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Thanks,

John & Mark
Headhunters

Cool, meaning warm, days on the Missouri this Spring

Good fishing this weekend. It seems that every fisherman in Montana chose to get out of the house and shake the dust off the boat. A pile of shuttles Saturday, new fishing licenses, and fishing fantical fun was had by all.

The bank anglers were out in force too. They were in for a smattering of flies. The talk of streamers, Rainbows on the early spawn, and Budweiser all deserved attention.

Warm fishy weather for the front end of the wee too. Guide trips are on the schedule for this week, rental cabins here at Craig Trout Camp…all for the Spring discount rates. Lots of locals take advantage of these reduced fees and spend the weekend with us here at Headhunters. Can you think of any reason not too?

The streamer fans were all fired up as we had guests from Havre, Kalispell, Bozeman, Livingston, Helena, Great Falls, Cut Bank, Belt, and small towns like Craig too…yes all fishing Black, Brown, Olive, Flashy, Yellow…you get the point. All of the Above. We have a few new streamers in stock and more to come in the near future. Stop by for a chat, coffee, and streamer talk.

A strong mud line from the Dearborn River this afternoon - pic/scumliner

The Dearborn blew out today, definitely having an impact on the fishing below Mid Canon.  A couple of guys gave it a shot and pulled off early to hit some clear water on the upper river.  We love to throw streamers and worms in dirty water, but doing it in March is non-typical.  We’ll see what the Dearborn does in the next few days.  No doubt others will give it a try and we’ll get some more reports in the next day or two.

Fishing reports have been good, but not great.  High winds this week have made fishing a bit difficult, limiting where and how you can fish.  We don’t like our nymph rigs bouncing in heavy wind chop, and neither do the fish.  Detecting a strike is very difficult in these conditions as well. Many are switching to the streamer, and while productive in spots, it’s not the most productive winter method.  We haven’t seen many risers in the last week, but are hoping the warming weather will get a few more heads up.  Stay out late to find them.  The short leash has been effective in the afternoon, and should be considered when you see sporadic risers.

Tomorrow is forecast to be beautiful, with highs in the upper 40′s and little to no wind.  Plenty of anglers are making plans to hit the river this weekend, and we expect to be busy running shuttles and selling licenses.  Don’t forget that the new license season began March 1st!

We’ve just received a shipment of new flies from Montana Fly, and you’ll want to check out some of the new nymphs and streamers.  A bunch of Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow’s came as well, but they’ll go fast.

Get out and fish this week, your right as an angler in Montana

Trying to write this report for 4+ hours now. Busy both in the shop with shuttles, flies, fishing stuff and on the phone with lodging, guiding, and questions regarding the 2011 season.

Yesterday was a big day in the average daily life of an angler either living or visiting Montana. House Bill 309 was heard on the hill yesterday.

Lots of Montanans attended, lots of guides, lots of outfitters too. The consensus was on the opposition side of the bill. Fighting for stream access is something we all need to do.

OK, editorial over. Now the fishing report as follows.

Great weather on tap for the upcoming week and weekend. Highs in the 40 to 50 range with Thursday a predicted high of 52F. Yes, wow. We like those temps.

Lots of folks out on the river today, but not a ton. A few drift boats and a few bank anglers enjoying a good day to fish.

Our lead shuttle man Jim just showed up for some shuttle duty.

Flies that have been working on the Mo include an expanded list from the last several winter months. We finally get to mix it up  somewhat.

Midges that will help include:

• Tungsten Zebra in black. The standard issue Mo River fly in 18 & 20.
• Zebra’s in black, red, rust, and green will get you through the day. Again, a everyday fly for the Mo.
• Disco Midge in 16-20. Need to have a few of these for midging situations.
• UV Emerger. Just black thread on a hook with a couple of UV fibers hanging of the eye, emulating? Lungs maybe. Carry the black or chocolate in 20 & 22. OOhh, so small.
• Lint Bug in 18. A generic midge that is neutrally colored. Like the color of the lint in your dryer.
• Mercury Black Beauty in 18 & 20. Black threaded glass beaded mylar flash back beauty!
• Any of your tried and true midges stuck in the corner of your midge box. If you have any great ones, stop in and show us…
• Midge Droppers for the next two months include:
• Quigley’s Drowned TB Midge. Yes, a micro tungsten bead plunges this fly subsurface below your dry for those subsurface emergent feeders. Or for those shallow side channels…
• Midge Modger in either red or black. John fell in love with this fly 4 years ago. He uses it dangling tantalizingly below a midge cluster or Adams. A tuft of white synthetic adds realism to both the thorax and of the back of the abdomen.
• Zebra, of course. Any color, any size.
• Your home brew thread on a hook is quite effective too.

Dry Flies that will be on your mind:

• Griffith’s Gnat. Big. Even size 10, all the way through minuscule. Preferably with a wing or post for sight identification.
• Renegade. Old School, still works.
• Cluster Midge. Size 12-16. Double posted with rafia wings, peacock, and grizzly hackle. The perfect cluster. You can see it too!
• Quigley’s Cluster Peacock Midge. Similar to the above fly but different.
• Parachute Adams. Yes, works 12 months on the Missouri. Your home river too. Size 12 thru 24. Any color post, black, white, pink, orange, chartreuse…
• Buzzball. A shop favorite in 10-16.

