May

Joe Walsh Rocky Mountain Way

Joe Walsh Rocky Mountain Way

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Joe Walsh Rocky Mountain Way

Another installment of great Rocky Mountain music today on the Headhunters Blog. Today rocker Joe Walsh and Barnstorm with Rocky Mountain Way.

John mentioned this tune yesterday as a lock for the blog this week. I couldn’t agree more. A power rock

All good here in Craig Montana on the east slope of the Rockies. It’s Monday. A great weekend behind us with a fantastic dry fly weather week in front of us. Some wind mixed in as the daily air temps in the mid 60’s chance of rain, mostly overcast skies, and you? You coming soon?

  • Flows 4800 cfs.
  • Water temps 52F.
  • March Browns for another week or two? This fickle bug shows up, then leaves. May is the period.
  • BWO’s for another week or two?
  • Midges? Another month.
  • Mothers Day Caddis? Yessir. This two week event is happening, sort of. May 18th was one of my best dry fly days in the last 20 years. BWO’s, March Browns, and Caddis filled the day. Dry fly all day long. About 5 years ago. Burned in my memory.
  • Rumors of opening to out of state traffic fill our phone lines, thoughts, and conversations. The governor of Montana may speak towards the end of this week in regards to moving into Phase Two, and could bring news about the 14 day quarantine. We are hoping for June 1st as the lifting of travel restrictions. Call today and get your guide and lodging dates for this possible change in regulations.
  • The fishing is damn good. The nymphing is lights out. Sows and scuds with the mayfly playing a large role too. Caddis nymphs are rocking too below Craig. Upriver the normal fare. Downriver more options for those dunking flies couple with split shot.
  • The dry fly bite is what it is. If you are in the right place at the right time, with the right cast, you can get ’em. Planning is important if you are headhunting the fish feeding near the surface. The weather plays a big part in the eagerness of the trout. Overcast skies help the fish look towards the surface. They do not have eyelids and cannot squint. Overcast skies have no relevance in the hatching of insects. Sun and wind help dry the wings of mayflies, a requirement for flight, and therefore are stuck on the water for a longer period. Consequently more time for fish to eat them. Bugs do not hatch better, on overcast days. Some mayflies do hatch better in a rainstorm as the water tension is broken allowing easier movement from watery environs to our atmosphere.
  • The canyon is the most popular float in the past couple weeks. Then the dam. Followed by the remainder of the Missouri River reaches.
  • Guided trips out daily here at Headhunters Fly Shops and Guide Service. We are not fully booked as we generally are die to the travel restrictions. We have several of our top guides available right now through the rest of the month. We love Montanans in the boat! Give us a call if you’d like to fish the river this week during this timely dry fly session. It’s good. Yep.
  • Lodging available as well. Give Julie a shout, 406-868-5473 and get yourself booked.
  • Fly Shop open daily. Shuttles, lodging, guide trips, rental boats, casting lessons, DEMO ROD SALE, Best Flies Under the Big Sky!, Montana’s Trout Spey HQ, Jet Boat Trips, BlackStrap Face Masks, Buff’s, mega Sunglass selection, our friendly informational/instrucctional staff to help you catch more fish here on the Mighty Missouri River!

Missouri River Map

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Mid May Missouri River Weekend Update

Mid May Missouri River Weekend Update

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Mid May Missouri River Weekend Update All good in the tiny fishing ‘burb of Craig Montana this week. Still slower traffic as many of the out of state guests cannot be in Montana without the 14 day quarantine. But this weekend will sure bring out the locals as well as representatives from around the … Read more

Missouri River and Craig Montana Monday May 4th Update

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Missouri River and Craig Montana Monday May 4th Update All good in this neighborhood. The update of all things Missouri River, Craig, and Montana today on the Headhunters Fly Shop Blog. Craig Mostly open for business. Headhunters Fly Shop open daily 8-6. The food joints open this week. Do not know about Papa’s. Trout Shop … Read more

Hump Day Tips

Wednesday Workshop

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Wednesday Workshop Several, maybe 20, tips for the week and weekend ahead. Some rain, maybe some snow NO!!, some sunshine, and lower waters? Maybe. A soft week on the river as many are hungover from the April Spring Specials. Out of area guides and outfitters will be in our neighborhood for the next couple … Read more

May Missouri River Fishing Forecast

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May Missouri River Fishing Forecast Today on the Headhunters Fly Shop Blog you get the May Missouri River Fishing Forecast. What to expect, wish for, and believe for the month ahead. Here we go out of April running full speed into the jaws of May! Hooray. Maybe spring will greet us this Month of May. … Read more

