Technique

Tuesday Fly Casting Tactics w/ Simon Gawesworth

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Tuesday Fly Casting Tactics w/ Simon Gawesworth

A great tip from Simon Gawesworth fo RIO Line Company today. Tuesday here in Craig and all is well.

The fly shop staff is out on the casting lane often fine tuning personal casting issues. Should they be out there more often? Well I won’t criticize here on this blog. What I do know is that you cannot fine tune all of the casting changes you personally need to make while fishing.

Casting issues, changing your cast, improving your overall effectiveness with a fly rod in hand takes time. That time is now. That time is not with fly rod in hand casting at difficult bank feeders. In July. No, that is not the time to learn, that is the time to execute.

So a heads up, as I always remind you this time of year, is to practice now. Make those changes now.

Changes take time. It does not happen rapidly. It happens over lots of casting sessions.

The key to success on any of these learning objectives is to do lots of mini sessions. Do not try to do hour long marathons. Nope. Short 5-10 minute sessions will allow you to advance quicker. Long overdrawn exhaustive learning sessions are not smart. Regression will happen!

Get your practice rod out and get going. January is the time to begin the improvements.

I practice with the fly line I will be using to take it to the next level when I get to the “Show!” So I use the Headhunter Fly Line during practice on the lawn, with hoops for targets, to gain accuracy. First cast is the best cast, and the winter months is when and where you develop those skills.

Headhunters Guides including me, Squeaky Oar Lock, are available for casting lessons any time of the year. Call the shop today and get your casting lessons set up this spring!

Be better in 2021!

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5 Winter Mo River Tips

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 5 Winter Mo River Tips Lots of stories every winter of anglers not getting the catch rates they want during this sometimes frigid and lengthly Montana winters. What are the reasons that lead to too much solace and quiet on the water? Well they are trout. That is the first reason. But the rest … Read more

5 Hot September Tips for the Missouri River Fly Fisher

5 Hot September Tips for the Missouri River Fly Fisher

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What to do when your September fishing day goes soft? How about a few tips to get the blood flowing and the mind searching for the next best thing. 5 Hot September Tips for the Missouri River Fly Fisher Look for heads in the morning. Hold out Trico’s are still around and we not only … Read more

Dead Flies Don’t Swim Video & 5 Things to Never Do Dry Fly Fishing

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Dead Flies Don’t Swim Video & 5 Things to Never Do Dry Fly Fishing

Water levels falling this week we think. They fell yesterday by a couple thousand and will fall again today below 9K. Hooray.

The dry fly bite yesterday was damn good as well. More to come as we get into the true dry fly period with water levels appropriate for the season.

Today we show you again Dead Flies Don’t Swim. A classic HH vid by Scumliner Media that shows the joys of July.

Dead Flies Don’t Swim is also branded on our dry fly specific fly line. We believe in the slogan. Meaning? Dragging flies do not get eaten by our voracious trout. Perfect dead drifts get us through the day for sure.

5 Things to Never Do Dry Fly Fishing

  1. Drag your fly. Dead Flies Don’t Swim. Dead bugs do not move on the water. The primary diet of our trout here in Central Montana is dead flies. Spinners, cripples, scents.
  2. Think you are good enough to toss the first cast into the lane and hope. Dude. I don’t know any body that good. Prep for a couple minutes and make the appropriate drift before you alert the enemy you are in the neighborhood. All men over 50 do this. Almost all. I’ve had a couple in the boat that don’t. Maybe a few. But not a lot. Fellers do this everyday. It’s bad. Catch more fish and practice a bit outside of the trout.
  3. Make your goal to catch the trout. Don’t foul it up early in the game. Make a plan. Execute. No plan?No fish. Guessing again? If you are a guesser, and I think you may be, then your goal is not to catch that trout. You can see everything. The fish rising, the fly floating not dragging, the fly. All the variables are in front of you. You can see them all. No secrets. No guessing. DOn’t guess your fly over there.
  4. Shoot line on rising trout. Most dry fly ops are within 30′. Some 25′. You do not have to shoot line 30′. Nope. Cast it with accuracy. Don’t shoot line at a 30′ target. You are guessing every cast. And that is bad.
  5. Get too close to another angler while dry fly fishing. Lots of water out there. Respect others water. BE smart. Don’t be that guy. You know. That guy the dick.

