Missouri River Report 9.6.16
Fall weather rolled through this weekend. On the Missouri River, the trout and the bugs responded positively to cooler temps and darker skies. I was out in the tempest swinging a two hander, covered in Simms G4 gear. It was just like fishing in Alaska. Cold wind, rain and rainbows. Instead of dollies though, I had a side of brown trout. Not bad.
September prospects are excellent. Anglers can look forward to more little mayflies, increased action on the nymph, aggressive fish to the streamer and cooler days on the water.
Want to see how the river is doing? Check out the current river flows here
Fish can sometimes be tempted to eat hoppers and big Chubbies on the drift, the twitch and the long strip. Cast to the bank in key spots or run your flies well ahead of the boat. Fly first to the fish for success. It’s kind of like fishing a strike indicator with a hook, but arguably more fun. Now is the time to fish the big juicy size 6’s.
Dry fly fishing is good if you like techy drifts to picky rising fish. Long leaders and stealth are the key to the risers. Trico’s are going to be hit and miss. Ants sometimes get it done. Caddis are always a possibility along with Callibaetis. Remember, October caddis are just around the corner. The tiny olives will soon become the major player for better or for worse depending on how you feel about #22-#24 hooks.
Nymphing results are very strong. If you focus above Craig, tiny mayfly patterns and zebra midges are productive and should get better as we move into September. Radiation Baetis, Shot Glass Baetis, PT Slim, PT Flashback, TFP Crust Nymph, TFP Tufted Zebra and TFP Mo Zebras are solid choices.
If you hate tiny flies, that's okay. Bigger stuff works better through the Canyon. Zirdles, Kory’s and Kraft’s Crawdads will get you locked on the larger fish some days. Worms, scuds and larger nymphs will catch everything.
Streamer fishing is good to great depending on the hour, the day or the water you are fishing. Lots of fish are chasing and enough are grabbing to keep the entertainment level high. They are eating many types of streamers. The flashy size 4-6’s are always in the game. The larger stuff will move plenty of fish too, especially during lower light periods. We’ve got your old favorites like the Coffee’s, the Polar, the Skiddish and the Kreelex. We also have some great new patterns from Fly Fish Food and The Fly Project.
Want to try out some new flies? Check out our fly selection here
I spent a couple hours testing some new rods last week. First up was the new Clutch React 250. At 8’1", it’s a short compact powerhouse for tossing streamers. I’ll be doing a review on it soon, but on first impression, I like it.
I also rolled out the 4wt Echo TR Trout Spey. My first swing was interrupted by a nice brown. That will make you like a new rod. The TR Trout Spey is just right for the Mo. Stay tuned for more info on these unique rods. I love fly rods and I love helping people pick out fly rods that will make them smile.