Fishing Reports

Anywhere from 40° to 85° will greet you on the river.  Cool nights, however, are the norm.  We can't remember the last time we had to light our wood stoves in August was, but we're not ready for winter quite yet.  There's lots of fall fishing coming your way.  Cool nights are cooling the river and heating up the activity.

If you like to throw streamers or nymphs, then the Mo is for you.  If you're patient and like the lower river, you'll find some serious dry fly fishing on cloudy cool days.  You're in luck.  We'll have a few nice days, but mostly we'll have cool with a chance of rain most days.  Watch the weather and pick your dry fly days accordingly.  There's still a few weeks before we swing into fall.  By then, it will probably be 90°.  Or, it could be like last year - bitter cold from time to time.  It's that time of year.

For now, throw nymphs, hoppers, ants, and streamers.  The fish are very fat and very strong.  Soon, you'll forget about hardware and start to throw dries.

Check out our web site's bargain center.  Our manufacturers have released their changed and discontinued inventory.  We have many, many great items for sale at near wholesale prices.  Get ready for fall!

What do you know?  A big change in the weather has made a difference in your fishing.  It feels and looks like mid October.  Clouds were down to the top of the cottonwoods yesterday.  Low pressure let some fish rise to the top.

It's great streamer weather.  Plain old olive wooly buggers are working their magic.  At the Dam, you'll get plenty of action with very large rainbows and browns.  The crowds that were jamming up the river below the Dam have started to spread out.  So, you can catch large trout in relative peace.

Pelican Point to Cascade has been frequented more often lately.  Two days ago, 10 boats covered this section.  Fishing reports were OK, but not great.  Yesterday, only 1 boat covered this section.  The anglers started out slow, but had a glimpse of what's to come.  Baetis, yes baetis, were out in solid numbers.  So was a sulphur colored PMD.  Most importantly, the fish were eating them off the top.

We're still in August and most of the time you'll be fishing terrestrials and nymphs.  The river is in great shape and is priming itself for the fall fish fest.  It won't be long now.  Cool and longer nights will cool the river further.  While some baetis have been spotted, they're still a few weeks out from being the real deal.  When they are................ you'll be here.

Weather will be on your side through Wednesday.  With the river at 4,600 cfs and 61°, fishing is generally good.  With the cloud cover promised for the short term, it could be great.

Down, down, down goes the air temperatures - 98° today and only 60° by Sunday.  Who knows, it could snow.  Expect mixed weather for several days with high temperatures in the 70's to low 80's.  So far, we have not reached 100° this year.  It has been a very pleasant summer.

Fishing remains good for the few that are fishing.  The crowds have cleared out.  The only busy section is near the Dam where anglers are catching many large fish on nymphs and midge larva patters.  We've had mixed reviews in the Canyon.  The Pelican to Cascade section is starting to see more boats.  Hoppers and Ants seem to be the hot ticket.  The ticket is not red hot, but it does produce enough top water activity to keep you amused.

Special Notice:

Help protect the world-class, multi-million dollar, wild trout fishery in the Missouri River. Tell Montana’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission by September 6 that you support a regulation allowing no limit on walleye harvest in the river between Holter and Black Eagle Dams.

Contact Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission by email at

fwpfsh@mt.gov or submit written comments to:

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, c/o Don Skaar, Fish Management Section Supervisor, 1420 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, MT 59601

Growing risk:

and trout. Reducing the risk to the wild trout population from predation and competition for space is reasonable and warranted. The proposed regulation would allow unlimited walleye harvest by anglers. It is a cost-effective tool for helping

maintain low levels of walleye in the river.

Biological data shows that in some years, the numbers of walleye in the world-class wild trout stretch of the Missouri, will likely increase as they move downstream from upper river reservoirs. Similarly, anglers report increasing walleye catches throughout the wild trout stretch. Walleyes are highly predacious. They eat whitefish, suckers, perch

Incomplete, unreliable data:

Walleyes tagged in the reservoir are regularly caught by anglers below Holter Dam and walleyes are incidentally captured as part of annual trout population electrofishing surveys. But there remains no clear, complete picture of walleye trends or walleye reproductive success in the river below Holter Dam. Biologists simply do not have enough data to accurately assess how significant predation by walleyes could be on wild trout.

Walleye implanted with radio-telemetry tags reveal that walleyes reside in this stretch of river.

Eighteen-month delay:

Young trout are the most susceptible to walleye predation. Montana FWP’s current methods for counting young trout are not effective in detecting trout less than two years in age. Escalating walleye populations could reduce young trout numbers for several years before biologists are able to reliably measure the effect in future year classes of older fish. And that’s why a precautionary principle should be employed: reduce walleye numbers before they escalate.