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10 Tips for Missouri River Baetis Success

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10 Tips for Missouri River Baetis Success

We are all into catching more fish on BWO dries. Actually not true. Some anglers.

Not all anglers are interested in the dry fly. I have often stated to those who believe that everybody should be throwing a dry…and to those folks I always say,

“How would you feel, as dry fly guy. A Dry Fly Only guy. If every angler was seeking dry fly flats. If every angler was standing next to you on the dry fly flat of choice? How would that work out?”

 

Not so good. Thankfully we enjoy many facets of angling and not everybody want to be DFO. Truly. Honest.

But if you are into that sort of thing then you can give yourself a leg up, an arm up, a cast up on the rest of the gang. Learn the right thing to do and follow the bugs!

  1. Prepare. Get the rod ready in the morning. Strung up and put some sort of BWO on. An Adams will hold the line nicely. Change when you arrive if needed.
  2. Have a ton of Gink. Dry Fly Shake. Frog’s Fanny. Whatever you may need to get you through the BWO session. I hate running out of the right shit during the heat of the moment. I have several bottles of magic int he boat and vest.
  3. Make a game plan. Set your drift for the right water at the right time. If you are a wade feller, you know where you want to be at what specific time.
  4. Follow the game plan. Especially in the boat. Don’t get hung up on some other fish, some other flat…holding a bobber in your hand! Get to the flat and stake it out. Being prepared for action is key.
  5. Practice the cast at home. In your yard. At the park. When the bugs start popping you need to have your “A” game. Not a good time to practice casting. A great time to execute the perfect reach cast and execute.
  6. Missouri River Trout love the fly in the film. Baetis ride in the film. BWO’s lay in the water, not on the water. Fish a pattern that sits in the water.
  7. CDC Flies are awesome. The best flies are the ones you cannot see.
  8. Swing a soft hackle if you are old school. Or if you like to learn a new technique. Or if you want to catch them all.
  9. Get out and stalk them. BWO fish will let you wander close to them. Get out and get in tight. Make short and efficient casts. Catch one at a time. Some anglers, most dudes, try to catch all the trout on every pass. Not very smart. Takes too much time in between casts. Too much line out. Not efficient. Not smart. Those fellers that exhibit this behavior do not catch may at all. But they do waste a ton of time and kinda screw up the fish. But, just my opinion. It is your day. Do what you feel is right. But, if you want to catch more, do it right and stay efficient.
  10. Start out with a new 12′ RIO 9′ 4X leader. And then tie on a 4′ section of 5X tippet. Or something along those lines. Get a good drag free drift and get them. Long leaders are OK. Trust them. Use them. Enjoy them.
  11. Clean your fly line often. I love to clean my line as I am waiting for the action to start. And after the day as well. A clean fly line is the most important piece of the rod/reel/line equation.
  12. Pray for overcast skies. Trout love the gray days. The bugs don’t care. The trout love to wander into skinny waters when they feel comfortable and can feel predator free.
  13. Stalk softly. Approach the fish in stealth mode. You are the predator. Act appropriately.
  14. Fish during the week. Weekends are quite busy here in Craig. Take the day(s) off work and come out.
  15. Enjoy yourself. It is about fun, relaxing, taking your mind away from the stresses at home. Enjoy the day on the water. It is good for your constitution.

There you have it. A few ideas to marinate your Baetis Brain in today. Put yourself in successful situations is my whole deal. Set yourself up for success. Do it the right way and you will be rewarded. We have about a month of Baetis left so we will see you here in Craig. It’s Thursday, it’s May 2020!

 

Gould McCune Spey Clinics Spring 2019

Gould McCune Spey Clinics Spring 2019

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Gould McCune Spey Clinics Spring 2019 Headhunters Fly Shop is excited to announce the ever popular Whitney Gould and Mike McCune Spring Spey Clinics coming Spring 2019. April 20th 2019: Intro to Spey Casting April 21st 2019: Intermediate/Advanced Spey Casting $200. Full day 8 hr class includes lunch and equipment if needed. Limited to … Read more

Mike McCune teaches Perry Poke

Mike McCune teaches Perry Poke Scumliner Media

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Mike McCune teaches Perry Poke

Check out Mike KcCune today teaching the Perry Poke.

