Great Falls, Montana Fishing Report 05.30.19
Water, water everywhere, but not a place to fish. That’s not true, but the options are more limited after the rain and snowmelt came roaring down over Memorial weekend. The Dearborn, Sun and anything off the Rocky Mountain Front will come down quickly but are definitely off the table for now. Folks trying to get to some of the lakes on the front got shut off from Hwy 287 west of Augusta and Hwy 21 coming up from Simms. Elk Creek flooded again. Hopefully, roads will be open by the weekend.
On the Little Belt side, waters only came up a little. So, streams to the east are going to be in shape much faster. There have been some pretty good reports. Waters are high, and mobility is limited, but fishing is good.
Current Conditions
Missouri River below Holter Dam - The flows have bumped back to 8K. Little Prickly Pear and the Dearborn are putting in some color after the additional weekend flush, but they are quickly coming down again. Now the wild card is switching from rain to heat. Warming temperatures are going to bring down remaining snows. It’s hard to say how it’s all going to shake out in the near future. The only thing for certain is that the only way to catch fish is to go fishing. As waters clear below the Dearborn, there are going to be lots of hungry unpressured fish ready to snap.
Creeks and Smaller Rivers, Belt Creek near Monarch, MT - Drifting any of the pat’s rubber legs or double bead rubber legs are hard to beat. Caddis have been popping and salmonflies are coming soon.
Ponds and Reservoirs - Callibaetis (mayflies) have begun to hatch daily. If you can’t find rising fish on the rivers, you should think about hitting the flat water. Balanced leeches, jig PT’s and jig hares ear nymphs can also be effective.
Smith River near Eden, MT - If you have a permitted trip planned this spring, check out our Guide to floating the Smith River. Then stop in for your flies and supplies. San Juan worms, rubber legs, and hot double bead stones and JJ’s are standbys. We’ve got you covered with camping gear, bear fence, and bear approved coolers.
Pike - Pike are roaming the Missouri, Marias and Sun Rivers along with reservoirs like Pishkin, Francis, and Tiber. They should be past the spawn now and ready to rumble. You can also look for Tiger Muskie at Willow Creek and Ackley Reservoirs. We have over 20 predator fly patterns to choose from along with leaders and bite tippets. If you need a new 8 or 9-weight rod and pike/musky fly line, we’ve got you covered there as well.
Match the Hatch
More bugs are coming into season, and a big player throughout the late spring and into the summer are the caddis. Make sure you’ve got your caddis box ready with pupa, emerger, adult, and spent patterns. Soft hackles and pupa patterns are often very effective when waters are high, and the fish are not rising.
On the mayfly side, bwos, March browns, and grey drakes have been out on both the Missouri and on the smaller streams. You’ll want to make sure you have both nymphs and adults to follow these hatches.
Need to fill the box before you go? Order flies online here.
Tips and Techniques
If you float the Missouri this weekend, don’t start at 9:00 a.m. Wait until noon or even afternoon and fish until dark. The river and landings at the dam, Wolf Creek Bridge, and Craig will be very busy during peak hours. Later in the day, you’ll have a much more peaceful float. Try a sow bug.
Did you know...
Regardless of how your fishing day turns out, stop into Izaak’s in Craig for barbeque nachos and a cold draft beer. You’ll be glad you did. Just make sure to visit Wednesday through Sunday. They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Want to win a Winston rod? Stop into North 40 Outfitters on Saturday, June 15. Simply cast a Winston fly rod and fill out the raffle for your chance to win two Winston Rods of your choice.
See past reports from the Great Falls region here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.