Missouri RIver Fishing Report Headhunters Fly Shop Craig Montana 10.5.25

Updated fishing reports from your information source near thebans of the Missouri River from Headhunters Fly Shop. Yup, it is fall, and it is getting better daily.

The bite has turned the corner as snow fell this am and the precipitation total including sleet, snow, and rain coupled with wind are nearing an inch as the ground and bugs and fish and humans all rejoice.

3060cfs with water temps falling 2 degrees in this first push of fall weather. Winter? Not yet man. Let’s get a couple months of cooler and cloudier and buggier weather before the onslaught of winter conditions.

Out this past week and the fishing improved daily. Meaning the catch rate. The bugs did too. Baby BWO’s around. Hoppers still making fish move. Weedy AF. Not many below Craig. Lots of anglers and boats on the upper reaches. There are opportunities fro find your quiet location to fish. Fish below Craig if this is your wish.

Good BWO bite with my long time friend Brian Kozar this past Thursday. Meaning that we tossed BOW type flies. Mainly and namely, the lowly Parachute Adams in sizes 12-16. We didi find a few that wanted the smaller bug, but the rest applauded the size 12. I do love to toss the cripple as well. Just have not had to pull out the secret weapon yet. We love Poly Winged Cripples. CDC too. Sizes 14-20. A cripple pattern is one of the first to get tied on. Mergers too if that is your game. I once tossed the emerger most of the hatch, most of the time before and after the emergence. Worked great. Now I am in the cripple period of life.

Hoppers last week? Yes. The next week? Maybe?!

Snow this week? Maybe. But probably not according to the 10 day forecast.

Looking for the 5 good days of October. Sometimes they come in November. The past 4 including today very good for the dry fly angler.

Streamer anglers getting a good look at the fish too. Improving daily. Fool around with differing depths including the full sink line, the I/S3/S5 lines, and of course the intermediate sink lines. Some love the dry line for the streamer gig. I once had a guest, Brad, have not fished recently with him, but hopefully soon; who would bring 4 streamer rods with different streamer lines/depths. I thought he was going a bit too far. Well, no longer do I think that. I am at 3 depths/densities. And looking for the 4th. Getting into those deeper buckets and holes and runs is imperative in lower water conditions with often high and bright skies. BE prepared for the battle.

Lots of guide trips out this month. Want to get on board and have one of our tenured long time guides row you around for the day or week? We have them available. Many of your, and ours, favorite seasons. The fall should be 6 months long? No? OK. But we do believe that overcast, damp, cooler air temps with a dry fly rod and streamer rod in tow is one of the finer periods of the 4 wonderful seasons! Call our hotline today 406-235-3447 for an up to the minute report or to book any lodging or guide trips.