Planning for Runoff
Planning for Runoff
It is inescapable when we have normal or high snowpack, and it’s a good thing. Rivers need runoff to flush out the old detritus and silt and to revitalize spawning gravels. Flushing flows are good for caddis, stoneflies, and mayflies too. Basically, fish need their habitat spring cleaned.
Unfortunately, there will be times, sometimes weeks, when some rivers and streams will simply not be in fishable condition. A couple of warm spring days followed by a rain shower can turn a river or stream into something that looks like a caramel macchiato. A nice treat for drinking, but not for finding fish in. So, what is an angler who’s frothing to fish going to do when the water has been frothed like a latte? Here on the western side of central Montana, we’ve still got some great options.
Door Number One
Door number one is the Mo. The Missouri River is a tailwater river, meaning that water flows are dam controlled. This generally means the river rises and falls by graduated degrees, giving fish and anglers time to make adjustments. Tailwaters like the Missouri provide the most consistent fly fishing opportunities during runoff periods. That is why the Missouri River can be a busy place during April, May, and even into June. Anglers and guides from Western Montana and neighboring states often choose the Mo as their runoff plan for fly fishing.
Fly fishing tactics for tailwaters? Learn more here.
What Happens when the Water Gets High?
Fish will always make adjustments and search out the most comfortable water and feeding locations. The inside turns of the river will often provide the cleanest water with less debris. When the water is deep, the banks on both sides can provide soft holding zones. Smaller channels will draw fish from the main river, as they increase in size and flow and become like small rivers themselves.
The water may be high, but the insects are still hatching from the same locations, be they in the middle of the river or along the edges of the normal river channel. The key to finding the best fishing lanes is to break down where the best food conveyance zones are forming. In higher water, fish will sit back and wait for food to be carried their way, rather than pushing up into heavy flows to find it. The soft inside turn after a big flat full of hatching mayflies and other tasty morsels is likely to be a winner. Fish will stack up in the easy water and chow down on a conveyer belt of food choices.
Nymphs, Streamers, or Dries?
High water generally means that the most reliable approach to catching fish is nymphing. Not only are fish less likely to rise when there is a lot of water volume over their heads, but that higher volume of water is also conveying a steady flow of food down near the bottom.
Nymphing? Browse our best sellers here.
Many fly fishers assume nymphing is easy.  That’s not always true. The most challenging part of nymphing is hunting the unseen. You’ve got to use your imagination to find the pods of fish eating under the surface. Finding fish eating dries is easy. You can see them. Finding fish eating nymphs down low requires deeper thinking. If fish are feeding near the bank on the inside turn of the river and the water is up and over the traditional bank line, they might be feeding in three or four feet of water. If they are on the outside bend or high bank side where the water simply rises up, they might be feeding at eight feet or even deeper.   You will need to try different zones and make depth adjustments until you find a pattern that produces fish. Once you lock in a pattern, you can seek out similar water as you work your way downstream.
Reaches of the Missouri River
What's spring fishing like on the Mo? Check this out.
Dam to Craig
The most popular section of the river to fish early in the season and during runoff is the Dam to Craig stretch.  In springtime, lots of fish migrate up toward the dam and can go no further.  At times, the numbers of fish in the first couple miles below the dam are staggering. Because of this, you won’t be alone, and you will have to fish with other boats and take turns working through productive zones. It’s not a fishery for everyone, but if you work your way in and go with the flow, you can catch lots of fish.
Craig to Mid Canon
Craig to Mid Canon is a favorite stretch for many anglers. The river will often pick up some color from Prickly Pear Creek above Craig, but a little color can also work in your favor. Nymphing and streamer fishing will both produce plenty of browns in addition to the rainbows. Once rainbows finish spawning, they will quickly spread back down river and they are hungry. By mid-May, voracious rainbows begin filling up many of the large eddies in this stretch.
Mid Canon to Pelican
As long as the Dearborn River is not puking mud, Mid Canon to Pelican is an excellent reach to fish for both scenery and good numbers of fish. I love the diversity of water in this stretch. From canyon walls and deep swirly holes to long flats to small rapids and open meadow lands, you get to see and fish it all.
Pelican to Cascade
From Mid Canon to Pelican is the most hit and miss stretch of the river. When it’s good, it’s good, but when the wind is blowing from the north, you probably don’t want to get caught out on this open stretch. This reach is best known for dries and streamers and generally not favored during heavy runoff. If Nymphing is your game, you should probably focus upriver.
Want to know what the current conditions are? Read the latest fishing reports here.
