Great Falls Fishing Report 10.19.2017

The word from the river is that the weeds are declining and the BWO’s are increasing. They have been out this past week in numbers that make the trout pay attention. Pseudos can bring plenty of fish to the top, but their larger cousin, the BWO, is a bit easier to see and present. Missouri River dry-fly fans are happy about the way things are shaping up.

Now that the weeds are thinning a bit, the streamer fishing is fun again and the trout spey game is back on. While a few bits of weeds continue to flow, and a smattering of leaves are rolling along, the density of flotsam shouldn’t keep you from making some fishable presentations.

North 40’s Johnny Ewald was out playing with his two-hander recently. Despite a wicked wind, he managed to swing up a few on a TFP Balanced Leech. Others have been bouncing around between the canyon and Great Falls, finding plenty of willing fish on leech/bugger stuff and Kreelex style flash flies. We’re also swinging up a few on an October Caddis pupa.

We recently filled our bins with a fresh selection of Galloup’s streamers. Have you seen the Mini Dungeons? This is a perfect smaller articulated package for Missouri browns. We’ve got them in five colors. We also have an assortment of the full-sized Dungeons along with new choices in the Peanut Envy, Barely Legal and Nancy P.

If you are ready to get your swing on, we’ve got a fine selection of flies for the trout spey junky, including some fresh tube fly choices from Ishiwata. This time of year, you can swing some bigger stuff for aggressive browns, or stick to the smaller stuff for hungry rainbows. Stop by and we will show you some flies that are likely to get crushed.

Fish are eating a steady diet of scuds and sows below the surface, too. The water is still a comfortable trout temperature, so they are regularly found in the medium fast flows where they intercept lots of drifting morsels. Midday and into the afternoon, some fish will activate in the shallower runs and search out mayfly nymphs and emergers. Running a short rig or removing the weight keeps the fly hovering over these active fish.

The prescription for success right now is to fish how you want to. All disciplines are in play and provide good avenues for soaking the net. The wind looks to be a factor in the coming days, but it’s not a challenge that can’t be overcome. Currently, the mild temps and partly-to-mostly cloudy skies present favorable odds. Prospects for continued fall excellence remain for the foreseeable future.