fishing

January Missouri River Forecast

Missouri River Fly Fishing January Forecast

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Missouri River Fly Fishing January Forecast

January Missouri River Weather Forecast

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.

 

January Fishing Forecast

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.

Headhunters Fly Shop

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]

Mid-Winter Forecast. Will you Fish?

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Will you do some fly fishing this winter? In Montana? Most of the best winter fishing venues in Montana are solid each and every year. The upper Madison, Bighorn and Missouri are likely the most popular, but there are plenty of other spots that can provide some excellent and reliable winter angling. Techniques for mid-winter … Read more

Playoff Fishing here on the Missouri River

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Playoff Fishing here on the Missouri River It is go time here. Playoff fishing here on the Missouri River. Excitement daily as we are headlong into the fall fishing period. And it is good! I sighted many real life BWO flies not he water yesterday. The first showing in any numbers that I have seen. … Read more

Report from Ice Station Zebra

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Above: Sara Roholt attempts to free the ice from her guides while swinging the Missouri River at -10.

Extreme cold has settled in to the Northern Rockies for longer than it usually does. Really cold, and with it lots of snow to keep your feet nice and chilly while walking out to the river. Not many folks have been venturing out to the river lately. A few, and oddly, a few floaters as well. In this weather I’m on me feet so I can quickly get back in the cab of the car and crank up the heat.

We always see pretty good traffic during the holidays. It’s a great time to fish with few crowds but some good camaraderie around the shop in the afternoon. December is one of the better and most consistent months on the river. Both nymphers and swingers will get plenty of action before the river temperature gauge bottoms out in late January. We typically don’t see great midge hatches this time of year, but you should be able to find a few risers up around the dam in the late afternoons.

Unfortunately, the forecast doesn’t look great for the next week. I don’t think we’re going to see anywhere near comfortable until the middle of next week, and even then it’s not going to get above freezing, at least on the current long-term forecasts.

If you do decide to go, here’s a few things we like to do that will help make a Polar Vortex day tolerable:

  • Wear good gloves – kind of a no brainer, but in this weather we’re going to sacrifice dexterity for warmth. That means quality gloves like Last Steelhead Gloves, or a pair of ski gloves. This works best with spey orgs, but you can make it work with a nymph rig if you get in the right spot. Think a sharp drop off where the fish are infant of you, not above. And make sure and put some hand warmers in those mitts.
  • Don’t change flies – pick the pattern(s) you have the most confidence with at home or in the fly shop, and get rigged up proper in a controlled environment. Removing your gloves to change flies repeatedly can end the day quickly. I would rather catch a few less than get so cold I have to bail. Also, use heavy tippet so you don’t run the risk of breaking your bugs off.
  • Use a Ketchum Release – DO NOT put your hands in the water to land those fish! Wet hands at minus 10 will make you whine like a millennial. A Ketchum Release or similar tool will allow you to release fish with gloves on. You should not lift trout out of the water at those temperatures (or any other, some would argue). Nets are a frozen mess in the arctic. Leave them at home.
  • Puffie’s Rule – When it’s this cold, you’re not going to get wet, even if it’s snowing. Forget that technical rain jacket and wear a big puffy down jacket (or 2-3 lighter ones). If you don’t have a badass Simms Extreme or Downstream jacket, you must have that big old dirty insulated snow shoveling parka in the mudroom, right? Wear that. Forget layering when it’s around zero, and go with the thickest insulation you have.
  • Stripping means ice in your guides… and on your hands! – Now it’s pretty difficult to avoid this one, but you can try and reduce the amount of line stripping you do by choosing a method that reduces the need to strip. Streamers out of the boat? Nope…
  • Bring hot liquids – A Thermos coffee mug is standard for our crew. You need the one with the spill proof lid so you can stuff it down your waders.
  • Keep your head warm – like your mom said, “you’ll catch a cold!”. We like the Simms Extreme GoreTex hat, a merino wool buff and possibly an old school wool scarf.
  • Bootfoots Rule! – Most Montana anglers don’t own a pair of boot foot waders, but those who do know they are warmer than stocking foot waders by several factors. We sell a few pairs of Simms boot foots each year, and while expensive, the purchasers do not have buyers remorse after using them. Orvis makes solid boot foots as well.
  • Joe’s Craig Bar – did you know Joe’s has a big old tasty fireplace they crank up all winter? After fishing, head there to defrost. They also sell special anti-freeze for humans under the brand name “Fireball”.

