Trout Fishing the Missouri
Monday was the first of two days with local angler, Jim, and his long-time group of friends. It was 3 boats total and today I was paired with Jim and Mitch as we all launched in the canyon. A couple runs in Jim hooked into a good rainbow trout to get us started and then followed that up with a gorgeous 20″ bow..
Then we doubled up with Mitch in the next run. Mitch had the big one that got away in the next spot as a big brown trout broke off on a jump. The fishing was steady early and improved when we shortened up and started fishing faster water.
Jim tangled with a super fat rainbow trout in a back back eddy and then Mitch came tight on an awesome 21″ brown trout on the next bank. That spot produced 4 or 5 other nice fish before we all met for lunch. First thing in the afternoon the guys picked up 6 in one small spot.
We doubled in the next run and that pace of fishing continued. The cloud cover helped as the river was littered with blue wing olives and march brown trouts and every spot was producing for us.
The action was non-stop and the average size was impressive with a bunch of big rainbow trouts in the 17-19″ class, some nice brown trouts and few trout around and above the 20″ mark. It was only appropriate that Mitch and Jim doubled up right at the take out to finish off the day. The guys had 8 doubles total and an absolute pile of great trout in the net today.
Trout Fishing the Missouri
Tuesday we were back at it with Jim’s group, and after the action yesterday it was an easy decision to head back to the same float in the canyon. Today I fished with Jim and John and we launched under a bright blue sky.
The sunshine certainly didn’t do us any favors, but John hooked two and landed a spunky brown trout trout in the second run. The fishing was a little different early on as we didn’t find them in the same spots as yesterday, but the guys were still finding fish.
Jim hooked a couple hot bows in the next flat and then the guys doubled up in a side channel. John picked off two on the next long bank and then a fly change got Jim going as he hooked the next 4 including a big 21″ rainbow trout off of a fast bank.
That was a big fish in heavy current to fight on a small size 20 fly. The next back eddy produced a big jumping rainbow trout for John and then we opted for an early lunch as the cloud cover was beginning to roll in.
Those clouds got the bugs moving and the fish were definitely more fired up in the afternoon. Our next bank gave up 3 or 4 nice fish and the action continued to improve. Both the fast banks and slower insides were holding nice trout.
John connected with 2 big brown trout trout in the afternoon. The first was a gorgeous 21″ male that ate in a small foam pocket and the other was a fat 20″ hen off of a rock wall. Jim’s rod was bent often with heavy rainbow trouts in most every spot and he picked up a a solid 19″ brown trout as well.
We finished the day just like yesterday with a nice double right at the take out. Jim had another brightly colored 19″ rainbow trout in the net as we hit the ramp. The guys had 4 doubles today and good action from start to finish.
The other boats had very good fishing as well and it was a happy crew heading back to Craig. The Missouri can definitely spoil you with an abundance of strong 15-19″ rainbow trouts and a few 20+” bows and brown trouts in the mix as well.
Trout Fishing the Missouri
Thursday I fished with the owners of the Prewett Creek RV park where I stay each season on the Missouri. Dave and Jo Jo had never fly fished before but we always talked about getting on the water together and this year we made it happen.
We put in at Mid-Canon and went through the basics of casting, mending, setting the hook and then rowed across the river to start fishing. On Dave’s second cast a bright rainbow trout drilled his fly and he was hooked up before he knew it.
The fishing was on fire right out of the gate as Dave landed 3 rainbow trouts on that first bank. Jo Jo was getting eats too and working on her hook set. We all had a good laugh when the first fish she connected with turned out to be a tiny rainbow trout.
Just after that Dave had a big brown trout that broke us off on a jump, but there was a steady diet of rainbow trouts to make up for it. All of the faster water was holding fish, we had a bunch of strikes and Dave was picking up a decent fish in most of the spots.
Jo Jo didn’t want to get in the way so we didn’t get a chance at any doubles, but she connected with some hard fighting rainbow trouts in the back of the boat too. They did great today for their first time fly fishing.
We had a few big ones that got away, but Dave and Jo Jo landed a bunch of nice rainbow trouts from 12-18″ and one brown trout trout as well. I think they will be looking to fly fish out their back door a little more often now.
Trout Fishing the Missouri
Saturday I fished with long-time angler, Bill, and we were joined by his son Jeff for his first float on the Missouri. Since it was the weekend we met early and with the bright sunshine we launched at Wolf Creek.
We started off nymphing deep and the first couple of spots didn’t yield a strike. Then Jeff connected with is first fish and at the bottom of that same run Bill landed a big rainbow trout. Once the skunk was off the action started to improve a little and the guys were picking up fish in every other run or so.
It was decent but not great so I decided to make a fly change. After that the river came to life. In the next good run I think we hooked 5 and landed 3. The fish were red hot today and they were coming unbuttoned on big jumps and hard runs at times.
Just around the corner from that Jeff stuck two nice fish and then the guys landed a great double with a pair of rainbow trouts that were over 18”. Even though the fishing was solid I switched the guys up again and we went shorter with a couple of mayfly nymphs.
Bill boated 2 big rainbow trouts in the next back eddy and Jeff connected with a hard fighting bow that drug us out of the hole. After lunch the fishing continued at the same pace. The guys doubled in the first spot of the afternoon, and any back eddy or faster water seemed to be holding good rainbow trouts.
Jeff was completely blown away by the quality of the fishing as he was connected for most of the day. Bill landed the lone brown trout trout of the day in the run above the take out, and that spot yielded four more rainbow trouts as well. It was another very solid day of fishing on the Missouri with a bunch of big 16-20” rainbow trouts.
Trout Fishing the Missouri
Sunday was the first of 4 days with Jim and Gary who I have fished with for years. The forecast was for bright sun and hot temps. I wasn’t thrilled about the sun but decided on an early start in the canyon.
I wanted to make sure we fished it at least one day in case the warm weather caused the tributaries to blow out. We started off with a short nymph rig and the fishing was on right out of the gate. The guys doubled up in the first spot and Gary had 2 big fish on that bank that got away on us too.
All the right spots had fish and we had doubled 3 times by 9:00 a.m., the last a nice pair of 18″ bows. That fever pitch didn’t continue as the sun got higher. The fishing was still good, but they weren’t climbing on the flies in every spot.
We started the afternoon in style with another double on big fish. Jim had an 18″ bow and Gary netted a 19″ bow after a long fight. The bugs were starting to hatch and that made the fish active again.
The rest of the afternoon we picked up a fish or two in all of the likely spots. The biggest difference today was that the average size was down a little. I think that was mainly due to the bright sun. Jim and Gary stuck a bunch of fish in the 12-16″ range.
Some of the big guys were on the prowl as a number of 17-19″ rainbow trouts put on a show as well. We managed to dodge most of the weekend boat traffic and had a great day in the canyon from start to finish. Gary capped of the day with one final 18″ rainbow trout just above the take out.
It was a busy week with several other boats on the water for us. Most were first timers to the Missouri and everyone was blown away by the quality of the fishing. I look forward to getting back out there tomorrow! Still time to schedule your Montana Trout Fishing Trip – Click Here
Tight Lines,
Tony Reinhardt
Montana Trout Outfitters
406-544-3516
