Fishing Report

PRESENTATION IS EVERYTHING

The fishing has been a little tougher with the wind to compete with.  Chris and Bart did a great job competing with it.  If you can make the cast and present it they will eat the hoppper.  The are weeds in the canyon but if you know were to cast it they will eat.  Bart did a great job expressing his perservance and was rewarded with this nice rainbow.  His buddy Chris has been trying to show him the ways of fly fishing and to throw away his spinning gear!  Thanks for the trip guys.

FISH THE CANYON

Are there weeds in the canyon-yes.  Are there big fish in the canyon-yes.  Is the canyon receiving a lot of pressure-no.  I have floated Mid Canon to MT. Palace the last 2 days and it is fishing great.  Hoppers-Hoppers-Hoppers.  It’s the best that I have seen it!  Katy and Christine wern’t intimidated by the canyon and they conquered.  They enjoyed the scenery and aggressive take on the terrestrial.  Thanks for the trip Katy and Christine!

HOPPER FISHING ON THE MISSOURI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopper fishing doesn’t get any better than this.  Floated Mid Canon to MT. Palace and it was on right off the get go.  Lots and lots of big browns up feeding on the hopper.  Not a lot of traffic either!  Seems as if the crowds have thinned a little with school starting and the pressure dosen’t feel so dramatic now.  Fish the soft seams and get the fly out in front of the boat!  Best hopper day of the season for me.  Call to book a trip at 406-253-8408

BROWN TROUT

Had a great trip on the Marias River today.  Not to hot but we did have quite a bit of wind to deal with.  That helped out with the hopper action.  Lots of great seams to fish and it was just nice to see something different.  If your looking to fish different water and have a chance at some big fish the Marias is it.  Call to book a trip today! 406-253-8408

Rainbow Warrior Madness!!!!

There are weeds on the Missouri!  I heard a guide say “it is what it is”.  I think this is a great quote because “it is”.  Your going to have to clean your flies often but you can still get them.  I had success on a UV Tan Chezch and a size 20 Rainbow Warrior.  Keep in mind that it is the end of August and those fish have seen a lot of flies.  Not a lot of bugs either.  A few tricos, caddis, ants, and I did not see a hopper today!  They work though.  When fishing is tough and I get to witness a 15 year kid stick a 19 inch rainbow-is it really that bad?  We caught 6 fish today, picked off a lot of weeds, and had a blast.  Thank God for the World Famous Missouri River!!!

Hopper Fishing on the Missouri!!!!!!!

You have to commit to it!  Keep pounding the banks and seams.  Lots and lots of weeds on the Missouri.  We had thunderstorm come through and cooled things off yesterday which helped the fishing.  We picked a few fish up on streamers.  (Foxee clousers, Muddler minows, Slumpbusters).  Not much of a hatch came off in the evening so we stuck with terrestrials (hoppers and ants) and it produced.  You have to commit to it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hot outside but fish are still looking up!

Fred and Ward did an excellent job with their perseverance stalking fish today.  It was a tuff day for the dry fly fishermen.  I think the fish are getting a little educated and with the 90 degree weather it has made the fishing conditions a little tuffer.  Spent Caddis and Emerging PMD’s and Cripple PMD’s worked for us.  Got a few fish on an ant!  We had our best luck by anchoring up and getting after them.  First cast is always your best shot!  Lots of dead insects on the water so think that way when your tying on flies.  Henry’s Fork Caddis? Spinners?  Throw it at them-Reach Cast-And present it!

It dosen’t get any better than this!!!

Fly fishing on the Missouri River was fantastic today.  I felt privileged to in the company of Molly.  She is 87 years old and a great dry-fly fisherwoman!  She has a great aggressive pick-up, beautiful reach cast and an outstanding presentation!  I enjoyed her stories about the Big Horn and Smith River.  To top it all off she wanted to fish her Sage 3 weight.  Thanks for the great day Molly and Fred.  They got after them with dries the whole day and it was epic.  Cripples, Spent Caddis, and emergers produced.

DRY FLY ACTION ON THE MISSOURI!!!!!

Those days you dream about in January were you want low 80’s, overcast, tons of bugs, and plenty of fish up-that was today.  Floated Stickney to Prewitt and had a great day with Doug pitching dry’s!  PMD’s (Cripples and Captive Duns produced) and lots of Caddis (Adults and spent caddis all produced as well).  It was great to see big fish up and ready to eat!!!

THE SMITH RIVER TRIP!!!!!

Just spent 5 great days on the world famous Smith River!.  I was fortunate enough to work for Montana Raft-Glacier Guides as they hold 1 permit a year for this fantastic float and fishery.  We had 5 great clients (Chuck, Tom, Bill, Bob and Greg).  Flows were a little over 300 cfs when we put on last Wednesday and when we got off at Eden Bridge the Game Warden told us that the levels had dropped a foot since we had pushed off.  We couldn’t have asked for better weather or fishing.  Lots of  Browns and Rainbows to the boat!  We were also able to observe a nice black bear along the river on the 4th day.  Thanks again to Montana Raft-Glacier Guides for the great trip.