If you do get out there enjoy the river and the outdoors. Stop by for coffee and to rig up indoors. If you do choose to float, be careful on the boat ramps, regardless of how badass your rig is. Each winter we pull several rigs off the ramps.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Silly Sunday Scenery

Silly Sunday Scenery Wooden Boat, Dog, Fishing, Fall Colors

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Silly Sunday Scenery Wooden Boat, Dog, Fishing, Fall Colors Really great scenery this time of year. Truly great fishing too. A really quite good tiny baetis bite in the morning and the afternoons with overcast skies keeps those bugs glued to the water. Shaping up to be one of the better October periods in some … Read more

Dog Daze Fishing Report – Missouri River

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So inconsistent I can’t even keep up with it. Fishing reports are all over the place right now, and fortunately you can fish all over the place right now. Pretty rare to be heading to the lower river during August hot-weather, but you can. And most of the toughest reports I’ve heard have come from the Dam? Another August anomaly.

First the good news. 1. Water temps have been what I would call “below average” for late-July /August. Yesterday the began at 62 and rose to around 65. You can’t ask for much better than that on the Mo’ in August. 2. Also, weeds are not a serious issue. Those who bitch about them right now ain’t been around these parts long. 3. Crowdless. Yes, the angling crowd is pretty thin right now, though on weekends the splash & giggle crowd will be out in force. But if you’re out on the water early you won’t see too much competition for your favorite hole.

Now the bad. 1. Trico hatches have been less than stellar, and the fish – as they often do – are reacting by not reacting. At least on top. Prepare to find small pods, and not that many of them. Some days, however, it rocks. You need to go to know. 2. Evening caddis hatches have been fluctuating between shitty and crappy. There are bugs out there, but by all-time Missouri River standards it’s pretty grim.

So, what to do? Well, we suggest hitting the river early, say by 7:30, and to be prepared to fish Trico’s or Nymph. You can throw the big bugs as well, but if you’re unfamiliar with mid-river lies right now, you may find that move tough. Nymphing will be more productive and easier to figure out. Nymph fishing has actually been very good lately (most days). Hit the river with a wide variety of Mayfly nymphs (Psycho May, PT Flashback, Military May, etc.) as well as small sow bug and midge larva. Grape Slushy and Purple Weight fly are money. Don’t mend too much or too violently or you’ll pick up drifting bits of green. Be gentle and hit it hard.

Bring your standard Trico patterns and midge clusters for your dry fly arsenal. If you’re on the water real early have some Trico Duns as well. And everyone is buying and fishing drowned Trico spinners or similar. Blind fishing in the morning can be accomplished with anything from the Purple Haze to a Morrish Hopper. Royal Trude? House & Lot? Caddis are still effective even though you may not see a single live adult.

Evenings are a crapshoot. If it’s over 90 degrees during the day, you can expect a very brief “frenzy” right before and at dark. So brief its not worth floating. Just walk in to your favorite spot. If it’s cloudy (or likely smoky next week) and not too warm the evening fishing should get pushed forward a bit. I’d head out at 7pm. I would also fish somewhere below Craig.

As for “where”, the Canyon has been the most consistent fishing, both with nymphs and dries. It’s not way better, but it’s better. Larger attractor nymphs can and do work, as does the typical Missouri River selection. Streamers are worth trying, but you’ll have to stick to half the river to avoid the moss. Hopper and ants are a good bet for blind prospecting. When you stick a fish, take note of the water depth and speed and try and keep your fly in front of the boat in the same stuff.

