Mo river news, What will happen this next week, & Squeeky’s deep thoughts
Overcast skies. Water temperatures in the 50’s and rising. Overcast skies. March Browns and Mo’ Day Caddis along with BWO’s and Midge abound.
This could be the spring week we have been waiting for.
Dearborn River floating hopes drift by us this coming week as well.
About 80% of water will not fill the reservoir above us. Full pool this year? I bet we don’t see that. A premonition? Yes. Am I right often? I bat about .500 for the record.
Will the PMD come early? My guess is, yes. A week early. Historical hatch start is June 4, 5, or 6th. The average dates. This year, SOL predicts an early start. Last year one of the best PMD events in my river tenure. 2023 was very good as well. 2025? Will it be good? Boy, I hope so.
Time to get your Headhunter 2 Fly Line, in stock today, at Headhunters of Craig or online with the hot button above. The premier fly line for your dry fly fantasies here on the Mo and beyond. Made for dry fly anglers, by dry fly anglers.
Yes, I am hoping, thinking, dreaming, and wishing for a great week trout fishing on the surface.
Very few dry fly anglers in comparison to the nymph anglers today. Total numbers. I believe there are fewer dry fly anglers everyday. Less, not more. More entertainment anglers focussed on higher catch rates. I totally understand. I don’t follow that path, but I certainly can see the allure of using the net often. I too once loved to use the net a lot. Not as much, anymore.
“The longer I fish, the fewer fish I need to catch.”
Truth. More interested in interesting fish. Would not trade the path to get here. Nope. Enjoyed all of the stops along the way. This trout fishing thing…it is a journey. You can dictate the steps of progress, the successes and failures help us learn and grow. Similar to the life process. Most of those experiences add to the entirety of our life’s work.
“As in life, as in fishing; keep casting. Good things will happen.”
This too I believe in. Keep casting man. Keep casting. Not in a Johnny Castalotta manner. Not frothing in any manner. No. Look behind you, learn from the past. Look forward. Cast again using the information, the data, from the previous successes, and failures. Both are part of the way forward. A way to the next equation. To the next answer. To new successes. Keep casting. Keep casting.
We are so very close to the premier dry fly fishing months. June and July are it, for the surface oriented angler. They are also the two busiest months on this river. Respect other anglers. Give them space. Give yourself space. On this massive waterway, nobody has to encroach or get too close to another fly rodder. Do anglers, guides, and fun floaters get too close? Yes, certainly. Can we set an example for others? Yes. Have we all made mistakes on the water with boats or on foot? Yes. Let them be in the past. Let’s follow the Golden Rule as we continue through this angling life with proliferation of respect for others, outdoor space, and execution of mentorship in the hands of Mother Nature.
I am continually thinking of the mentors I have had and the outdoor leaders I have been fortunate to be amongst. I thank them daily, mentally; for the lessons, observations, and experiences understanding that one way to further these very lessons is one way to give homage and respect for those who have fished before us. Sharing is a wonderful thing. Having the opportunity to introduce the building blocks of outdoor maturity is one thing I am forever thankful for. That is my current mission. To forward the attitudes of positive outdoor behaviors.
Should be part of all of our Fishing Missions. Truly.
Pay it forward. This outdoor life. Only you can have impact on the youth. Do it. Take a kid fishing.
Practice that reach cast. Be good at casting accurately 25’. That was my chase to all of you this winter. If you can cast accurately, repeated positioning, known outcomes of your cat…you will do just fine here.
If you don’t have your reservations of the months ahead, it may be too late for a guide or local lodging. Start thinking about 2026. IF you need neither of those things, then start looking at the calendar and take midweek days off. Fish early. Fish late. Most angler fish bakers hours. It is pretty easy to fish those hours if you are local. I generally compare fishing when the rest does, to dining at 7pm at a restaurant and then being angry that there is no tables available. Well, no shit. OF course it is busy. Getting to the boat ramps when the rest are there, is frustrating. Change up your cadence man. Be smarter than the rest. Don’t go to the restaurant at 7pm man. It’s busy. Go early, go late. Pretty simple equation. Like 101 stuff.
Pretty wordy on this Saturday nite. Watching the Mariners blow another lead in the late innings. Won 9 series in a row. This may the the break in that good long run. Lots of things in my brain as of late.
Fishing with a long time friend and fish biz colleague this coming week. Looking forward to it. Will be fishing cool rods, trying a variety of line on existing rods, talking baseball, eating well with daily BBQ gyrations, and general tomfoolery. Another reminder today…fish with friends more often.
Spent some time teaching with another long time fish biz colleague last week. Just awesome. Learning and teaching casting helps me learn more. Enjoy more. Broaden the experience library.
I often think about the fly cast before sleep. Mental movies of great casters who I’ve stood next to. I play them over and over coupled with the sounds laughter and joy. Sunshine on my face. The sound of line slipping through the guides. PMD’s hatching from the waters, angling upwards past me head off to mating bliss.
The last 10’-15’ foot of line unroll on the forecast is what I am most interested and fascinated. That brief moment in time. That is the moment, albeit brief, when the adjustment of the line behind the fly occurs. I am so enamored with that moment. Letting the line path develop before the reach is executed. Man, that is what drives me to this day. Breaking down that fleeting moment.
And PMD’s, and fishing friendships, and time on the water. I am thankful and grateful. I recognize that these moments are fleeting and try to slow the whole thing down. To remember that these few moments are what we live for.
Maybe I told you this story before. Maybe not. It should be repeated if I have not. Fish with this fella from Butte Montana a day or two annually. Paul is his name. Last October he arrived mid morning asking how the fishing has been. I began with the the BWO’s are around, and few remaining Callibaetis, but the dry fly bite had been anemic overall, but stated that there are a “few moments that were pretty good.” He was walking away and turned saying, “Isn’t that all we need? Is a few moments.”
“Isn’t that all we need. A few moments?”
Paul, casting.
Carry on, readers of this blog. In 18th year of writing this fishing online rag. Harder to write as I have covered most all the topics I care about. 6600 articles/blogs/rants/fishing reports under my belt. Interesting topics come down the line less often.
But in no way has my love of the fly rod, how it works, the ring of the rise, respect for those who have fished before me, and the joy of the fishing spirit has not diminished. And for that I am thankful.
Still interested in experiencing a few moments on the water. Looking forward to my 34th PMD season here with Mother Mo. Feel very fortunate to make a couple casts with friends. A few moments…