Mid Week Update from the Missouri River Information Source
Hey good morning. If you read this blog stop on by the Headhunters HQ in Craig next time you are in town. Looking for alternate greatness? Tired of the same old dusty fly selection at Brand X? Yeah we are too. Come by and see what’s turning the heads of Mo River anglers in the know. Get your fishing report here, your daily river info, and buy your flies too. We support you, you support…
Flows 2970cfs.
Water Temps 51F. Trout love 54F-57F. Where will yo be when that happens?
Snowpack well above average. Does that mean we are out of the woods on this drought deal? No way. Not even close. Will the snow still in the hills prolong the spring season? Sure. Will the snow in the hills ensure higher flows throughout the remainder of the summer, or even in June? Yes, maybe on the latter, no way on the former. We are still bracing for very dry and warm conditions. While the cooler late spring temps and precipitation have been nice, it is not putting a dent in the long term projections. So, while all the snow water equivalent maps look good, and make us feel good for the moment, we are not holding our breath. At all. Nope.
Dry fly action
Afternoon for the most part. Lots of fish rising int he past week. Afternoons. The entire river has a selection of Dry Fly Opportunities.
BWO’s on the menu. Fish eating spinners, junk, and cripples. Half Dun Hatching is a great fly for this behavior. Also a posted cripple. DOA’s, Nemeses, Harrops, D & D, Storm Chaser, Film Critic, Last Chance Cripple, CDC Paraspinners, SOL like giant Adams. CDC emerges and soft hackles too. But we love the cripple here on the Mo. PS SO do the trout.
March Browns. Sporadic. Localized. All but done. The trout like the dun, or big cripple.
Caddis. Yup. Starting. Some good days this past week-ish in the canyon and beyond tossing the dry. More on the caddis later, but I will remind you that the trout love the fly in the film. Come by the shop for a tutorial on how to fish for them here, what to use, and how to implement success. Your information and education source in the canyon here on this blog, and in store, and on the river with Headhunters Guides. The fish are dumb in the beginning period. big fluffy and float for the first week. Then it goes to down-winged patterns.
Midge. Yes, But why with other menu items larger, more seeable, and maybe tastier for them trouts.
PMD’s. Spotted a couple this week. The best bug this past week subsurface were PMD patterns. Seining yields high numbers of them in most every spot I checked this past 2 weeks. In the column in a big way for the past month.
Nymphers
Mornings 4′ to split or not from bobber. Afternoons shorter if you wish. PMD nymphs are good. Sows still producing well. Big PT’s are good too. Come in and try out the vast Euro Nymph selection that are narrow, heavy and effective. We have several, lots, of patterns not tied on the jig hook. So we do have barbs on many of the. If you are looking for a barbed version of many of the flies you love, Headhunters has it on a regular hook. Yep. Caddis will soon be more commonly on the rig, but for now we are loving the mayfly rigs. Anglers all through out the river corridor.
Streamer Anglers
Killing it. Stripping at the bank, across flats, rub against some mid river structures, and get ’em. Flashy seems to be the key the past week. HH has the largest streamer selection on the river. Bar none. Get your new streamer line at HH as well. 1000+ fly lines in stock today. We have what you need.
Swingers
Dick Magill at the shop stated he has had his best soft hackle week in the last 5 years. I see a few other swingers hooked up too. Light rods, medium and small softies, and big trout. A good combo! Want a trout spey lesson or guide trip? Call HH for more info, or stop in.
Headhunters Fly Shop
Open daily. Early and late. Shuttles, guides, rental boats, the Best Flies Under the Big Sky, hoodies, sun gear, fly lines galore, and the information and guidance from your local fly shop you love!