And while Canyon seems to be the most consistent, all sections are worth a try and are putting out fish, including the lower. Those who know the river are getting them for sure, and a lot of very large trout are being handled right now.

Which reminds me…

Don’t fight fish too long on light tippet. Push it to the edge and try and get those fish in asap. If you break them off who cares. If you do land them, try to #keepemwet and unhook them quickly. Pictures are for springtime and Bull trout. Just get our trout back as quickly as possible.

By the way, the clarity is excellent right now, and with bright and spooky conditions, the guy in the back of the boat needs to get his or her fly a long ways from the boat…

ALSO

Just received the forecasted water report from Dam managers today. They don’t say it out loud, but Im betting they’re going to drop flows into the 3500cfs range. When they do, expect an increase in mossy weedy conditions. I could be wrong, but how often does that happen?

Good luck out there, and make sure you don’t leave your problem solving skills at home.

LATE ADDITION

Just received word that FWP has imposed a 24 full hour closure on the Jefferson River, and also on portions of the Big Hole.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”FWP Stream Closures & Restrictions” color=”danger” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Ffwp.mt.gov%2Fnews%2Frestrictions%2FwaterClosure.html||target:%20_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Take Your Kids Fly Fishing

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]School has or is winding up for most people in the region, and it’s time to think about getting those kids out on the water. It’s pretty easy to let them lay around the house for a week or 3. Don’t do it. Parents know how short summer is, and the best (easiest!) time to put young anglers into fish is during the early season. I’m thinking the day after the last day. Many of you have a tough time getting it done during the dog days of August. Why would you want to put your kids through that?

BOAT FISHING

If you have plans to introduce some youngsters to the sport, our recommendation is to get them in the boat and fish a nymph rig under a bobber. All kids enjoy a boat ride, and even the shortest casts can be effective while drifting.

If they are not proficient at casting yet, use a single fly rig 3-4 feet under a bobber with no split shot. You’ll want to use the largest and heaviest fly you think you can get the fish to eat. On the Missouri or Big Horn that might mean #12 Pink Scud or Worm. On the Madison or Big Hole maybe a #6 BH Stonefly Nymph or big old Prince. Big flies eliminate the need for split shot (which causes tangles) and while they may get bit less often, the bites are often aggressive which helps in the hook setting process. You should have them in a position where they make a short cast to the side of the boat, and you use the oars to keep the proper distance from the fly.

Remember that a single fly rig without split-shot hardly ever gets tangled. I often wonder why I’ve spent so many hours of my life re-rigging two fly nymph rigs while guiding, yet when I take my daughter she seems to catch just as many on one stupid fly. Am I overthinking it?

(If you must use small flies and split shot, be sure and rig it “ubangi” style with the split shot at the bottom or end of your leader. This almost never tangles)

WADE FISHING

For those that don’t have or have access to a boat, the most important factor is setting kids up in a situation where they can easily repeat the same cast. Try and find a deep and quick drop off – whether it’s on a small creek or a big river – and one where they can stand on the beach or at most knee deep (during runoff or around strong rivers always stay within an arms reach. Always!). These quick drops hold enough fish that a kid can blow a few before he lands the first one. If you can find the right spot the same shorty single nymph rig should work.

The key here is place them in a situation where they don’t have to strip in line. I can’t stress this enough, and it’s the main reason it’s so much easier to put kids into fish out of the boat. Kids hate stripping in line (though they do like to mend!), and often don’t understand why they need to do it. You may end up with some extra slack in the line, but usually the rod can make it up on the hook-set. Again, go out and scout it yourself. If you can catch a fish on a single cast with a fixed amount of line and no retrieval, they should be able to as well.

Kids love to wade, and as long as you are in a safe area they can often have as much fun turning over rocks and finding nymphs and Crayfish as they do fishing. Let them.

