Missouri River Fly-Fishing

Missouri River Montana Fly-Fishing Guides

Montana's Missouri River is best described as a massive spring creek with dry fly-fishing opportunities that anglers come to expect from a river rich in aquatic insect life. Missouri River Tailwater insect hatches include midges, blue winged olives, caddis, P.M.D.'s tricos, brown drakes and golden stone flies. As summer progresses, hopper and other terrestrial fishing on the Missouri River can be excellent. Its dry fly-fishing opportunities will challenge your fly-fishing abilities, this all comes together when you are hooked up and fighting a large Missouri River trout while using light fly-fishing tackle including 5X tippets and long Missouri River style leaders.

The characteristics during non-hatch periods on the Missouri River Tailwater successful fly-fishers can experience excellent nymph fishing and for those that want to target above average fish, streamer fishing is the way to go.

     Missouri River Dry Fly-Fishing

Dry fly-fishing on Montana's Missouri River is a great experience. For the most part, the tactic that we use is anchoring up above the rising fish and having our clients cast down and across to the target. This method accomplishes a very much-needed drag-free drift into the feeding lane of the unsuspecting trout. Fishing dry flies “blind” from the boat can be productive, this tactic is good when caddis are hatching but seems most productive when larger insects such as golden stoneflies and hoppers are on the water.

Missouri River Nymph Fishing

Because Montana's Missouri River is so rich is insect life, during non-hatch periods Nymph fishing is an extremely productive technique on this great Tailwater Fishery. Nymphing tactics can be broken down into two methods:

1. Deep nymphing
2. Shallow nymphing

Both are productive. Deep nymphing is generally fishing the middle of the Missouri River with an indicator, sometimes a split shot and flies are usually 4-6 feet below the indicator.

Shallow nymph rigs can be anywhere from 1-3 feet below and indicator or dry fly are used to fish the banks and shallow riffles. Both methods account for a lot of netted Missouri River brown and rainbow trout.

Missouri River Streamer Fishing

Streamer fishing on the Missouri River is very overlooked by both guides and clients alike. However, if anglers want to catch big fish, particularly large predatory Brown Trout, streamer fishing is the way to go. We usually fish streamers on 7 weight rods and 10-15 ft HD sink tips. Patterns vary depending on light, time of day and Missouri River flows.

Streamer fishing on the Missouri River can be a grind and it can also be fast-paced. Missouri River streamer fishing is not for those that seek numbers of fish but for those that seek "the" fish. Our guides are all excellent instructors and are more than happy to show our clients how to fish streamers on Montana's Missouri River.

Missouri River Fly-Fishing Season

The Missouri River fly-fishing season is year-round. Primetime on Montana's Missouri River is May through and into October with June, July, August and September offering our fly-fishing clients the most consistent Montana fly-fishing experience due to stable weather patterns and flows.

Missouri River Lodging

Missouri River fly-fishing lodging varies from standard motel rooms to all-inclusive lodges. Private guest houses and cabins are also an option.Click Here for Lodging and all inclusive Package info or Contact us and we will help you select the appropriate Lodging for you and your group.