Missouri River Trout Fishing
Monday was day 2 with Peg and JM. We decided to fish down in the canyon today so we could short-leash nymph with the hopes of finding some rising fish. JM poked a feisty rainbow on the first bank and followed that up with a better rainbow just downstream in a back eddy.
Peg tagged a brown trout in the next fast seam and we were off to a good start. There was some PMD hatching and we had some violent takes with PMD nymphs. Peg had a very brief dry fly session as we found a couple of rising fish, but by the time we got rigged, they were not working very consistently.
JM brought us into lunch with a rainbow off a big rock wall. In the afternoon we did a little dry/dropper fishing and Peg tagged the first fish of the Missouri season on dry.
It was a decent brown trout and surprised us all. Then JM and Peg doubled up in the next spot and Peg added another nice rainbow at the bottom of that bank. The fishing continued at that pace for most of the afternoon. It wasn’t lights out good, but we were picking up quality fish in most of the places that should produce. JM had a nice sequence with a hot, jumping rainbow in a big hydraulic and then a buttery brown trout around the corner.
Peg came through with the best fish of the trip off a fast bank. I was actually rowing away to get the boat out of some big boils when Peg came tight and I knew it was a big fish. She had to battle that trout through some heavy currents and big wave trains before putting an awesome 22+” brown in the net. She had another good fish on in the next fast spot that popped off and then our party came to an end.
Black clouds moved in with heavy rain, and we tried fishing that for a bit but then we had lightning all around and it was time to call it a day. It was an exciting end to a good day on the water. I knew the water levels had come up over the course of the day, but I was shocked to find out it came up to almost 2,000 cfs today.
We had good fishing, but considering the big rise in flows I think we did exceptionally well today. Peg and JM have been great friends over the years and I really look forward to getting on the water with them each season.
Missouri River Trout Fishing
Tuesday was the first of 3 days with long-time anglers Bill and Bob. I started my Missouri season with Bill and will finish it off with him as well. The river took a big bump yesterday so I figured our safest best for fishing and traffic would be at Wolf Creek.
We launched without many other people around and Bill picked up the first rainbow of the day at the bottom of the run below the put-in. He tagged fish in each of our next two spots and I was starting to feel bad for Bob, but that didn’t last long. Bob went on a hot streak after that as he hooked fish in every single spot the rest of the morning.
Bob picked up a couple of great brown trout along with several rainbows. Late in the morning, Bill got in on the action again too.
We doubled up with a pair of nice rainbows that made for a rodeo with crossed lines during the fight. Then Bill stuck a big 20″ rainbow just before we pulled into lunch. The afternoon started a little slow as we didn’t pick one up on the deep rig in the first two spots. Then we tried to short-leash a bank with no luck. We went back deep and both Bob and Bill picked up solid rainbows and Bob added another on the short leash rig.
Then it was another lull in action as we couldn’t find them on the deep rig and it looked like the other boats weren’t getting them either. We grabbed the short leash rods one more time at the end of the day and Bob added two more nice rainbows to the tally in our last run.
The morning was good while the afternoon was a little spotty. The guys still managed a good number of quality rainbows and browns from 14-20″. Considering the river came up 2,000 cfs today I think we did pretty well.
Missouri River Trout Fishing
Wednesday I was back out with Bill and Bob. The river came up a lot yesterday and rumors had it that it was going to come up a bunch again today so our safest bet was an early meet time and a dam to Craig run. We were the first boat in the water at the dam and the river was definitely moving.
I had to adjust our deep rig a little, but much like yesterday, Bill got us started with a nice rainbow and then Bob took over for a while. Bob stuck quality bows in all of the spots below the dam. I’ve never felt there was much difference between the front and back of the boat, but the guys were on the same flights and Bob just kept getting them in the front. That trend finally snapped just under Wolf Creek bridge when we started short-leashing the bank and Bill immediately hooked up on a nice fish.
Then Bob landed a super thick bow at the mouth of Prickly Pear Creek. We finished out the morning back on the deep rig with a couple more bows. In the afternoon I made a change to Bill’s rig with a much heavier lead fly. That paid off right away as Bill connected with the first two fish after lunch.
I got Bob switched up and then we found a run that was loaded. Bill picked up a solid brown, the guys doubled on the next pass, they each picked up fish on the next, and Bob closed that spot out with a huge 22″ bow that ran out into the river.
We went back to the short leash after that and the next spot produced a super fat 20+” brown for Bill that gave us a couple of awesome jumps. The guys continued to come tight on some great fish the rest of the afternoon. In every spot, Bill or Bob, or both were hooked up to hot trout. In the final two runs, Bill had a big brown that came unbuttoned on a cartwheeling jump and then Bob boated a gorgeous 20″ brown with the takeout in sight.
The river has gone from 7K to over 12K in the last few days but the fishing has held up remarkably well. Today was a banner day on Mo.
Missouri River Trout Fishing
Thursday was the final day with Bill and Bob. The river was predicted to rise again today, and the forecast called for nasty afternoon thunderstorms so we met early and headed back up to the dam. It took a couple of runs to get things going, and once again it was Bill who connected with the first trout of the day. After landing that thick rainbow we ended up in a run that was stacked with fish.
Bill continued his hot streak with the next couple of fish and then Bob got in on the action as we started hooking a couple of trout on each pass. The next run produced a colorful brown near 20″ for Bob as both anglers continued to pick off fish all the way to Wolf Creek.
We grabbed the short leash rod for a bit and stuck two on that bank and then had a brief double below Prickly Pear. We rounded out the morning back on the deep rod as Bob landed one more bow at our lunch spot.
Both Bill and Bob put a bunch of nice fish in the morning as just about every spot produced action. We ate lunch as thunder rumbled overhead, but fortunately, the bad weather held off and we started the afternoon on the short leash rod. Bob came tight on a rainbow right away, then Bill added a nice brown trout followed by another brown by Bob and then he finished off that spot with a 19″ rainbow.
Then we went deep again with several more rainbows before Bill set on a heavy fish at the top of a side channel.
That turned out to be a big male brown with a nice typed jaw. The action continued at a steady pace and culminated with a double on hot rainbows. After releasing those fish we looked up to see that we were surrounded by dark clouds with lightning and thunder not terribly far away.
It had been such a good day up to that point we decided to just float and see what the weather did instead of trying to wait it out.
The lightning continued and we had some rain but managed to make the takeout before the worst of the weather moved in. It was a great 3 days with Bob and Bill. The guys caught a pile of big rainbows and browns despite the rising water levels and it is always a pleasure to fish with them. Bill already has his Missouri dates for next year locked in.
Missouri River Trout Fishing
Thursday was the end of my Missouri River season. It is always bittersweet. I will be happy to get home, see the family, and start fishing dry flies on the freestone rivers around Missoula. But Missouri is such an incredible fishery.
I have seen so many fish, and so many big fish in the last 6 weeks that it really does spoil anglers and guides. I’m looking forward to next year on Mo, but I am also excited to throw some big dry flies and sleep in my own bed!
Tight Lines,
Tony Reinhardt
Montana Trout Outfitters
406-544-3516