HOW TO FAIL

Big shallow rivers that require moving positions often and longer casts are terrible place to introduce most youngsters. Don’t go where you want to go. Go where your kids will be successful, even if that means hitting the local creek with some hatchery fish. I’ve seen a lot of fathers make this mistake. Introducing your son or daughter to your “special place” may need to wait until they are more proficient, which often means in their late teens or even early 20’s.

I’ll assume that most parents reading this don’t need to be told about days that are too long, too cold, etc.

GEAR

Shorter rods rule. If you have a 7’1/2″ 5 weight thats perfect. Put a short-head 5 or even 6 on it to make short cast easy. And keep that leader as short as possible. If you’re able to get away with larger flies as mentioned above, you should be able to get away with 3X tippet or larger. This is very important when your 8 year old “death-grips” a 20 inch Brown. If you’re using 5X you’ll likely break him off, and lose some great memories and photos for later in life.

Our #1 selling individual rod model at Headhunters is the Echo Gecko Kids rod. It’s not necessary, but does make things a whole lot easier for kids. They can use two-hands, it love big open loops, and is so limber that you can land 5 pounders with out giving any line. Most folks need to fish a lot, or have more than one kid to justify it, but like I said, we sell a boatload of them. But really any rod will work other than very fast action 9 footers with smaller kids. If you do suspect your rod is a little too stout, overline it.

Hats and sunglasses are mandatory for skin and eye protection from flies. Glasses do not need to be polarized. It’s more important that they fit properly so the kids will keep them on. And don’t forget sunscreen and sun clothing.

Try and bring a net if you have one. Kids love to net fish, even when they don’t catch them themselves. They can also be used successfully to pull all kinds of stuff from the water, and as a weapon against a brother or sister.

Waders are great but definitely a luxury. If you think it’s maddening watching your kids grown out of $40 dollar shoes quickly, wait until they outgrow a $200 dollar set of waders and boots. Or outgrow just the boots they have only worn a few times! You definitely need more than 1 kid to justify this expense. Try to find some used ones if possible, and I have seen them on eBay.

I’ve seen no point in any other fly fishing specific gear for children, though they do seem to love their own fly box and flies. For $10-20 you can get them a cheap fly box with a half dozen bugs.

INTERACTIONS & MEMORIES

As a parent, I’ve found that all of the most memorable interactions I’ve had with my daughter have been outside of our house. Hiking, skiing and fly fishing make up some of the greatest families memories of the last 11 years. The battle to get them out there is often difficult, but once they are they seem to immediately forget about mobile devices, netflix, games and texting. While it’s important that I remember the day, it’s more important to me that they do.

Making sure you put your kids in a position to succeed and have fun is the most important factor in how the day goes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][us_grid columns=”4″ img_size=”us_600_0″ post_type=”attachment” items_quantity=”” images=”18798,18799,18800,18801″ type=”masonry” orderby=”post__in” items_gap=”” items_layout=”gallery_default” overriding_link=”popup_post_image” breakpoint_1_cols=”4″ breakpoint_2_width=”768px” breakpoint_3_width=”480px” breakpoint_2_cols=”4″ breakpoint_3_cols=”2″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Snow Day

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We should be waking up to an all-day snowstorm in Craiglandia this Monday morning. Sunday was a beautiful, almost windless day on the Missouri River. I spent it doing something I just don’t do that much anymore in the winter. Fishing from the boat with streamers and nymphs.

Sam and Eric from Simms Fishing came up from Bozeman to get a little trout fix before the big storm. Fishing was OK, not great by any means. If it was cold and windy I would tell you it sucked. But it wasn’t and it didn’t. We caught some very nice Rainbow’s on streamers (a couple on nymphs), a few Browns, and did it all with single handers. We saw the two-handed crowd out there. They were swinging in the usual spots.

Best rig for us was a Foxy Clouser/small bugger combo fished on an intermediate tip (Ninch/Sara/Braden can show the right little buggers). That’s all that really worked. The angler in the front of the boat ruled, as it allowed him to do a slow-swing and retrieve. Most of our fish came on that. The guy in the back pretty much got hosed.

