Midge Hatch

Missouri River Montana May Dry Flies

Missouri River Montana May Dry Flies

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Here is a short list of flies that are rocking it in May. While we do not have the caddis flies on this list, they are very near.

Yep. Saw a this last week fluttering about while doing some evening dry fly fishing.

The river becomes quiet as most of the anglers here fishing Montana’s Missouri River keep banking hours.

Yes, it is nice at night. Not nearly as many anglers plying the fly fishing trade post 5pm.

Here is a current list of a few flies that are hot right now.

Next week too? Yes, probably. Try them. You might like them.

Missouri River Montana May Dry Flies

  • Guide Chute
  • Pink Hi-Viz Parachute Adams
  • Glarachute
  • Purple Craze
  • Swishers Purple Clumpa
  • Purple HaWiese’s Purple Phase
  • Nymen’s DOA Cripple
  • Harrop’s CDC Baetis Spinner
  • Last Chance Cripple
  • D & D Cripple
  • Sparkle Dun
  • ParaSpinner CDC BWO
  • Brooks Sprout
  • CDC Indicator BWO
  • Storm Chaser
  • Snowshoe Dun BWO
  • UV2 Sparkle Dun
  • Para March Brown
  • Traditional March Brown
  • Stranahans Brindle Chute
  • Para March Brown
  • Kory’s March Brown
  • Harrops D & D March Brown Cripple

These and more are happening right now.

What’s next? Caddis. Caddis are on the way. Some have been seen on and around the river. Until they really pop, the Mother’s Day Caddis that is, we will have to enjoy the midge, the BWO’s, the March Browns.

Looks like the spring weather will continue through the weekend ahead. What are you doing this weekend? Caddis Festival in Craig after you fish during the day? Sunday will be a good day too. Or skip work today and beat the traffic this weekend. Either is a great idea.

The Spring Opener for small creeks and streams is Saturday. Little Prickly Pear and the Dearborn in our neighborhood will both be open for the summer. Still keep in mind there are doe sensitive redd areas out there. Be aware and be respectful.

Get your dry fly rod out of the tube and drew the line. It is dry fly season too. At least that is how we are proceeding. Even if the dry fly bite is just heating up, we want to be ready. Truly ready.

Are you ready for the Missouri River dry fly bite?

It is not red hot, or even all that great yet. But it will be. Soon. It will be here soon.

 

 

 

 

Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 5.3.14

Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 5.3.14

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A couple hints today on the Headhunters Fly Fishing Report for this early May weekend.

Sow bugs man. Scuds and sows. Mostly the key for the Headhunters guides this week. Some mayfly action, but the prominent flies are of the crustacean variety. Come into the shop and see our vast and significant selection of sows. Scuds too. Czechs and a variety of many more.

Today the McCuneGould Spey Clinic is happening at 9am. Mark has some chicken marinating in a bag for the guests at lunch. First Headhunters  BBQ on the property in Craig? Soon, oh so soon my fishy friends.

A couple spots open for the clinic tomorrow too. Call today and get yourself in to this once yearly Missouri River magical instructional class. You might learn a few things about spey. Quite a few things maybe.

Missouri River Montana Fishing Report

The weather is cooling and so are the water temps. With the rise in air temps this last week we saw the water temps increase. Then the drop in sun in the sky, the wind, and such and we got 44F again. Baetis like it. Midges like it. The fish like it.

Clean and clear tributaries for your floating and fishing pleasure. The Dearborn, clean. The Prickly Pear, clean. Sheep Creek, clean. Stickney Creek, clean.

[forecast]

The NRS Freestone Drifter is on the property and ready to rent. Come by and see this perfect boat for the Madison, the Missouri, Belt Creek, the Blackfoot, the Dearborn, your river or creek. This is the sports car of inflatable drift boats. 250# of rubbery love. Yep, I said it.

Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 5.3.14

Good to great reports yesterday. Rec fishermen came in with varying reports. Not many fish in buckets and they are right. The fish are in-between the buckets. Run and gun with a couple sows, scuds, or Czechs. Worms too.

Midges and tiny attractor type flies like Rainbow Warriors, Gard’s Miracle Midge, Frenchie’s, Firebeads and the like are working as well.

Boats are top to bottom with many days the clogged section being the upper. WC has received a ton of pressure. Go later in  the day if you want solace in that run. Craig down is a good choice. The canyon? Lower yet, you bet.

Dry fly guys are staying out late and getting a few to hand. Midge clusters like the Buzzball, the Griffith’s, big giant Adams, CDC Hanging Midges,  Quig’s Cluster…and many more.

Streamer anglers are getting it done. Slow and fast both. Mostly the slow though. Toss the heavy bug with a  sink tip. Get after it. Streamer fishermen are the oat positive of all of the disciplines. They may be the most fun. No fish to hand? Great day, lots of follows and some killer refusals. All good to that crowd. Good attitudes are infectious and these guys lead that parade.

