November

Fall Fishing Report 2020

Wednesday November 4th Fishing Report

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Wednesday November 4th Fishing Report Another winter storm lurking out there for the latter part of the week as we continue to see non-seasonal warm temps coupled with the ubiquitous sun inspired winds. And that is how it has gone this fall. That has been our pattern. Unfortunately. 2020 is a strange one… Of … Read more

October November Planner

Late October November Missouri River Fishing Planner

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Late October November Missouri River Fishing Planner Good times here on the Mo. Calm today. Overcast. Moist. Cool. And yes, calm. That is the type of weather we yearn for here on the Mo in the fall session. So many good things come from the proper water temperature, right now a perfect 53F with flows … Read more

Missouri River Fall Fishing Forecast 2020

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Missouri River Fall Fishing Forecast 2020 Bring on the cloudy, wet, and snowy fall weather that we just love in October. Let’s not wait until November. We do want it in November as well but the October time frame will suit us just fine. But we are looking for the perfect day as described below… … Read more

Mike says…I’d get out there this week

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Mike says…I’d get out there this week Speaking with Mike of Headhunters, on the phone, this morning at Trout Spey HQ standing in my bathrobe drinking Baileys along with a splash of coffee and he said…I’d get out there this week. Weather is conducive for fishing the Mo. Hi’s in the mid 50’s thru next … Read more

Monday Morning November 4th Missouri River Fishing Report

Monday Morning November 4th Missouri River Fishing Report

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Monday Morning November 4th Missouri River Fishing Report Just the facts today on this Monday November 4th. Water Temps are good at a flat 45F. Would like them to stay here for about a month. It may be a shitty winter. And the weather gods may have shown their had already. Water flows are holding … Read more

Missouri River Fly Fishing Report 11.18.16

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Missouri River Fly Fishing Report 11.18.16 Gonna be on the cool side this weekend and cold today. Winds from the  south and southwest should not be too offensive. Too much sun for our liking but still have not figured out how to change the weather. Maybe December will bring us some winter like weather? The … Read more

Missouri River Montana Monday Fishing Report 11.30.15

Missouri River Montana Monday Fishing Report 11.30.15

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Missouri River Montana Monday Fishing Report 11.30.15

Missouri River Montana Monday Fishing Report 11.30.15 is cold, but getting warmer.

The holiday weekend is over and we are back to work at the shop prepping for the upcoming weekend Trout Spey Clinic and shipping lots of cool gear on this Cyber Monday.

Missouri River Montana Monday Fishing Report
Fishing late November Missouri River Montana

Lead HH Guide Ben Hardy and Mark were out guiding on Saturday afternoon in the bright blue skies. The air temps at the Craig boat ramp read a high of 24F. But the sun made it feel like it was in the low 30’s!

Missouri River Nymphing Report

Nymphing was the game of choice with quite a few fish in Ben’s boat on a Firebead, a Tailwater Sow, and a Rainbow Warrior. Mark had success, albeit less, with a Bloom’s FB Rainbow Weight Fly, a Barbie Nymph, and Little Green Machine.

Missouri River Trout Spey Report

Swingers for the weekend reported successes in damn skinny water with floating lines. Some are fishing an intermediate tip or a Skagit line with a MOW tip of some sort. Strippers are out there too. They are getting them on a slower retrieval rhythm than they were a couple weeks ago. The trout are certainly in slower paced water as we continue the downward temperature spiral to the mid 30’s. Still some time until we reach that benchmark.

Missouri River Dry Fly Report

Dry fly guys? A few BWO’s on the surface on Saturday. Did see some fish moving near the surface and taking the first of the winter midge flies. Already exhibiting the winter like sporadic non sequential totally frustrating style of rise form. Total bullshit is what it is. As the winter progresses that will make more sense. After staring at the bobber for the next few months we will become coaxed into tossing the dry fly out there and letting it sit in pond like back eddies hoping for a lucky strike.

Missouri River Water Levels & Temps

Water levels holding at 3210cfs. Seems like a common flow for us this early winter. The fall, for the last couple months, has shown us that the lower than average water levels still are producing higher catch rates. The great nymph bite this autumn was enjoyed by many. While it didi not produce the historically good streamer bite in the fall like we are accustomed to. So, how do you balance all of that? Boy, if you figure out that equation give us a shout and we will pass it on to the masses.