That slow swing and retrieve is very similar to what we do on foot with our spey rods. Probably was a good day for the two-handed crowd.

Headhunters probably won’t be open today (Monday), depending on the road conditions. Julie will probably show up at some point to answer calls and count all the money, but if you need shuttles, please call in advance. If there is no answer give Julie a shout at 406-868-5473.

REPORTS

Mostly heard good but not great reports over the weekend. Everyone seemed happy, and as mentioned above, the nice weather will have something to do with that. Similar streamer reports from the Dam to Pelican. Some fish rising Saturday, but we didn’t see much surface action today. Definitely some anglers about, and a few stayed the weekend at the Craig Trout Camp.

After this storm blows through we are hoping for some nice temperatures and more good fishing conditions. A little increase in the flows would be nice. Ice fisherman are probably hoping for a good arctic blast so they can go fill some buckets up with Perch. We’re still finding them in the river as well. Inch says he talked to someone who swung up several on the Spey rod the other day. Perch an the Spey. Who-da-thunk-it.

ROADS AND RAMPS

Be careful on the highway if you do decide to venture to the river today. Last night saw some pretty good rain from Wolf Creek to Cascade while I was driving home from work/fishing. That should turn into a nice sheet of ice that will be hidden under that fresh snow. Yikes! And take care on the ramps as well the next two days.

click the images to enlarge[/vc_column_text][us_grid columns=”3″ post_type=”attachment” items_quantity=”” images=”16013,16009,16010″ orderby=”post__in” items_gap=”” items_layout=”gallery_default” img_size=”us_600_600_crop” overriding_link=”popup_post_image” breakpoint_1_cols=”3″ breakpoint_2_width=”768px” breakpoint_3_width=”480px” breakpoint_2_cols=”3″ breakpoint_3_cols=”2″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Welcome to the Missouri River December

Welcome to the Missouri River December

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December 1st. All is well. Cold as it should be.

A common winter question at the shop is “Do you really fish during the winter? When the weather is like this? Really?

Oh yeah. And we are not the only ones. Lots of local and regional anglers visit the Missouri River during the off season. Great Falls and Helena residents including Butte, Bozeman, Whitefish, and even Spokane and Billings don’t blink about heading over for a day, or three.

A short drive for most. A large reward for all. As I stated yesterday we are into one of our slowest periods of the year. Not fishing wise. Although it is not red hot. More like Snow, White, Hot.

Missouri River December Weather

Welcome to the Missouri River DecemberCold. Mostly cold and somewhat windy. When the sun is high is does not mean slower fishing. But, but the fish do not mind the lower grayer skies either. I prefer the latter. It just feels fishier when the clouds obscure the sun.

Keep in mind while the mercury reads 24F, the high and bright sun will make it feel a balmy 37F.

The wind is the variable that really, truly, nobody is a fan of. If is blowing the fishing conditions can be questionable. Always give us a call before you head out for the current conditions in Craig.

Average daily December high temperature is 35F with the low being 15F.  Average snowfall is 9 inches with the average precipitation coming in at 0.55 inches.

The upshot is cold weather and tough fishing conditions. Or for those who like the solace of the river in December…bring it.

Missouri River December (Non)Hatches

Kind of none. Some BWO’s around and some midges. More like the pink nymph fly hatch. Or a streamer Kreelex hatch. That is about it. Very little dry fly action. So, we go to the bobber and the Trout Spey Rod or a slowly stripped streamer on a single handed rod.

Welcome to Missouri River December
Lots of winter ahead of us!

So what do I do? Find that soft winter water. Most of the anglers that arrive at the shop in the morning get the same explanation about water types. We constantly hear bad reports from those trying to play the summer game. Meaning that they are fishing in good looking hopper type water. The faster, sexy type of water. Stay away from that stuff in the winter. It is no good. There are not any fish in that ind of water. The water temps are in the Hi 30’s for the remainder of the month and the fish do not hang out there. Period. So if you want some good winter nymphing action find the slow and soggy water.

