Floating the Missouri from Holter to Cascade
If you're new to the area or you're just looking for an awesome float to spend your day, the Missouri River offers some of the best floating experience around. Having lived here and being an avid fly fisherman, I've probably float this river more times than I can count. So, for those trying out the Mighty Mo for the first time or just looking to try a new area, here's a rundown of how to float this awesome river.
Holter Dam to Wolf Creek Bridge: 2 river miles
Want to hammer down on the highest concentration of big rainbows on the river? Float here. To get to the Holter Dam put in, take the gravel road on the west side of the Wolf Creek Bridge. You can row up until the buoys, and we recommend you do. River right after, the put in is referred to as "Bull Pasture" and is a very common wade fishing spot so be mindful of wade fishermen in this area.
The island on river right just past Bull Pasture is also a very common spot to pull boats over and wade. This section is very flat water, and gets all of the prolific Missouri hatches. It is great nymphing and dry fly water. The only down side to this section of water is that it is generally one of the busiest. This float can take an hour or all day, but we say plan on 2 hours unless you are just straight rolling through counting sheep in the clouds.
Wolf Creek Bridge to Craig: 5.5 river miles
The "Champagne of Dry Fly Fishing"? What does that mean? World renowned? For sure. That’s the famous term referring to this sections amazing dry fly opportunities. Although the whole river has great dry fly fishing, "the doors" on this section of river take on an almost spring creek experience. Waving river grass, and a sea of sailing mayflies during the hatches turns novice fly anglers who once threw hoppers and stimulators in to mayfly soldiers with chiseled abs. An experienced Missouri fly angler will often be the pickiest fly tier, and for a reason, the slick calm water, bright big sky sun, and choosy rainbows and browns on this section require it. Sometimes.
On the other hand, this section can be out of control easy to fish at other times. The caddis hatch on this section can be so prolific, you will be covered in them and in the evening, the fish sometimes seem to lose any sense of awareness and just eat. The float begins at Wolf Creek Bridge and after a slick and calm section, Prickley Pear Creek dumps in on river left. This can add dirty water during spring run-off, but can offer really great wade fishing the rest of the year. There are quite of few wade fishing access sites on this section of river so be mindful of wade fishermen.
The float ends in Craig, Montana, one of the fishiest towns in the west. If you want to have an apri fly fishing experience spend your evening there. The float can certainly take all day, but can be done in about 3-5 hours in general.
Craig to Stickney Creek: 3.5 river miles
Want to learn to become an amazing trout fisherman? One of the greats? Spend your time here and get your Bachelors of Trout. You can leave Great Falls after work and still float this section. You can work on all elements of trout fishing here, and you will need it to be productive. Dry fly fishing, nymphing, streamer fishing, using emergers, and swinging are all textbook on this stretch of river. We truly believe if you master this water you will "take your friends to school" anywhere else. Be prepared to be frustrated at times, and although you are trying to trick the trout, they will win as often as you.
The float starts by floating under Craig Bridge, with a slick on river right, and a rock wall on river left with a nice drop off and current line right in the middle. It’s all good. That section stretches out to a Madison river style ripple in to another slick ending at "Jackson Rock". Jackson rock is a stumper. You know there is fish in this giant toilet bowl of an eddy, but you will have to figure out how to get them out of it. There are then some nice wade fishing opportunities on the islands ahead. A giant slick follows the islands with some nice bank and current lines on river right until the bridge. Once you hit the bridge, you are back on the Madison river until the next island.
After the island, you can continue to stir the rumor mill about who owns, owned, what has happened at- the big house on the right. Stickney Creek take out is river right on the channel that moves right at the next island. Figure about 2-3 hours on this float, of course, you could spend all day depending on your stops, and the hatch.
Stickney Creek: Spite Hill: 1 mile
Literally "run" your own shuttle. Short float, if you float the whole time. However, this is a great float for wade fishing, spot and stalk. River right there is a great rock bank and current line. River left there is an island that spans the whole first section that is great for pulling over to wade fish. After the island, stay in the slick on the right or row river left for a short section of "nymphy" currents followed by some dry fly fishing back eddies you can’t find in the movies. Spite Hill is then just around the corner on river right. If you just float, plan on 15 minutes. If you catch a great hatch, then call home and let them know you won’t be home for dinner.
