Logo: Great place to relax after a day of fly fishing on the Missouri River
Image: Missouri River Brown Trout...
The Missouri River is a tail water fishery. It is famous for huge blanket hatches of insects and pods of rising trout. Consistent flows and cooler water temperatures from Holter Lake Dam create a giant "spring creek" type fishery. Crystal clear water, from the dam, flows over thick weed beds. These weed beds provide great habitat for many insects. The Missouri River has a huge bio mass of aquatic insects. Midges, blue Wing olives, pale morning dunns, tricos, psuedos, several types of caddis and even some stone flies in certain stretches. Lots of bugs, mean lots of trout...Big trout eating on top! 4,000 trout per mile! Rainbow trout averaging 15 to 18 inches, with many larger then 20 inches. Although the rainbow trout out number the brown trout 5 to 1, the brown trout on the Missouri River get BIG.
Image: Upper River: Wolf Creek Bridge, 2 miles down stream from the dam
The 32 miles down stream from Holter Lake Dam to Cascade, has almost a dozen public access areas to launch a boat. Thanks to some very generous ranchers, an incredible amount of "walk in access". In fact you can step into the river just about any were on the first 10 miles. Gentle flows and pea gravel bottom, make for a wader friendly environment. The next 10 miles the Missouri River flows though the canyon. The river picks up some speed, there are some good rifles and runs, along with some spectacular rock formations. The only real rapids is Half Breed Rapids (class 1) a mile down stream from the Prewit Creek access. From here the Missouri River bursts out on to the prairie. This stretch can have some great hopper fishing.
Image: Drift boat fishing on the Missouri River, Just above the Mid Cannon acess. Mid Cannon is 3/4 mile from the house and makes a good place to finish the day. When you get to the islands, stay left for the ramp.
Great access, easy wading, lots of fish, beautiful scenery, fun places to eat and drink, make the Missouri River a fly fishing mecca. Fishing guides from all over Montana come to the Missouri to fly fish on their days off.... Speaking of fishing guides, if you are coming to the Missouri River for the first time to fish on your own.... DEFINETLY get a guide, at least for the first day.. Many fly fisherman like the challenge of figuring out a new river.. But if you have a limited time here...would like to catch more fish..learn new skills and float down one of the prettiest rivers imaginable...get a guide.. Local guides have fly fished the Missouri for years, usually a 150 or more days a year. They are intimate with the river, insects, fish, have all the right flies, and can speed up your Missouri River "learning curve" immensely.
Missouri River Fly Fishing Guides And Outfitters
Image: Lower River: Looking back on the mountains from the river between Pelican Point and Cascade
River View Guest House
Craig Mt.
Scott Yetter
305-304-6132
montanatroutbum@yahoo.com
Any questions I can answer for you? Contact me at montanatroutbum@yahoo.com
Missouri River Vacation House Rental Near Craig, Montana.
Other pages:
This is the text-only version of this page. Click here to see this page with graphics.
Edit this page |
Manage website
Make Your Own Website: 2-Minute-Website.com