Missouri River Montana Monday Fishing Report 11.30.15
Falling fast.

Damn close to the 40F mark. I have always though that we are truly into the winter realm when the wage temps fall below that 40F mark. So winter here we come. Are we ready for that kind of action? Well, bring it. A long way off from spring now. We will settle in for along winter ride.

The next couple weeks may be two of the softest angler pressure weeks of the entire year. The other two may be the first couple weeks of February. So if you like the pressure on the light to non-existent side of angling…you may like the next two week session.

Cyber Monday @ Headhunters Fly Shop

Order yourself up some kick ass Cyber Monday fly fishing gear today. Operators standing by if you want to call it in. Shop open daily 8am-6pm.

 

 

Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 11.16.15

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Good to great November fishing here on the Missouri River. Fantastic nymhing and swinging and some out there swinging the little soft hackled ones too.

The best in the nymph game is to head down the sow and scud road. Choose a big one and a little one. Most are leading with a larger Firebead like the ubiquitous Rainbow Czech in a 10 or a 12. How about Bloom’s Weight Fly in the FB Rainbow coloring. If you like to add the split shot your options grow like weeds in the summer. Then you can toss any type of larger sow/scud combo. Yes, most are leading with a larger fly up top.

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Clark with his first Mo River Rainbow

For the tail fly the sow/scud is good too. A smaller sized 14-18 pattern is a a good choice. Some are tossing the BWO nymph as well. Pretty hard to beat a Little Green Machine or some sort of skinny derivation thereof. Black, red, rusty, grey purple, and olive flavored midge patterns are finding some fish daily.

Dry fly anglers are finding fish on leeward shores in the afternoon. Some BWO’s, Pseudocloeon’s, and midges of a thousand varieties are out there. Not in any huge numbers though. Search and ye shall find.

The dry fly game has been really quite difficult. Longer leaders and smaller tippet sizes are most certainly required in most dry fly situations.

Streamer fishers are chucking daily. Lots of this enthusiastic crowd around this last weekend. Some nymphers, a few DFO’s, with boat and bank big fly guys making up the majority. The weeds are not an issue as we are following up a not too weedy summer with this lower water late fall. Dry lines and intermediate tips are the most common. Both unweighted and weighted streamer can work. Find your water type and address each fishing mystery accordingly.

Don’t forget about the swingers. Every day I see more than a few 2 handed fellers out there. It is pretty common to witness a number of anglers in the winter months casting in our great swing runs. Again the water is on the shallow side so the Scandi set is all over it. The Skagit gang is doing well with either a floating tip or an intermediate set-up with un-weighted or lightly weighted patterns respectively.

Headhunters is Montana’s choice for Trout Spey. We stock all of the lines, tips, leaders, reels and rods for your Trout Spey adventures. Give us a ring if you need any info in regards to this two-handed game.

Lots of folks around this last weekend specifically on Sunday for late fall fishing. We have rental units in Craig beginning at $125/night. A great way to spend your weekend here fishing the MO. Lots meaning a few boats on the river. Solace mid-week is a given.

Water flows in the low 3K range. Water temps dropping predictably now as we move into the latter half of November. Should remain normal for the time being. I think the water managers are holding water now for the anticipated lack of winter here in the Rocky Mountains. I think. I am no meteorologist or water planner. Just sayin.’

Shop open daily 8am-6pm. Winter rates start today with guided trips @$400 and Craig Trout Camp cabins beginning at $125.

 

P.S. The fish on the upper river are huge. The Rainbows are big. Honest.

Missouri River Arctic Blast Fishing Report

Missouri River Arctic Blast Fishing Report 11.14.14

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Got real cold this week. Looks like it will extend through the weekend.

So, not much fishing going on here in the Missouri River canyon.

Looks like snow today on the somewhat accurate forecast. More accurate than normal. Unfortunately accurate.

Those few who have been braving the cold have had frozen snake and stripping guides along with frozen fly lines and frozen toes, ears, noses etc.

Missouri River Arctic Blast Fishing Report
Cold.

Shop open daily from 8-5 if any of you wander down to the river for the weekend. We have a couple cabins available for $125 and Joe’s bar is still open till 2am.

The warmest spot in the canyon, for sure! Joe’s Bar indeed.

So, not much to report but there have been some bigger bugs around. Of course. Lower the air temps to ZERO and they come. Fish rising predictably in the predictably rising spots and zones.