It is more a question of where. That is what we are getting at here. Where. The slow pond like water is the right stuff. Where you would not fish in the spring, summer, or fall. The slower inside bends with some structure. Or no structure. Look for the most boring water you can find and fish it.

Trout Spey is King

We love to throw the 2 handed rod in the winter months. With the advent of smaller trout size spey/switch rods the Missouri River is a fantastic resource to learn a new game. And we have them all. We are the education location for all things trout spey. With well more than a dozen demo trout spey rods in stock we are Montana’s Trout Spey destination. Demo lines at Headhunters as well with the entire range of Skagit and Scandi lines.

The Missouri River has a ton of killer swing runs at your disposal. You will see fellers out there practicing, fishing, swinging. Landing fish too. Depending on the water depth and speed you can either attach a lightly weighted pattern, a  heavily weighted pattern, or an unweighted fly to the end of your switch rod. The fish can be anywhere on the swing, or twitch, or jig. Fish it, change it, strip it, swing it.

Craig Trout Camp Open All Year!

Open all year long!
Open all year long!

Craig Trout Camp is open all year long. We never close the most popular properties on the Missouri River The good news is the discounted off season price. Rainbow and Brown Cabins rent for $125/night and the Craig House starts at $250/night. Why stay anywhere else? Come out for the weekend. Fish, stay, relax.

Missouri River Off Season is Killer!

Lots of reasons to fish the off season. Low population of anglers. That is all I need to hear. But some like to catch a few trout for their troubles. No problem there either. Good fishing for those over-sized Rainbows. Stop in any time for answers, questions, coffee, a ton of BS, Christmas gifts, sale times, conversations…any and all.

Headhunters Fly Shop is your only daily fly shop on the Missouri River. We are here for you, the all seasons angler. And we love December!

 

 

 

 

The Missouri River October Experience

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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.

 

 

Missouri River August Forecast

Missouri River August Forecast

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Missouri River August Forecast

Let’s get right into it this first day of August.

Historically not a hot as July. August while only one degree in average cooler, the hours of daylight wane as we move into fall.

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One thing that is happening as days get shorter some sections of the canyon become shaded and the evening bite can be good enough. Caddis are around and certainly more plentiful than the daytime activity.

Ben McNinch says …“We could use any and all of the rain days. A good soak once a week could help us out. On another note the weeds while difficult for those not familiar with Missouri river fishing they are not as bad as they can be. Will the gooey subsurface weeds present themselves this year? Maybe. The weather in August will dictate that occurrence.”

Looking at the chart and the table to your right we see that the rainfall in August is 1.57inches. Generally due to afternoon thunderstorms. But not always. Would not hurt to get some of those soakers as mentioned above.

As for the fishing? If July is any indication we will see hard, difficult, and challenging angling. August has historically been a slower pressure month as well as many of the freestone river around the state fish well. This year? Who knows about those other fabulous resources. Many are on hoot-owl restrictions. Have we seen the impact here on the Mo because of other river closures? No not really. We always see boats from other rivers here not eh Missouri and the 2015 numbers have been about average or slightly less.

Fly shop speak for difficult is “Inconsistent.” You can expect an eat a mile for the hopper fishing. Some days better and some days worse. Being first to the fish is a good card to hold. Can you watch that fly for an hour between takes? Only you can control that outcome. Slower strike rhythms help you on this long arduous journey. You can pull the fly from the fishy’s mouth.

Missouri River August Forecast Trico’s are good some days and not so good others. the upper river holds the best techy dry fly fishing but you can run into a botch of Trico’s about anywhere. If you know the river and the hatch patterns you can capitalize on that knowledge.

Caddis in the evenings for a while. How long? Only Mother Nature knows the answer.

I’ve seen some Callibaetis showing and that can prove to be a positive situation if you stop and fish to them immediately. Silt dwelling flies do not live everywhere. If you see some spinners, stop and cast. A cripple, spinner or even dun can bring confident takes. Expect to see them throughout the late summer and early fall. A good fly to have in your possession when you meet a few Callibaetis.