Headhunters Fly Shop

Open daily @ 730am for all your river needs. Come in today and see us. We have some cool full coverage Buff’s that are awesome. A new line of sun wear from 12wt. Check it. Tons of new logo’d stuff that is sure to impress with the sun protection in mind…and a few collared shirts too. Demo rods galore, rental waders, rental boats including the new NRS Freestone Drifter as well as the always popular Adipose Flow, and fun people too.

Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig. World’s Funnest Fly Shop…

 

May Day Missouri River Fishing Report

May Day Missouri River Fishing Report

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Better dry fly daily. You will still have to work hard to find the sipping trout as there are not many in the high and bright sun.

But later in the day. When the skies become hazy? You know Headhunters runs shuttles late right? Just sayin’.

It can be pretty good with fish busting midge balls in a totally random manner. How do you fish for fish that are not rising on a specific bug in a specific lane?

It’s simple…Keep casting.

[forecast]

Sunny today and warm. Look for the bottle of sunscreen and hide the rest with a new Buff.

The Dearborn River and Little Prickly Pear streams are running clean. A touch of color for a couple hundred feet is all. No blown feeder creeks here. Stickney Creek and Sheep Creek are gin clear. Check out the charts and you will see stability.

May Day Missouri River Fishing Report

Nymphing about average. The fish are not on the hard core bite but tossing and chasing the bobber all day long will bring plenty of fish to hand. Good drifts allow you to be in the game. Bad drifts? Nobody has time for too many of those. Mend man.

And again man.

Baetis, midges, and more hatching from the morning hours onward. Fishing through the day into the evening will pay off!

The streamer guys are getting them in tailouts and finding the thinner water whether it be slow or fast. Get them in there and strip. The water temps rising are getting the fish in a better mood for the chase.

Come in and rent the Inflatable Drift Boat the Freestone Drifter from Northwest River Supply. It kick’s ass. Adipose Rental Boats too. The Flow is really a great tool for this river.

May has arrived and we look forward to the sun daily. Sun daily is a good thing for we here in central Montana still chilled to the bone from the cooler winter we endured.

Shop open daily from 7:30am and late til 7:30pm. Tons of new logo wear has arrived along with hats and cool accessories too. Need sunglasses for the sun this week? Smith and Costa with all the hottest styles at Headhunters Fly Shop and Guide Service.

Missouri River Montana Fishing Report

Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 4.24.14

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The Spring Special rolls on as we enter the final week of $300 Guide Trips.

Grant, Paul, and Blair were out fishing today down from the northern region and graced us with this beautiful Rainbow image. More on the Facebook Page tomorrow.

The weather is cooperating somewhat with the wind hampering some of the dry fly action. The bugs were here yesterday but the fish didi not respond as we would have liked. Today? A new day indeed.

The rain did not come in the volumes that the weather guesser said it would and that is OK. We have enough water on the ground, in the ground, in the reservoirs, in the river this year.

The warm weather did not come either. Some did. But the tributaries felt a little pressure as the mid level snow budged a touch and is matriculating into our larger system.

The Dearborn is rising slightly at 461cfs and the Little Prickley Pear is off color at 271cfs and on an upward path. Both should be stable and falling before the end of the weekend. Or not?

Rain forecast for the weekend and today, tomorrow. How much precipitation will actually fall? Oh less than an inch. The high level snows are still frozen and will not move until we get daytime highs over 80F and nighttime lows over 40F. That has yet to happen. But we are still in April which is winter in Montana.

Missouri RIver Montana Fishing Report

Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 4.24.14

The dry fly fishing that we normally witness is not upon us in the capacity that it normally is. But the weather, water temps, and water level have something to do with that. We are experiencing higher water levels than we normally have for April. Having said that you can find a few. Look hard in your old dry fly haunts and you may be rewarded.

Adams, Midge Clusters, tiny little midge patterns, with CDC emergent droppers can bring the trout to hand.

As for the streamer bite? Better every day. The water is warming and the trout like to move for the big bug more often when their metabolism is increasing. Plus, a long winter for them too. Hungry bastards like meaty treats. Stop into Headhunters for over 150 streamer patterns to choose from. The best selection in the Tri-County Region!

Headhunters has a full and wide selection of weighted tips for you to choose from as well. And streamer lines? Tons. A vast selection from RIO, Airflo, Orvis, Cortland. All the best for your the Missouri River angler.

Nymphers are having the best luck. Still deep with bobber to split in the 6′-8′ range. Pink is not out of favor but the normal flies are making their mark. A ton of midge patterns with mayfly patterns are leaving the bins after their long winters rest. Peep Shows, Frenchie’s, Angel Hair PT’s, Hot Spot Pt’s, Hot Spot Scuds, Arnold’s Sili Scud, Choi’s Spicy Scud, BK’s Pink Blob, Purple LB’s, Micro May’s, and many more!

