Missouri River Fishing Report 5.10.2017
Fishing season is fully here and the Missouri River is where many fly fishers want to be. To the west, south and east, many streams and rivers are experiencing runoff.
While the Mo is slightly affected by some tributary inflows, it is a very reliable fishery. There may be a little more water this year, but the fish still need to eat.
More water moves more food and produces stronger healthier trout. That’s a good thing.
Nymphing
Nymphing is the go to method to put a bend in the rod. You can stick with a worm and a sow bug or Czech nymph, but the reality is that many options are on the table. There are lots of midges out there and the zebra varieties catch fish. Little Mayfly (18-#20 BWO’s) and big Mayfly (#12-#14 March Brown) nymphs are also solid choices in certain places. Caddis are now in the mix, so fishing a pupa is a reasonable option. Drifting a #14 or #16 soft hackle can simulate a variety of emerging insects.
In sunny weather, be prepared to run a longer leader and fish the deeper water. When the clouds roll in or a hatch is underway, you can shorten things up. There are many set ups that can get you hooked up. If you are not getting eats, change something. The fish are eating out there.
TFP Tufted Zebra Midge, TFP Mini Mo Czech, TFP Mo Zebra, Tailwater Sow, Rainbow Czechs, Worms, Crust Nymph, Green Machine, Radiation Baetis, JuJu Baetis, Hi Def Baetis, Lil Bastard, Shot Glass Baetis, Split Case BWO, Magic Fly, PT’S, Weight Fly, N40 Caddis, Partridge & Orange, Partidge & Yellow, Soft Hackle Biot BWO
We've got strike indicators and all those nymphs online if you need to grab some.
Dry Flies
This is not shaping up to be the best dry fly spring on the Missouri River. Increased depths mean fish are less likely to move up through the water column to feed on top. Especially when there is a conveyor belt of food drifting subsurface. That does not mean that opportunities don’t exist.
Side channels, inside bends and shallow flats are the key areas where fish will likely set up when feeding on top. Cloudy days or lower light periods and locations with minimal traffic coinciding with bugs on the water are the best scenarios to look for. Easy to find right?
Midge Cluster, Griffiths, Spot Light BWO, Para Ext Body BWO, Tilted BWO, Morrish May Day, Improved Sparkle Dun, Upbeat Baetis, Donatello, Quigley’s Sparkle Flag BWO, Para Adams, Purple Haze, AK’s Western March Brown
You can grab all those flies + floatant online from us if you need 'em.
Streamers
Brown trout can be voracious predators in the spring. They spawn in the fall and go into the winter lean. When spring comes around they are hungry and mean. Give them the opportunity to eat something big and meaty that looks like another trout, sculpin, perch or baby whitefish and unless they recently fed, they will try to crush it and eat it.
Rainbows are coming off the spawn and they are also hungry and ready to put on weight. While many rainbows get busy sucking food from the drift, others are happy to pounce on some meat.
You can stock up on streamers here.
Bald Eagle, Montana Intruder, TFP Polar Minnow, Skiddish Smolt, Sparkle Minnows, Kreelex, Conehead Krystal Buggers, Mini D&D, Barely Legal, Frankenstein Sculpin, Sculpzilla.
It’s springtime. You want to go fly fishing. We’ve got your resources. Hope to see you soon.