Spring has finally sprung the last few days up here in central Montana along the Missouri River. Geese are on the nests, green is starting to replace white and brown on the landscape...
... and the fish are waking up from a long winter. There will surely be more weather to come, but I have been doing this long enough to savor the warmth of the spring sun in Montana when it shows itself.
The fishing along the Missouri River near Craig, Montana is just starting to get interesting as the Blue Winged Olives are starting to be more and more prevalent each day. As the hatches begin to intensify with warming water and overcast days, trout will begin to key in on the BWO nymphs with increased insect activity. We have some significantly warmer weather and sunny days heading this way followed by increased cloudiness next week. I expect to see some March Browns and prolific BWO hatches in the next week or so, but I also expect water levels to rise considerably during this time as well.
The fly-fishing generally stays very good as water levels increase below Holter Dam on the Missouri River, this time of the year. Many of the Rainbow Trout are still in the tributaries, finishing their annual spawning cycle. As flows increase in these smaller streams with melting snow, these fish return to the river and begin actively feeding throughout much of the day. Active insects, hungry trout, and warming water temperatures make this time of year one of my favorites to be on the waters of Montana
I have a few openings this May on the Missouri due to a couple last-minute cancellations – e-mail me for availability or book online by clicking on the various booking buttons on the website. Be sure to select Specialty Trips and click on the Spring on the Missouri option.
