Swing Season in Montana
Troutspey techniques are as popular as any during the winter or “Swing” season as we refer to it here in Craiglandia. It not uncommon to see rig with magnetic rod holders sporting two-handed gear cruising up and down the recreation road looking for a big greasy slick to slowly swing a leech pattern through.
What Will 2025 Bring?
El Niño was supposed to bring western Montana ample precipitation and colder than normal temperatures. Thus far, it’s kind of been a dud. Snowpack is less than normal, and we’re just now getting our first real cold weather of the year. Fishing traffic has been a bit slow as well, though it is starting to pick up.
When To Use Deep Tips?
You would think that it’s pretty easy to determine when to and when to not to use full sinking “deep” Skagit tips, but it ain’t. Some guys will tell you that you never need to go deep, and other will say you’ll always catch more if you’re on the bottom. The truth lies somewhere in between, and tends to be related to water temperatures… on both sides of the spectrum.
Adipose Rental Boats
We continue to stick with Adipose Flow drift boat/skiffs for our rental fleet. There’s just nothing that compares for the Missouri River. The stability and roominess are unbeatable, as is their ability to back row and anchor.
What We Do.
-
Guided Fly Fishing
Guiding is our foundation, and owners Mark Raisler and John Arnold have decades of experience guiding, and are committed to providing our customers with great guides and experiences.
-
Fly Shop
Our small and funky shop has everything you need for a day on the water. More importantly, our knowledgeable staff will answer your questions and get you headed out in the right direction.
-
Lodging
There are plenty of trout in the Missouri River, but not nearly enough accommodations for all of the anglers here to catch them. Let Julie help you find the right accommodations for you or your group.
-
Shuttles
Our shuttle service will move your vehicle from put-in to take-out while you’re floating and fishing the Missouri River. We operate the largest shuttle service on the river, and will help make your float easy.
-
Rental Boats
We rent Adipose Drift boats built locally in Helena, MT, and designed for big rivers like the Missouri. Rental boats often get booked well in advance during the summer, so make plans ahead of time.
-
About Us
We don’t judge our shop by the products we carry. And we definitely don’t judge it by size. Our shop staff and guides are what makes us, along with the community of anglers that make Headhunters their base.
A TACTICAL FLY LINE
The HEADHUNTER 2 tactical dry fly line was designed completely in-house by our crack team of dry fly snobs. We were searching for a line that would conquer the conditions we face every day on the Missouri River. Long distance presentations are common, as is the need for super-tight accuracy. The strong, ever-present wind requires a powerful turnover, but needs to land like a feather. And after the fly lands, you need to make strong mends and send line into the drift. And you’re commonly making these difficult reach cast presentations while sitting in a boat. What we came up with is a unique taper that excels at downstream presentations in all big “spring creek” scenarios. After we were satisfied with the taper, we added some visual markers to let the angler know where the line performs best. We continue to make improvements, and it continues to draw rave reviews from anglers.