Trout Spey Season is underway. Spey trips out this week already.

Hooking up too.

The newest of the ne Trout Spey lines and rods are in stock now! The best from SA, RIO, OPST, and more with new heads and integrated Scandi and Skagit lines ready for you to try and buy!

Come on down to Craig and let us help you into your 2018 Swing Rod and line.

Happy Hump Day. It’s fall. It’s pretty great.

Swingers Unite.

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5 Missouri River Tips for a better weekend

5 Missouri River Tips for a better weekend

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 5 Missouri River Tips for a better weekend Short Leash. Rig the bobber rig with a couple Pals Tabs and roll. Find that skinny water and toss it in. 2′-3′ for the distance between bobber and bottom fly. Or go medium at 4′. A rainbow Czech up top and a Pseudo below. Dry-Dropper. Hang … Read more

3 Hot Missouri River Rigs for the Weekend

3 Hot Missouri River Rigs for the Weekend

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3 Hot Missouri River Rigs for the Weekend We have not turned the corner but the daily river reports from anglers up and down are becoming more consistent as we move beyond the first week of September. We love September here at Headhunters because it signals he beginning of the 3rd season. Not yet winter, … Read more

Headhunters Advanced Fly Fishing School

Headhunters Fly Shop Advanced Fly Fishing School

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Headhunters Fly Shop Advanced Fly Fishing School Want to get better at fishing the Missouri River? Want to improve your dry fly cast? Presentation? Fish finding skills? Well we do too! And this fall we once again offer Headhunters Fly Shop Advanced Fly Fishing School. We offer two sessions this October with the first being … Read more

Missouri River Winter Nymph Fishing Success: Shane’s Top 3 Tips

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Missouri River Winter Nymph Fishing Success Shane again with today’s Headhunter’s blog post. We’re starting to see some more consistent warmish weather roll in, and it’s definitely bringing people to the river. I was able to get out last week and do some fishing with my wife, Kelli, and we had some good nymph fishing … Read more

Troutspey Techniques

Mike McCune – Troutspey Retrieve Methods

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mike McCune does an excellent job of covering the primary methods we use to add action to the fly when swinging for trout with our two-handers. You also get to watch some excellent, relaxed, compact, troutspey casting. Watch enough and you might get pretty good.

This may be one of the most oft asked questions we get at the shop. “We understand the cast, but how do we fish the fly?” As Mike says in the video, imparting some action to your fly usually makes a big difference when fishing for trout. If you try to use a dead “Steelhead Swing”, more often than not you’ll have fewer fish come to the fly.

The first “jigging” motion is the main retrieve the Headhunters crew uses on the Missouri River. You can do this with your running line under your rod index finger, or do it independently like Mike. When using mono running line you will want to make a half wrap around your fingers so it doesn’t slip when a fish takes.

We also use his upstream “Madison” retrieve is certain situations, but as Mike states, we use them all and they all work.

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Fishing the Missouri River Short Leash

Fishing the Missouri River Short Leash

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A great October nymphing rigging technique.

The short leash is employed as well in this lower water period.

Can you rig long and roll? Sure. Sometimes int he mornings and in the high and bright sun we love to go deep.

Short Leash
A good short leash fish in the lower canyon

But in the afternoons when the minuscule Pseudo fly comes off you may want to go short. Some fellers run really short and without the Tungsten bead. Your choice. You can go any which way you want to. How about a Lightening Bug and an RS2? How about a Two Bit Hooker and a Little Green Machine? How about a traditional Pheasant Tail and a Zebra Midge?

All good choices. Get your Palsa Tabs out or your smaller Thingamabobber, Strike Foundy ‘lil Nuggets, or your yarn. Tie on what you like and run it.

Need more info on this topic? Stop by the store and see what the hype is all about. Open daily at 7am…

And as we move deeper into fall please do your fall weather dance. No need for sunny skies in October. No need.