General Nymphs that you should pay attention to:

• UV Czech Tan, szs. 8-16.
• UV Czech Rainbow. Mo River standard. Works all year.
• SJW in red, sizes include all. Yes, all sizes work.
• Tailwater Sow Bug. Narrow profile iwth a dark stripe acroos the length of the fly. Simple is good.
• Ray Charles in all color ways. From grey to pink in 12-22.
• Firebeads. The bright orange bead catches fish. All colors and styles. Really good through the middle of June!
• Pink Lightening Bugs. Good fly for the winter and spring. Green too.
• Hot Spot Scud. An Umpqua fly that has come into it’s own the last couple years. Yet another killer scud.
• Arnold’s Sili-Scud. A big fly for big fish. You gotta try the Sili-Scud!

Streamers that have been popular are:

• Buggers. Black, vanilla, purple, olive. The good ‘ol bugger. Any size you can throw.
• Kingrey’s Hot Head Leech. Orange conehead gets ‘em.
• Clous-A-Bou. Marabou in lots of colors white, black, olive, brown, and tan. Combo’s there of. Great narrow profile in the water that the fish just love! These are weedless with a weed guard.
• Sculpin Closuers. All Clousers work well here on the Missouri. Narrow fish catchers.
• Zonkers in Pearl and Copper. Big, flashy, and weedless. Perfect.
• Sculpzilla. Sizes 6 & 10 in all flavors. Our fav’s are black, natural, and olive.
• Bellyache Minnow. A good neutral color that our staff likes.
• Skiddish Smolts. The flashiest fly in our streamer bins. Customer favorite.
• Skip’s Rainbow and Brown Trout. Narrow epoxy heads that never fall apart.

This is just a spring primer of some of the flies that both we and our customers have come to love.

The flows are at a more normal winter flow @ near 5000 cfs. This is a comfortable wade fishing depth. The water temps are hovering at about 35F. Fishing is fair to good, with midges on the near horizon.

Come out for a March fun filled fishing weekend with your friends from Headhunters. Cabins avail @ 150 $100 per night with TV, warm beds, and a perfect quiet nights sleep. A couple guide trips have been booked for Saturday at a screaming good Spring Special Price of $300. Call your fishing buddy and visit the Mo this weekend.

Bring your sunscreen. It’ll be terrific weather and the fishing is always good on the Mo.

One of outr fav's, the FB Ray Charles

The weather was cooperating much of your weekend. Lots of folks around on Saturday with a few on Sunday. Boat anglers and wade fishers in and out of the shop made it fun for us here on the Mo. Good to see you folks, and we enjoy visiting with you.

Here are a few of the highlights…

Dam to Craig: Not bad. Most were nymphing with a few decent streamer catches. Good fishing was the most common, with some slow…nobody just wrecking ‘em.

Flies: More midge reports daily. Some midge on the surface, not many fish keying on that though. Splashy rises still, but it will come. The sipping variety. Black Zebra, Mr. Ugly’s, green pupa’s, Pink LB’s, Firebeads, pink and red worms, Kinrey’s Ice nymph, small red pt’s…Flashy streamers, Yellow Yummy’s. blonde buggers, black buggers, Kingrey’s Hot Head Leech’s…

Downriver: Good. Stop in for our micro-report. Not good every where, but not bad in some sections.

Flows: Lower than the last several months. 4820 CFS is very close to the historical winter flows and easier wade fishing. Temps continue to hold at about 35 degrees. Very good for winter angling.

Weather for the Week: Monday 30, Tuesday 35, Wednesday 40, Thurs 45+…good spring time trend.

Headhunters: Open daily for all your river needs. Sara and Julie for your booking needs, John and Mark for your bullshit needs…free hot coffee for warming your cockles.

2 Eagles in Craig MT...

44.6 degrees outside today. Feels like 48.4 though. A few fellows through the shop this morning getting out while they can. All 5 called in sick to work today.

2 dudes from Missoula just in and smiling ear to ear. Smart dudes, don’t you think.

Water temperatures continue to hover around the 35 mark while the river is ice free. Boat ramps look good, and the water is dropping to a current level of 4920. The boys at the dam seem to fooling around with the flows…

Streamers were the most common fly purchase this morning, with black, shiny, Sculzilla’s, small blonde buggers, Skip’s Rainbow Trout Minnows…and some random midge stuff too.

The weekend weather is good. Warm today w/ hi’s near , Friday, Saturday…cooler on Sunday. Brrrrr…

Some great sale items still in the store from Simms, Umpqua, Rio, Airflo, logo wear, and close-out flies for $7 a cool dozen.

New nets in stock, super midge patterns, flashy streamers, and Simms logo’d Windstopper Softshell Hoody’s…free coffee too.

Waiting for the world to defrost.

1 degree at Headhunters this morning.  Fishing is probably out for today.  Winter weather advisory warns of light to moderate snow and very cold temps.  Nothing changes, dude…

Tommorrow could be big Wednesday, however.  Temperatures should reach the mid 40′s by the afternoon with very light winds out of the south.  Thursday is looking pretty good as well, and you had better take advantage when it’s right.

Water temperatures have cooled as degree or two in the last week with the excessively cold weather.  It may affect your fishing.  Rethink your technique if you ain’t gettin’ ‘em.  Slow, deep seams and midge pupa/larva under the dam should be a recipe for success.