Anglers on Sunday and Monday from the early part of the week saw a few pretty good sized pods eating a bundle of insects as they moved from subsurface to the surface and off. Albeit slowly. The of the water deal.

Also look for the dorsal and fin show in softer waters not isolated to but including eddy’s and inside bends.

Missouri River Arctic Blast Fishing Report
Falling rapidly. Get out and toss the BWO NOW!

Flows are at the 4400cfs mark and water temps are plummeting daily. Fell a few degrees this week. We should expect the same this coming week too.

Cancelled a couple guide trips this weekend do to cold air temps. Even with heaters in the boats, lots of Thermos’ filled with piping hot chicken broth, whisky, smiles, and hats? Ya, let’s wait a few more days and go when it is somewhat more entertaining. The winter program is certainly different from the summer program. Looser for sure.

Swingers should come back out of the house this weekend. A bunch of 2 handers around in the winter months. Remember the FREE Spey Clinic Saturday December 6th. Sign up today for your spot. Bring your girlfriend, your wife, your neighbor, your co-worker…or all of them.

That is all the news that is as we bring you the most up to date fishing report for the Missouri River. Thanks for reading as always and let us know how we can help plan your 2015 Missouri River vacation.

 

10 Missouri River November Streamers

10 Missouri River November Streamers

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]The month has settled in to weather and temps we are more comfortable with.

Not really the ZERO degrees stuff, but the overcast and snow and such is familiar territory for us in central Montana.

Fishing Montana’s Missouri River in all seasons requires more than one technique. More than one style. More than just one note.

So we show you some hot streamer flies for the month ahead. You can dredge these on your single handed 9′ 7weight wielding a heavy sink tip. You can strip them in rapidly with your 9’6″ 6 weight donning an intermediate RIO Outbound Short. You could swing it slow with your 12’6″ SAGE Method with a Scandi Short VersiTip Line. Your choice. Lots of ways to skin a cat.

Ninch, our resident fly guru, picked these patterns out for your November river streamer success.

Streamers Top Left to Right: Kronic Kreinik Red and Silver, Warpath’s Sculpin Whammy Tomahawk Tan, Hot Eyed Kreelex, Black Mohair Leech

2nd Row L to R: Morris’ Brown Trout Minnow, Warpath’s Egg Sucka Black and Purple, small black Woolley Bugger

3rd Row L to R: Baby Black Sculpzilla, Brown Skiddish Smolt, ?, Arnold’s Mozurri Minnow

Come in and browse through our well stocked streamer bins at Headhunters. We are open 7 days a week and here to help. Shuttles daily too![/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/1″][us_separator height=”60px” size=”custom”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][us_grid post_type=”ids” no_items_message=”” columns=”4″ items_layout=”shop_trendy” items_gap=”” ids=”7550″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][us_grid post_type=”ids” no_items_message=”” columns=”4″ items_layout=”shop_trendy” items_gap=”” ids=”7688″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Now, it's winter.

Now, it’s winter.

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Yep. Winter. Now.

@1630 Sunday it was 45F, partly cloudy and dead calm.

@ 1632 Sunday it was 31F, blowing out of the north 17mph, and snowing.

Sunday night snowing hard and damn cold.

This morning. Cold. Snowy.

Maybe baetis will come now.

Nobody around. A perfect ploy.

Water temps plummeting this week. They should fall quickly with the air temps falling well below the 20F range!  During the day. Mostly lower though.

Now, it's winter.
Now, it’s winter.

The fishing? Decent.

Swinging can be really good. Streamer fishing pretty good too.

Nymphing? Not as good as it should be, but not terrible either. We are so fortunate to be here on the Mo. It’s good. Just not an “11” right now. Depends on the day. Some days they just eat it better.

Dries? Near dusk for the weekend. Today and this week? Don’t even want to hazard a guess. Cold I think…

Guided trips out this last weekend. More towards the end of this week. More 2 Handed Specials as we move well into the November period. 1st FREE Spey Clinic December 6th. Sign up today. You’ll love it. A classroom session led by John with his killer Powerpoint Presentation, coffee, donuts, friends, and a room full of Spey. Followed up by an afternoon of on the water action with lots of different spey rods to try, cool lines, and hands on instruction. Bring your own rod, or use one of ours. Free and Easy. Call today.

Shop open daily 8-6.

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