Not nearly as much overall pressure from anglers in August. Nightly rentals available even here in town at the Craig Trout Camp and elsewhere prove the drop in angling days. If it gets hot, like today as we will see temps near the century mark, you will bump into lots of floaty groups. Tubes, rafts, inflatables only seen/sold at Wal-Mart will inundate the waters. BE prepared.

Go out early regardless of the ancillary float pressure and you will get the best part of the day. While the hoot-owl does not regulate us directly here on the Mo, a good plan is to get out early and get off early. Dawn til noon should do it. You may be able to fool some fish after 2 pm, the best shot is clearly the morning show.

August can be a great fishing month. Only time will tell this current August. Let us know if we can help in any way as we are fully engaged with the shuttle business, guiding, lodging, dissemination of fly fishing information, trips to the Blackfoot, free coffee, A/C inside the pleasant confines of the shop, fly lines, rods, sungear, hats, gifts for the wife and kids…

See you in Craig this August. Shop open at 6am and late til 9pm. See us after of before your Izaak’s or Joe’s Bar foray for a little shopping and BS. Enjoy the shade on the front porch as you watch the afternoon angler wander parade up and down Bridge St.

 

 

 

Too Many Bugs?

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There can be, and I’m not talking about mosquitos. When the weather does the right thing and the bugs go nuts, Missouri River trout often get so focused on emerging insects that they start to ignore everything else. That includes my streamer? Hard to believe you can rip a Kreelex through a group of big Borwns rising in 8 inches of water and not get a response – or blow them up – but you can.

While we generally think of fish focused on hatches as a summer thing, it can and does happen in the winter. Things go dark, midges start to hatch in respectable numbers, and the fish that were pounding your streamer go dark as well.

When we’re swinging the Missouri during the winter months, as a general rule you do not want to see a bunch of midges hatching. The more fish you see rising, the less likely that you’ll get that pull you’re waiting for. Not always true, and not on all sections of the river (the Dam always seems to have it’s own set of rules). But I have experienced this enough over the years that I feel alright calling it a “rule”.

This sceanario is not typically a problem for us right now. Our big midge hatches are a couple of months away. But recently we’ve had some ideal hatch conditions and the bugs went off. And the two-handed fishing went south. Why? The fish have switched gears. No longer looking for that occasionally baby burbot to swim by. They are gorging on the millions of midge pupa rising through the water column.

Trout also move during a good winter midge hatch. It’s not uncommon to find them cruising slack water and back eddies. Midge larva are trick in those silty bottom spots with no current. Not where you want them to be when you’re swinging. If you think about it it’s really not any different than conditions you encounter during the summer months. The fish are shallow, or up in the water column where emerging bugs are available.

While you’re out on the river on those nasty, snowy days, pay attention and adjust accordingly. We love to swing, but there’s nothing wrong with a Midge Cluster/Zebra dropper either…

Storm 1

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Fall no longer exists. We go from flip-flops to Muck Boots in a day. Yesterday Mark, Chad and clients got caught out in it. They new it was coming, but you never believe the temp is really going drop 40 degrees in an hour. North winds. Snow in your eyes. Push.

Iced up guides.

Max Matioli and I hit the river quickly yesterday afternoon. Temps around 20, dropping. Snow increased quickly as the afternoon wore on. The skies were absolutely loaded with waterfowl, and and it was obvious that every Swan in North Central was headed south. Our guides were icing up like it was 20 below. Super fast and super hard ice. Teeth and slobber were the only solution.

The trout were tailing all over the place. Whatever it is they root around for in the late fall. Scuds or Crawdads I’ve always assumed.

We stayed out long enough to hook some fish and get 1 or 2 to hand.

Storm 1 has arrived. Winter is here.[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”7440″ size=”full” link=”” onclick=”lightbox”][us_image image=”7439″ size=”full” link=”” onclick=”lightbox”][/vc_column][/vc_row]