Missouri River Headhunters Fly Fishing Report May 7th

Missouri River Montana Headhunters Fishing Report May 7th

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Missouri River Montana Headhunters Fishing Report May 7th High water techniques apply. Fish towards the bank, or away from it. The best catch rates are those hugging the bank and tossing into the deep trough that lines the bank. Soft inside lanes are producing. Hard summer backlines are not holding fish. Too fast man. Pink … Read more

Missouri River May Fly Fishing Forecast

Missouri River May Fly Fishing Forecast

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Missouri River May Fly Fishing Forecast Here we go out of April running full speed into the jaws of May! Hooray. Maybe spring will greet us this Month of May. Things to look forward to in May include… More water. How much? Again we can only speculate, smartly. The answer is more. We are currently … Read more

High Water Vid from a few years back

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High Water Vid from a few years back

A quick video from 6 years back, our last high water era, with instructional overtones. While this video is a few years old, it still applies to us today. Meaning today!

Fish the soft inside water, not the outside sexy stuff. Insides my fishy friends.

While we are not seeing the flows that we saw during the previous early summer season high water period 2008-2011, we may see them rise to the 10K-12K-ish if the water comes of the hillsides quickly. Or even higher if the rain gods grace Montana, the Rockies, and surrounding communities.

If the snow comes off slowly we may see the flows in the 6K-8K range for the month of June. This according to Stephanie Micek of the DNRC. Squeeky spoke with her yesterday and she said it has a lot to do with how the water comes off. Warmer temps, or even hot temperatures with day time highs in the 80’s F and night time lows above 55F will trigger some rapid run-off. If we see more seasonal day time air temps we will see a gradual run-off. Night time lows are part of the equation. When she dips into the 40’s the pace of the run-off happens much more slowly.

That is the news of the day my Missouri River brethren. Not excluding my sister-ren. Hah.

See you on one of those flooded dry fly flats soon enough. Until then happy hump day from us out here in central Montana to you living vicariously out there in wide open America.

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May 4th Missouri River Fishing Report

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May 4th Missouri River Fishing Report Water levels falling a bit to 7.3K and wear temperatures rising upwards to 48F. So some movement yesterday in the action. Along with the water fluctuations we now bring you summer air temperatures for the remaining weekdays falling a buit as we move into the weekend ahead. But 80F … Read more

Missouri River April May Fly Fishing Forecast

Missouri River April May Fly Fishing Forecast

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Missouri River April May Fly Fishing Forecast Squeeky attended the annual Upper Missouri River water Advisory Meeting last week and got the skinny on the upcoming water flow predictions and the update on the trout populations. Lots of folks in the room from dam operators, the power company, FWP agents and biologists, TU Conservation, UMOWA … Read more

Missouri River May Rain Days

Missouri River May Rain Days

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Missouri River May Rain Days Missouri River May Rain Days from your information and entertainment leader here on the Mo. Rained all day yesterday. May rain all day today. The good news is that it is a cold and wet rain. Anglers ou there most of the day. Saw lots of boats headed for … Read more

May Missouri River Fishing Forecast

May Missouri River Fishing Forecast

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May Missouri River Fishing Forecast Today on the Headhunters Fly Shop Blog you get the May Missouri River Fishing Forecast. What to expect, wish for, and believe for the month ahead. Missouri Rive May Weather and Water Forecast May is the second rainiest month of the year. The only one that exceeds May is June. … Read more

Missouri River March Brown Patterns

Missouri River March Brown Nymphs

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March Browns are here in force.

Well, sort of. This is a smaller hatch for us and not one you can plan your day around. Can you flirt with them for a portion of the day?

Oh, yes indeed.

Find the fish and find the bug and cast the fly. We like the Adams, or some March Brown patterns for the dry fly stuff here at Headhunters but the nymphs can get you in the game all day long.

What would we suggest?

How about these Missouri River March Brown Nymphs above.

Missouri River March Brown Nymphs

  • Top Row: Tungsten Pheasant Tail, Poxyback March Brown, B.H. March Brown Nymph, B.H. Birds Nest, Quasimoto Pheasant Tail, Hare & Copper Pheasant Tail, Peep Show Dark
  • Bottom Row: Stripper Quill, Tungsten Reckoner, Hola Back Girl Brown, S&M Nymph Brown, Lightning Bug Purple, Tung Death Metal, Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear
Fishing Report coming later today for the week ahead. Hey you…it is about ready to come un-corked. For all of you who like to get the heads up and want us to call when the shit gets really good. You may want to think about a day or two off work in the near future. Are there fish rising everywhere all day long? NO. But having said that I think the opportunities for greatness exist around every corner and in nearly every brown trout lie…
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