FISHING
The Missouri has a reputation as a tough river to fish,
but that's not really true. Depending on the
season and methods employed, the Missouri can range from
very easy to downright frustrating. Tough fishing
on the Missouri is usually related to weather.
Strong, northerly cold fronts occasionally shut down the
fishing for a day or two, requiring anglers to do some
deep nymph fishing to have any success. Likewise,
long, hot dry spells can make for very tough dry fly
conditions.
Early and late in the season, dry fly fishing is very
consistent, and fishing is usually very good (sometimes
ridiculous!). Just remember to listen to your
guide and adapt to the conditions that the river
presents you. Fisherman who show up with
pre-conceived notions are sometimes disappointed.
While the
legendary Trico spinner falls of August can be
technically demanding, most anglers enjoy pursuing our
large fish on tiny dries. Once you learn to make
accurate, quick, repeated downstream presentations,
you'll start to fool these selective fish with more
frequency. Fishing dry/dropper rigs from the boat
is also an effective method during mid and late-summer.
Nymph fishing is good all season long. While many
angler come to the Missouri specifically to fish dry
flies, the fact is that nymph fishing will out produce
dry fly fishing most of the time. It is especially
effective early in the morning before hatches have
begun. During Spring and Fall, sub-surface
techniques are employed in the morning, then we switch
to surface presentations in the afternoon.
Streamer fishing is excellent on the Missouri.
Minnow patterns, crayfish imitations and gaudy
attractors all work. The moderate flows and long
banks make it easy to thoroughly cover the water.
Serious streamer fisherman may want to bring an extra
spool (or rod), loaded with a sink tip line.
HATCHES
Hatches on the Missouri are typical of most western
tail waters. Baetis hatches begin to appear in March and
continue through the year, particularly on warm cloudy
days. Caddis and Pale Morning Duns begin hatching in
June and offer some of the best dry fly fishing of the
season. The famous Missouri Trico hatch (actually a
spinner fall) begins in mid-July and continues through
mid-September. In August, maddening Pseudos begin
to hatch and continue through October. When cold
weather hits in Octeber, Baetis again become the
predominant hatch and continue into November.
Midges hatch year around. Hoppers, ants and
beetles are all present at different times of the summer
and fall.
THE RIVER
The Missouri below Holter Dam can be divided into three
sections:
Holter Dam to Spite Hill
The "upper" section of the river is also the most well
known. Easy flowing and loaded with side channels,
this section has long been a favorite with visiting
anglers. The average fish size is biggest in this
section, with Rainbows averaging 16-18 inches, and
reaching 22". You will find Brown Trout from 18-24
inches. Pressure can be high on the section due to
the tremendous amount of wading access. Hatches
can be less consistent on the stretch from the Dam to
Craig, but nymph fisihing can be excellent for large
fish.
The Canyon
From Spite Hill to Pelican Point the river courses
through the "Canyon". Prominent rock formations
tower above and the steeper gradient means a little
faster water. Several heavy riffles can be found
in the Canyon, offering excellent caddis habitat.
The old railroad grade runs along much of the left side
of the river, and more than a few 'hoppers inhabit these
areas. Terrestrial fishing is excellent, as is
streamer fishing. Rainbow Trout will run a bit
smaller, but you will encounter some big ones as well as
some enormous Brown Trout.
Cascade
The "lower" river, from Pelican Point to Cascade was
lightly fished until recently. Broad and slow, this
section holds some very big fish and technical dry fly
fishing from the boat is the rule of thumb. Hopper
fishing can be very good for a few weeks in mid-summer,
as can streamer fishing in the Spring. This is the
most remote section of the river, with no roads and a
few ranch houses along the float. There is no wade
access, so boaters tend to have more room to fish.
When the dry fly fishing is on, you will see as many
rising fish as you have ever seen (but they can be
tough!). Though it has become more popular in the
last few years, most of our guides have been fishing it
for much longer and are very familiar with the hard to
read water.
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