In-river spawning: Dearborn River has increasingly shifted successful wild trout spawning to the Missouri River main stem, where young wild trout are at significantly greater risk of walleye predation. A water year with early walleye-laden flushing flows over the Holter Dam, coupled with a summer of low river flows and elevated water temperatures could benefit walleyes and result in increased predation on young trout.

Eliminate walleye below Holter:

Walleye are not native to Montana. Yet, because of legal and illegal stocking upstream, they have been in the Missouri River for years at low population levels. Walleyes cannot be cost effectively eradicated from the wild trout stretch of the Missouri. The proposed regulation is a good first step to ensure walleye don’t harm the popular wild trout fishery of the Missouri River.

The proposed regulation does not pit angler against angler: 
Because of habitat limitations,

the Missouri River below Holter Dam will never be a high-quality walleye fishery. But it is currently a world-class wild trout fishery. Attempting to manage the river for wild trout together with walleyes, could lead to a diminished wild trout fishery and a mediocre walleye fishery. There are many other places in Montana where walleyes thrive without harming other sport fisheries. And TU and other support walleye management in these waters. However, there are few, if any, better places to fish for wild trout than in the Missouri River below Holter Dam.

Economic impact:

To review the proposed fishing regulation changes go to this link: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/regulations/tentatives/.

The Missouri River wild trout fishery is a famous and world-class resource consistently ranking in the top three waters for angler use in Montana. According to Montana FWP, angling in this reach of river annually generates tens of millions of dollars as well as hundreds of jobs. Further, property values along this reach of the river are tied to a high-quality trout fishery. Not suppressing the walleye population in this stretch could put at risk this significant economic generator.

Brrrrr....... only 43° this morning.  Steam was coming off the river as the river's warmth hit the cool mountain air.  It's not quite fall yet, but it sure feels like it.  Got fleece?  You won't need it for the next couple of days, but you will this weekend as temperatures plummet to the mid 60's for daytime highs. 

Many anglers are hovering around the Dam with good reason.  They're consistently catching very large fish with nymphs (midge larva).  Is that why you come to the Missouri?  If not, check out the canyon section.  Success on hoppers is a more common theme. 

We don't expect the river to come alive on the surface until we get into what the calendar says is autumn.  Still, with the cool temperatures and a river that is in great shape, don't count it out entirely.  For late August, the river is in prime shape.

It's late August and the river is acting like late August.  The weather, on the other hand, is quite pleasant.  High temperatures will only reach the upper 60's today.  As the week progresses, you'll start to see normal temperatures in the upper 80's to low 90's return.  Normal weather won't last long.  By the weekend, you'll see temperatures that are representative of fall.  The first sale of the day was a wool hat.

Cool temperatures are great for the river.  At 62° and 4,300 cfs, the Mo is in its prime.  The only thing lacking is the bugs.  Caddis are just about gone.  Tricos make up most of the bio mass.  There are tons of tricos, but very few fish eating them.  Instead, our fish are eating subsurface.  Midge patterns and traditional nymphs seem to be the best producers.  Hoppers hold some top water surprises.  Ants (Dan's Fat Bubbas) and Bloom's Flying Ants produce when hoppers won't (and when they do).

The river is fairly quiet with the exception of the weekends.  Most anglers are seeking the cool water and fat fish below the Dam.  The pleasure floaters that haven't headed to school yet are on all sections of the river.

Be patient.  The river is in prime condition.  When the bugs return, you'll see the surface come alive once again.  If you're a die hard dry fly angler, there's still some hope for you.  Think small and make the first cast count.  The lack of pressure will help improve your chances as well.

The river is acting like it normally does in August - with an attitude.  Sometimes you'll get them and other times you won't.  Water temperatures and a decline in insect activity are the main culprits.

Despite the fact that it is August, the river is in pretty good shape.  At 4,750 cfs and 62°, you'd think the river would produce.  It does, just not on small dries like it does earlier and later in the year.  PMD's are gone and Caddis are fading.  Tricos, Pseudos, and Midges remain in good numbers.  Will the fish eat them?  From time to time they will, but nymphing will produce far better results.  If you insist upon fishing dry flies, take your time and get it right with your first shot.  It's not easy. Hoppers and droppers - it's that time of the year. 

It looks like we'll see fairly warm temperatures into the upper 80's for several days.  While the river is cool for this time of year, seeking the coolest water by the Dam will yield the best results.  There's a few anglers out there, but overall, the river isn't crowded.