[forecast]

Headhunters Fly Shop open 730am to 730pm. 12 hours of goodness for you the Missouri River Trout Angler. Izaak’s is open too daily @ 3pm with dinner @ 4pm. Yum. Uncle Joe’s Bar daily @ 8am. The Taco Cart not yet. The Frenchman in WC and the O too. See you in Craig this weekend for trout fishing fun. You know you want to come…

 

 

 

Top 10 Tips for Higher Water Success

10 Tips for High(er) Water Success

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The flows this morning are 8360cfs. This is not high by historical flows, but is higher than some anglers are comfortable with.

High flows are aver 15K to us here on the Missouri. We will write another blog when she gets to that level, which we do not expect. The flows are similar to the 6K mark, but higher. Smart huh?!

Imagine the subsurface structure and put the flies on those structure points. Here is where long time Mo River Anglers thrive. They have a map of the bottom of the river etched in their minds and they are looking at it while fishing/drifting. Think of drop offs, bank lines, the old primary shelf, the secondary shelf…things like that. Fish love structure. They feed, hide, chill on structure points.

10 Tips for High(er) Water Success

  1. Stay on the inside bend while nymphing. The fish don’t like that turbulent water near or on the rip-rap banks at this temp and at these flows.
  2. Add a tip to your streamer line. If you are going to streamer fish, use a T-7 or T-8 tip to get it down to where the fish are.
  3. Don’t rip your streamer back to you like you are on some sort of dreamy Galloup TV shoot. Slow and easy with long pauses. Get the flies down to the fish and then begin your stripping magic.
  4. Look for other boats  catching fish. See and learn what they are doing and replicate their movements. Don’t cut them off or low hole them, they may mention it to you. But watch and learn.
  5. Chat with your fly shop, Headhunters, and glean some information from the staff. They are out fishing daily and will lend a hand in your success. Flies, split shot, technique, areas etc. Use them for knowledge and hints. Headhunters is transparent. We’ll tell you all we know.
  6. Add more weight if you are not flirting with the bottom of the river occasionally. If you do not get the bait in front of the trout, they will not eat it. Period.
  7. Float longer floats. Bigger, faster water will allow you to cover more water. There are only a few great runs per mile in these higher and accelerated flows.
  8. As the Hazel gang in Maupin always say, “Fish good water well.” If you find ’em, stay on ’em.
  9. Get good at striking the fly hard when the bobber moves. Only those who hit it more often catch more fish. Those who watch, well…you know the unfortunate answer to that equation.
  10. Dry fly guys look for the bugs and slow inside tucked out of the way environs. You know those spots. Get in there and look, watch, wait…then cast. The BWO’s are out, or sort of coming daily. The midge yesterday was pretty epic in some areas. It is definitly happening as the water temps climb. We waited a long time, now it is the time. It will get better daily. We may be a week out still for consistent daily dry fly action? Bring your dry rod, you may employ it!

An easy 10 Tips for High(er) Water Success today from your information experts here at Headhunters Fly Shop in downtown Craig MT. Stop in any time for info, a vast Missouri River specific fly selection, tons fly lines, shuttles, or just to chew the fat. We dig fly fishing talk!

 

Ed Note: Hey if you want to view any of our past content you can! Just click on the Blog Icon in the Header for all of our fishing reports and blogs. Need to waste an hour or two at work? We got the content for you!

 

 

 

Spring Training Spring Fishing

Spring Training Spring Fishing.

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Love spring. For some the favorite season of the the year.

The grass in becoming greener, the snow is less frequent, the refreshing smells of spring, smiles come easier, and we become comfortable enjoying the longer afternoons and rising temperatures.

The beer on the porch seems to add a spring in our step too! Soon, the BBQ will come out of storage and fire up!

Spring Training Spring Fishing

A pleasant time of the year for all. A time of year to find the pile of fly rods in the corner of the garage and dust it off.

I love Mariner’s Baseball and a number of you like your local teams as well. Peter is an A’s fan, Ben is a Boston fan, Ninch, Stipech and Matula are Detroit fans…who do you root for?

When the Pitchers and Catchers report to spring training I get excited. Excited for the spring baseball, for the daily games on the television, for the awakening of summer. Spring is the precursor to summer. The snowpack is foreshadowing a great water year. Great water years produce lots of trout based on the spawning recruitment. More water creates more habitat for insects.

It’s all good.

The rhythms of baseball and the rhythms of guide life have numerous parallels.

A daily game. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. You play for the sake of playing. You truly enjoy the process, the skill sets, the luck quotient, the sun on your face, the camaraderie amongst fellow guides and anglers, the repetivenss of the cast, the beauty of the sport, the intricacies of the flies, the mechanics of the drift, the minutiae that fly thread coloration makes, the same damn ham sandwich, the opportunity to learn, the length of the Missouri River summer which lasts as long as the major league schedule, the privilege to experience this world class resource on a daily basis.

It’s all good whether it be Spring Training or Spring Fishing.

How are you looking and feeling this spring? Good? Get out the glove or get out the rod and begin to enjoy the season that is upon us.

 

 

Headhunters is again offering the Spring Special. Feel like getting your Spring Training started? $300 Guide Trips and lodging starts @ $100.