Matching What’s in the Drift
Runoff time means worms, larger nymphs, and crayfish patterns. Beaded San Juan’s, squirmy worms, and wireworms are always in play. Some anglers simply fish a double worm rig. Most will use a scud or sow as a second fly. The tailwater sowbug was the number one fly last season and is a reliable guide favorite, followed closely by the jigged hares ear and jigged pheasant tail.
The general rule on the Mo is to fish smaller flies up near the dam and fish larger down in the canyon and lower stretches. In colored water, a #12 nymph is reasonable. Fish can’t eat your fly if they don’t see it. Below the dam where the water generally remains clear, #16-18 nymphs are more common.
As waters warm up in May, the crayfish comes into play. The zirdle has been a hot seller and a popular fly the past several years. Some argue whether or not it represents a crayfish, but the fish love crayfish and they love the zirdle, so that settles it for me.
Need to match the hatch? Order online here.
Door Number Two
The buzz is starting, and the phone is ringing. Fly bins are being pillaged for balanced leeches and favored nymphs. Is it time yet? Yes, it is happening. Ice is finally releasing its grip on all the major bodies of water we like to fish in the spring.  The Missouri River features Canyon Ferry, Hauser, Upper Holter, and Holter Lakes. All are loaded with large catchable trout. Along the Rocky Mountain Front from Augusta stretching northward, there a numerous options including; Nilan, Willow Creek, Pishkun, and Antelope Butte. The famous lakes of the Blackfoot Reservation including Mission Lake will take you almost to Canada. Every spring fish exceeding 30 inches are taken by shoreline fly fishers in some of these waters.
People will often ask if the fish are spawning yet. In most cases, not right as the ice goes out, as the water is still cold. What they generally mean, is they are cruising the shorelines where they are visible. As the ice begins leaving, oxygen and sunlight begin to kick the food web into high gear. The fish are generally eager to bite and are in good pre-spawn shape. During actual spawning time after the water has a week or two to warm up, the fish will be less grabby. When this happens to one lake, anglers can often move to another one at a higher elevation and get back on the pre-spawn. Then they can drop back to the lower lakes again and work the post-spawn.
After the spawn, the fish are hungry again. Don’t think that fishing is over after the spawn is done and you don’t see fish cruising the shoreline. They are still out there, and they are often feeding heavily. The trout are hungry and super fun to catch as the water warms and they go on the bite to pack on the calories after spawning. Most of these energetic fish will put you into your backing. As May unfolds, you may need a float tube or boat to access the best fishing on the larger bodies of water as fish spread out and move deeper. May continues to be a great month on many waters and you can wait out the brown runoff while you are busy catching sizable trout.
Door Number Two Fly Choices
When the wind is blowing, as it typically is, using an indicator for depth control is a great way to go. Tie on two flies and let the waves do your jigging. If you get your flies to the right level, the fishing can be epic. There are lots of flies to choose from, but balanced leeches have become the overwhelming favorite for most ice out shore angling. Blood red is hard to beat and is a steady producer most days. If the fish get fussy, shift to black, olive, brown, yellow, or even purple and see what they like.
Don’t be afraid to fish more than one fly. I will often stack two leeches until I find the best color. Stacking also allows anglers to suspend their flies at differing depths. To stack balanced leeches, the second fly is tied off behind the bead of the first fly. If you are not comfortable with that, you can also tie the second off the same eyelet as the first. The key to maintaining the horizontal balance profile of the first fly is to have the second fly hanging in line, so both flies are horizontal in the water. The second fly can also be a nymph.
The red copper John is a local favorite and sizes #12-#16 are often chosen. If red is not happening, try green or even chartreuse. The venerable hares ear or pheasant tail are also popular. Especially the #14-16 jig versions. Many of the lakes feature prolific populations of callibaetis mayflies and these patterns represent the nymphs well. Other nymphs include the ever-popular San Juan or squirmy worm. Red, tan and purple can all be hot colors at times.
If the wind is not blowing and fish are a bit on the spooky side, hanging a zebra midge or chironomid pattern can be the winning choice. A #16 red zebra has taken many fish in the spring. Chironomid patterns up to size #10 can also find willing eaters.
Don’t Sit Out Runoff Season
Spring runoff might preclude you from fishing some of your favorite places but should not keep you from enjoying your spring on productive fishing waters. You can choose the Missouri River if you prefer flowing water or hit the many lakes if you want to hunt for larger fish. Runoff will be over before you know it and your favorite creeks and rivers will be in prime shape come summertime.