Missouri River Report 4.25.16
Things are happening out there. Conditions are in flux. Tributaries are starting to pump. Fish are happy one hour and finicky the next. Water temps have bounced around a bit. Lots of bugs are in the mix or not, depending on the day. Midges, BWO’s, a few March Browns and even some Caddis down low.
What’s a fish to do? Eat a Scud, a Sow Bug, a Worm, a Midge, a BWO, a March Brown, a Caddis, a Crayfish, a Leech, or another smaller fish. They have lots of choices now. We have to figure them out. Crack the code on any particular piece of water and you can be in for some great fishing. Move a bit and you might just have to start over. It can be maddening.
I took Tom Larimer out on the Mo a week ago on Sunday, after our Montana Trout Spey Clave event. He’s made several trips though the area over the years, but has never been able to get on the water. He was beginning to feel cursed. So, we finally get on the water and the fishing conditions were a bit dodgy. We got some, but it was tough sledding. Rising water, falling water, snow storm, icy cold nights, followed by blue bird days. I heard lots of reports of tough fishing last weekend.
This past week, it warmed up and the fish got happy again. Then the weekend brought clouds, cooler temps and rain. I was out guiding on Friday. It was calm and overcast in the morning. The perfect script for a fishy spring day. I fished Dam to Sickney and the fishing was great right off the bat. A #20 Tung Zebra in the morning and then #18 and #20 Green Machines later on. Then the wind reared up and the afternoon was not so fishy. On my way home, I hit a sheltered spot from the road and got a couple eats on a size 14 Para Adams. That made my day.
On Saturday, I was out again and the boys did well Nymphing with a wire worm and Pink Radiation Baetis from the Dearborn to Mountain Palace. Fishing was good, but as the rain began to fall in the afternoon, the guys got a bit cold. I wore Simms, which meant I could fish all day in the rain. My clients were not as properly attired. They called it early, happy with the fish we’d caught and not willing to get cold to catch more. Sometimes it’s okay to call it early after a great start. We enjoyed the hospitality of Joe’s in the afternoon and Izaack’s for dinner. All in all, a great couple days.
April is always a bit of a wild card. BWO’s are hatching in good numbers. Midges can be thick. A few March Browns are popping. Don’t be afraid to nymph a caddis pupa or crayfish. Get creative. You might strike a chord. If you figure something out, let me know. We’ve got all the flies you need and the materials to build them, and given the variable conditions, you need some choices.