Snow on the Mo. Now, Sun on the Mo.

Headed into the weekend. Snow earlier this week. About a foot. The snow is mostly gone on this Thursday morning. We loved the moisture. Bring more please!

BWO’s are around. They hatch locally, and are not river wide or even the entire tun you may find them. Lots and lots and lots of the baby BWO, formerly known as Pseudocloeon, is now Iswaeon anoka. But I generally call them the baby BWO. And will probably continue to call them that forever?!

So the baby BWO is the primary insect with localized BWO emergences. The baby BWO is small. Size 22 or smaller. A translucent wing and no secondary wings. One of the primary differences. Many confuse the Baby BWO with a female Trico. I have read fishing reports locally here that have the two insects confused. Baby BWO’s come off generally in the afternoon. They come off well, as the bigger brother the BWO, during sunny skies. They do not hatch better when the clouds obscure the sun. Truly misinformation spewed by many anglers and it may be my mission to dispel this insect fallacy.

Back to the fishing report…

Flows are currently 3K ish. After the snow the Missouri River did not rise because of the snow melt entering the system. NOPE. 4 dams above us. An inch of precipitation does not move the needle. The three enormous reservoirs catch any of the possible runoff. The drier than normal soil, the ground, absorbs most of the waters/snow as it needs the moisture recharge. When the ground moisture is high, the snow melt water travel towards the river/reservoir/etc. The opposite happens when the ground/soils are dryer than normal.

I will say that the 3500cfs the previous 4 days has been wonder full. A nearly 20% increase. It shows.

Currently

Now back to reality. Water temps in great shape at 55F. It is GO TIME. Trout and insects alike enjoy the water temps in the mid-50’s. Everybody is happy. Anglers too.

BWO dry fly action. Whether it be the baby BWO, or senior sized olives, cripples are king. At least in my world. BWO Duns too. Autumn sz 16 caddis worth a shot. Maker. the first couple drifts count. If you are a fly cast guesser, fewer trout come to hand. Midge Clusters I bet will work as well. All of the fancy stages of life are appropriate int eh fall including your Transitional Duns, Captive Duns, and any other in-between stage you are fond of.

Captive Dun BWO

Currently

Streamer fishing picking up.

I have always thought that fishing reports are a funny medium. It is stating something that has already happened. For the most part. I report on my personal experiences with guests and myself, and what I hear from our fishing guides and shop staff, and from any one I may interface with during any given day. So it is old news. I write them, but it may not have any relevance by the time you or I return to the stream.

Swingers love the next couple months. Weeds are a nuisance right now. Scandi is back. Stop in for the best in Trout Spey Flies and gear at HH of Craig. Swingers Unite! Soft hackles, wets, and smaller streamer are finding them. Certainly better bite when the lights are turned down lower.

Nymphers? They find a way! Sows, tiny BWO stuff, flashy perditions in green, brown, olive, black.

12 Adams and a tiny soft hackle? Callebaetis Cripple in a 14? October Caddis in the film? Un-weighted leech cast with a Headhunters Montana Boat Line in the soft shallows, or swift ones for that matter?

OPEN Daily 8am-630pm. Guides, lodging, shuttle services, free fishing advice, fly lines, tons of flies strictly for the Mo, and so much more when you visit Headhunters Fly Shop and Guide Service in downtown Craig Motnana.