June is coming. Not until we endure a couple more weeks of this fantastic May. Scumliner and Ninch love this month. Why? Because it rules, that’s why. Lots of dry fly action around the river for the remainder for the month. Lots. Then June arrives.

June has lots of dry fly action too. Could be my favorite month. But then there is April, October,….

Top 10 June Moments

1. Dead calm early mornings. Caddis Swarms nightly.
2. Blind Caddis fly fishing in canyon.
3. PMD’s. Squeeky’s favorite fly.
4. Buzzball’s all day long.
5. Caddis in you nose, ears, on the water, in your car…
6. Warm weather, sun, and green-ness abounds.
7. Not too many folks. Yet.
8. Dry Flies. Love dry flies.
9. Yellow Sally’s. The get rolling and keep on rolling. Better hatches the last several years. This year? Gotta be here to know.
10. You drifting down the Missouri River.

Come out and make your own June memories. Enjoy a Top 10 June Moment. Or several. Check them off as you go…

Drift away at work today with an image of our great Montana trout sucking on your fly.

It’s all about energy.   Obviously, any living creature has to make more from the calories in food than the effort it takes to find and catch it.   You couldn’t afford to walk a mile if the only thing at the end was a peanut.  Trout can’t afford to fight fast water for midges.

So, if you want to find fish, it’s critical to keep this energy model in mind.

Trout Feeding Efficiency Model

During the winter, there’s not much food available.  Besides the occasional scud and sow bug that can’t be relied on, the only hatches are midges.  Damn small midges at that.   So the trout end up in places where they will expend very little energy – hugging the bottom in deep slow water holes where there’s very little current to fight and just enough flow to bring them some food.  If there’s a big midge hatch, it may be worth it for them to try for a few extra calories by hitting some clusters on the surface in relatively slow slicks and scum lines.

Input must exceed output for all living creatures to survive

If the fish are small, it doesn’t take as many calories for them to chase food, so that’s why you’ll sometimes see nothing but small fish rising.  The big boys are below eating pupa in slower water.  And, if you do see the big guys on top, it’s in the best water – slow, but in scum lines and eddies that concentrate the small midges.

A big fish’s rise form is different.  You usually won’t see that splashy rise that little fish can get away with.  Big fish rise very efficiently.  Often it’s just a sip.   If there’s a lot of food in the drift, they’ll hover, tilt and gulp.   Often they’ll concentrate on cripples and emergers in the surface film.  That takes less energy.   Fewer calories out; more calories in.

Things really get cooking on the Mo when the caddis start popping.  These bugs are pretty big and there are lots of them, so the trout can get more calories faster by feeding in faster water.  They’ll move into shallow, choppy riffles and runs.  Even then, the best fish will set up shop in the best spots.

They love seams where they can sit in relatively slow water and pick bugs out of the faster water that’s bringing them by quickly.   They also like the slow water close to the bottom.  Even in fast water, the water next to the bottom moves slowly.  Big fish sit there and pick off bugs that sweep quickly over them.  Drop offs are great.

Some of the best fast water spots of all are the saucer-like depressions in shallow riffles.  Big fish sit in these deeper spots in the shallows and many anglers miss these spots.  Look for small areas of relatively calm water in the riffle, give it a try and hang on.

The bottom line is that when trout are feeding (and those are the ones you’re looking for), where they are depends on the number and size of the bugs they’re feeding on.   Within those areas, look for seams, drop offs, rocks and depressions where they can stay in slow water close to the fast water that’s bringing the food.

Keep the Trout Feeding Efficiency Model in mind not only while dry fly fishing but while nymphing too. The fish are only where the food is.

Good weather for the upcoming week. We like the overcast conditions. The trout do too.

Finishing up from the 7th Annual Craig Caddis Festival yesterday and moving forward to the busy week ahead. The trout are feeding well. The nymphing damn good, the dry fly bite expanding daily, and the streamer fishing is coming on too.

Montana Fishing Report | Missouri River

The recent conditions certainly help the bugger crowd. They are a joyous bunch.

Dry Fly Weather

Fishing is fine riverwide with many enjoying a different stretch everyday. Come and try a new reach the next time up? You may like it.

Shoot, try fishing a day where all you do is dry fly fish. Or if you are a staunch DFO feller, try sinking something. You both will learn a ton bout fishing the Missouri. If you are a streamer guy, try live baitin’. Should work.  Continual learning is positive.

Look at the water temps and you will see we are nearing the best time of the year. May and June temps are conducive to leaping fish. Trout love 54F-57F.  If you cannot make it in June, then come see us in October. I strongly suggest you look at your angling calendar and seriously contemplate getting on the Missouri River June 2013. It is gonna be quite good. Reminiscent of some of the drought years in the early mid 2000′s. Good stuff.

The trout they are a jumping.

Lots of new flies in the shop if you have not stocked up in a while. Stop in and see Ninch, Thomas, Sara, Jess, or any of the staff and have them recommend a few hot flies.

The Dearborn River is open for fishing and we got flies for your voyage. Shuttles available as well. Swing by on your way to the Dearborn and we will take care of you.

All methods are on the table this week as many are employing the short leash in the afternoon. Deep in the morning. The Dry Fly Coalition can nearly fill the day with headhunting. Creep downstream and locate some sipping trout. Bank anglers are enjoying the lower flows accessing lots of river. It’s WFO man.

Shop open daily 7am til 9pm. We will see you in Craig this week for some Headhunting…

Craig Caddis Fest 2013

Thanks to Michael White and Nick English of Blue Ribbon Sales, our SIMMS Reps, for BBQ’ing and contributing to the Craig Caddis festival. These guys bring it! Carne Asada on corn torts with a fantastic Pico too. Thanks again Michael and Nick! Appreciate it greatly! So does the Craig Volunteer Fire Department with your generous $500 donation to the silent auction too.

Rain today. Calm and overcast. Seems like the right feeling for our rising trout.

This image from June 2012. Happy dudes after a great Missouri River day!

June foreshadowing for very good dry fly fishing…it’s coming.

Are you coming?