Danielle rocks the Pink Morrish Hopper

Fished river wide yesterday. Streamers, nymphs, dries…you choose.

Caddis on top was the word from most, with some Psuedo/BWO stuff too. Adams, E-hair, and the normal down wing fare.

Nymphing, the normal, again. PT permutations, midge mania, and scuds topped the trout buffet.

Streamer chuckers were successful with Beldar Buggers, Hickman’s Skiddish Smolt, R2R’s, Sculpzilla in black or natural, Zonkers, or anything white.

The Missouri is back on track with all stretches fishing quite well.

Hint: All the fish do not live on the banks. 90% of our streamer fish came off of center river structure, or any weedy 18′+ medium speed water. Some in the soggy too.

Fishing is heating up as the weather is cooling down, so toss your waders in the back seat again and make your destination the Missouri River. It will reward you with greatness.

Streamer Fishermen Unite!

Today’s weather indicates that you put on a bugger and strip to your heart’s delight.

Flies may include: Black bugger, olive bugger, brown bugger, R2R, Skiddish Smolt, Clouser’s, Yellow Yummy, and do I dare say a Zonker?

Pretty much your choice. But make sure to have on our favorite Streamer line for the Missouri…it’s made for us! The RIO Outbound Short F/I. It tosses a streamer with absolute ease. Come in and try or buy, your choice. At Headhunters, if you don’t like the fly line, we will refund, re-try…whatever you desire. We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee here at the shop.

Do you like big takes? We do!

Madeline never misses the fish...

The Labor Day Weekend is historically slow in the way of anglers. Lots of families around this cooler than normal weekend as September moves through the first week.  Will this next week fallow the same path…weather wise, it will.

It will be cool all week long and feel more like October than September. September can bring us temps in the 90’s…just as well as this pattern.

The Psuedo’s will be out in force as the entire river is back in session. Nearly every reach is fishing well enough to make a day out of it. Still some caddis throughout the month skittering around. Look for flights of them and the associated riseforms.

Dry Fly guys should have the normal downwing stuff in a cinnamon, or ginger, lt tan versions of Bloom’s caddis, Henryville’s, HF Caddis, Stalcups, and Red Stag skikktering patterns.

If you want to fool with the silly Psuedo’s…try microscopic para Adams, CDC Smokejumpers( it does actually work) in both BWO and Psuedo versions. A tiny sz 22-24 emerger is not a bad idea. Short leash short line nymphing is a terrifiic way to catch those difficult nearly rising fish.

Streamer guys have been doing much better as of late with catch rates commensurate with your casting and stripping ability. Presentation styles may vary and vary them until you come up with a winner.. Black, olive, brown, shiny, dull…and the common theme is the fellas are throwing smaller than larger patterns.

A note about this fall: Guide calenders are again filling so plan accordingly if you would like a specific guide in the upcoming 2 months. Lodging is also at a premium…we’d love to see you this fall. Come on out and visit, but only if you like catching big slob’s on dries and streamers.

Welcome to the Mo Jack!

Jack came all the way from Vermont with his father to fish the Mighty Mo…and he liked it. Dad has been fishing here for years and decided it was time for Jack to experience greatness as well.

As for the fishing…good news. There are fish below the Dam. Many anglers spread out today and all reporting success. Still great fishing up-river, but explore the lower reaches for great fishing too. As soon as the 1st of September arrives, it seems to release our death grip on the dam, and allows us to breathe again…therefore fishing downstream. The report coming form way down low have not changed, with difficult remaining the  theme.

Flies that worked today were anything dam small at the dam.

Scuds and mayflies below WCreek, with some Psuedo action late in the day.

Craig down the hopper fishing along with an ant behind seemed to prove quite deadly.

The canyon both nymphed and hopper-ed well according to SOL and Capt Carp. A few nice fellas caught on the hopper, with the smaller black ant taking the smaller fish throughout the day.

Can you say " Neversink Trude?"

Evidence of attractor fishing in 18″-36″ of moving water, not on the bank. Very good Jack, he says he will return. I believe him.

A collective sigh of relief as August is behind us and great fishing is on the horizon.

We got a taste of excellence today….thanks fish gods!

The Year of the Brown 2010

…and therefore 1 month closer to fabulous dry fly fishing.

Until then, nymphing is the game.

According to the gaggle of guides that just traipsed through the hallowed doors of Headhunters…the WHITEFISH bite was on today.

A significant drop in the old barometer will sometimes make the river fish as though there is not a single trout in the resource. You would think there had been a chemical spill upstream, that specifically targeted the wily trout. And when the trout do bite the fly, they run so hard and fast that the tippet strength has no correlation in landing rates.

The most common phrase of a Missouri River guide, “Let ‘em run, let ‘em run, let ‘em run. No, he did not spit it. I’ll tie on new flies now.”

These fish are strong! Steroid strong, as a client of mine recently said. There were some expletives thrown in for good measure.

Flies of the Day included: Little Green Machine, Red Headed Step Child, Rainbow Warrior, Rainbow Czech, blah, blah, any small PT like a green lightening bug, Craven’s Ju-Ju Baetis, Morrish’s Anato-May olive, Kyle’s C-N Superflash PT, Bubbleback Baetis…all in 16-20.

Hoppers were looked at but not often eaten. A few, said the guides, not a lot.

Try something other than a traditional hopper. Try PMX’s, beetles, ants, anything goofy looking in your attractor box. Even a Stimulator can be effective.

September is here and so is our most productive nymphing month. Hardcore nymphing client come out and are tuned into the bobber.

Bodycount bobber fishermen unite.