. Lots of ways to enjoy the streamer fishing here this fall and early winter.

Fall Colors Missouri River
Fall Colors on the Missouri River

Colors. While we do not have the colors of the east coast we do have a significant color change. We are right in the midst of it right now. Although the strong winds that we endured this past weekend blew a ton of the red, yellow, and orange leaves into the next county. We love the change int he weather including the vibrancy of fall. Enjoy it!

Swing Season. It is on the way. Nearly here. Some have gotten it going early. We have a bunch of cool two handed trout spey gear for demo and sale. Headhunters is your Trout Spey Source in all of Montana.

Why October is so Great
A Hot Toddy

Hot Toddy’s. Love me a Hot Toddy. Apres fishing hot drinks. Love it. Along with playoff baseball. How can you go wrong with Bourbon, honey, lemon, and a touch of cinnamon. Yum.

Rest. Sleep in later as the fall fishing is generally better int he afternoon. Stay up late dining Hot Toddy’s or an elixir of your choice and sleep in until those damn olives hatch.

Fewer anglers around. While there are some guides out on the water most of the traffic has gone south. Lots of folks hunting birds and bigger animals so the waters of Montana receive less pressure in the fall time.

Short Leash Nymphing. October is made for Short Leash Nymphing. The water flows are low and the fishing is good. No bugs hatching in the high and bright skies? Try this technique. It works.

Fellowship. Lots of great folks around Craig. We love chatting, discussing, and pitching shit to our friends. It really is a fun time of year. Are you in?

The Missouri River October Experience

Something for everyone here hanging out in Craig fishing Montana’s Missouri River. It’s a month full of Montana experiences. It’s a laid back no frills Missouri River October Experience.

 

 

SIMMS G5 Technology

SIMMS G4 Gore-Tex Pro Shell

Stay dry longer. Longer than ever? That’s what the fellows at SIMMS are saying.

Are you ready for fall yet? We are not. But we are beginning to prepare ourselves for what Mother Nature brings us in the ways of weather.

I do know from experience that you certainly do not want to be left out on the cold and rainy baetis afternoons fishing the Missouri River. October can be cruel. November with BWO’s popping before your eyes…comfort and a good reach cast come to mind.

SIMMS is all hopped up on the Gore-Tex Pro Shell and the G4 Pro, and we agree. Drier longer. A damn good thing for anglers.

We like to keep dry as well. The Mo fishes all 12 months which is different than most every other river on this Big Green Earth. Not many rivers can claim fishable waters for that length of time. We can. The shop is open daily, nearly 365 days a year.

So we get used to fishing in inclement weather. Hard to believe while it is 97F as I write this rain oriented product article. But she is hiding around the corner. We generally see snow falling from the freaking sky buy the second week in September. Not much. Usually.

So we prepare earlier than we would like. Hand warmers back in the boat. Stocking up on propane bottles for boat heaters. Cleaning the soup from last spring from the Thermos…yuck! Hope it’s not Cream of Chicken!

Gloves, warm hats, SIMMS G3 Waders and your best rain jacket. In this case the G4 Pro.

All the bells and whistles come with the King of all SIMMS Rain Gear. It is truly the leader of the pack.

We also like the SIMMS Bulkley for its waterproofness and its built in warm liner. Awesome. The SIMMS Acklins is appreciated by all that try it and the SIMMS Slick for those wanting bombproof longer shitty weather garment.

We have all you may need for the fall here fishing Montana’s Missouri River. A fully stocked fly shop with Craig  Montana’s only SIMMS Dealer. Shirts, pants, waders, wading boots, hats, gloves, and many other killer SIMMS accessories available here.

As the Trico’s wane in September you can start fantasizing about cool foggy Montana mornings with October Caddis and Baetis flies on your brain. We are starting to think along those lines…