Spite Hill to Dearborn: 1.5 river miles
Brown Town - although rainbows and browns are everywhere in the Missouri. Once you get down to this section, the number of browns seems to get bigger. Unsheathe your baddest streamer throwing weapon and throw lasers to within inches of the rock bank that lines this entire section.
When you first put in at Spite, it is a calm and has an almost currentless looking slick. There is a current and the water is very often productive with nymphs or dries. The rock wall lines the entire right side which often is productive for all forms of fishing. The left side, same thing, but no rocks and a more gradual depth coming off the grassy meadow that lines the bank.
Once you get down to the houses on the right, after the rocks end, the river widens out in to a huge flat with a medium current. This can be a really awesome evening wade spot for dry fly fishing. The Dearborn take out is the gravel section on river right after the big trees and houses on river right before the bridge.
Dearborn to Mid-Canon: 2 river miles
Are you famous? Me neither. If you are and you are reading this, then we’re flattered. The "Dearborn Run" is. After the Dearborn put in, go to confusion city, too many choices and unless you are Popeye and row a drift boat like an outboard, you will have to choose. Row to the left to hit the rock wall before the Dearborn River enters, or stay river right and fish the perfect little bank that leads you under the bridge to the largest back eddy ever. The back eddy on river right fishes like its own little thing, it has its own current lines and its own bank and you better spin your boat around because plan on rowing the opposite way for a bit if you go in.
You can spend time in this eddy and it’s great for dry fly fishing and nymphing. However, el famouso is right directly across the river. It is the huge run after the bridge developed by the currents meeting from Dearborn and the Missouri. It’s very productive. Mucho suerte.
After that you will have many decisions to make right or left. This section, known as "Marshall Lanes", is great fishing and ends at yet another decision. It ends at an island and if you go right, which is amazing dry fly fishing you risk running in to wade fishermen from recreation road, but we often risk it. If you go straight follow the maze past Rhoda Island to the Mid-Canon, take out on river left. This float will probably take you about 2 hours.
Mid-Canon to Mountain Palace: 6 river miles
New York thin crust is to New York like this float is to Missouri fly fisher folk. You must know this water to sling coffee back with the legends in the fly shop on Saturday mornings. In fact, you better know every cabin, road, rock, deer’s name, and local. Err- ridiculous. But! This is a classic that anchors the middle section of the Holter to Cascade trout byway.
At Mid-Canon, there is a very shallow rock riff that deepens quickly in the middle and fishes well along the river right bank. That toilet bowls in to a big slick before the bridge and Eagle Rock. This fishes well until another bridge.
The next section is often misunderstood. The obvious rock bank on river right fishes well, but don’t forget to consider river left as well which, although looks very calm, actually has a steady current and is very fishy.
Pass the next bridge and the blue house on the right and enter a slick that is fairly shallow followed by an island and very long run at a place known as "suicide" because of the put-in that is only usable in high water on river right. The next rock bank on river right fishes well, but again, don’t forget to consider river left. This is not a freestone, there are fish everywhere. The rest of the float down to Mountain Palace is textbook. The take out is on the river left, so take the side channel at the island when you see the old Fly Fishers Retreat.
Mountain Palace to Prewitt Creek: 2 river miles
To be honest, this is not my favorite. Just sayin’, if it’s yours, please enlighten us. I will say that fishing can be good in this section, especially after the Hardy Creek Bridge. Take your time here and watch for the current lines as they are there. This float is short and should take about an hour.
Prewitt Creek to Pelican Point: 4 river miles
Leave the crowds up river. Welcome to "the lower." This is a Great Falls locals favorite. Less than a 30 minute drive from Great Falls, you can be on some very trouty water. Prewitt Creek put in starts in the very end of the canyon section. The first mile of water is up against some huge cliffs and the tail end of Tower Rock park. This stretch is an extremely good dry fly section and gets lots of major hatches.
At the bridge is the only significant rapid called "Half Breed." The tail out to Half Breed rapids is where Sheep Creek enters and forms one of the best runs on the river. The river then takes a couple turns of long shallow ripples with some good streamer water on the edges. The rest of the float open up in to a more open meadow atmosphere, but fishes very well. Pelican Point is the take out river left at the obvious point after the islands. This float usually takes us about 3 hours.
As you can see, there are plenty of spots on the Mo that are great for everyone. Float all day long or just hang around the area that works best for you. Wherever you go, you're always guaranteed an awesome fishing experience. So if you're thinking about heading out any time soon, make sure you stock up at North 40 and prepare yourself for a great time!