The secret is out…fall fishing on the Missouri is as good as you had hoped and dreamed it would be….probably even better.
Traffic is up, lodging is full and though it is a super busy month on the MO’ you don’t need to worry about over-crowding. There is plenty of water and there are plenty of fish and while you should expect to see some folks out there you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your water.
Nymphing is crazy good right now. So good that more often than not this last while you have likely come away from the river each evening feeling like you are a better angler than what you actually are…..me too!
Fish are eating right now. They are eating nymphs, they are eating dry flies and despite what you may have heard elsewhere, they are consistently eating streamers. That being said, those who are into the streamer thing are well aware that they could dramatically increase their numbers by switching to a nymphing rig but that’s really not what we’re after.
We get a lot of folks asking what the HOT streamer is and while we do have a few go-to patterns we’re happy to put in your hands we encourage you to spend some time perusing the bins. There’s a lot going on in those bins, a lot to look at. Find the ones you like, picture the way they’re going to swim and picture that 2′ brown on the hunt chasing down that bug. If it’s not difficult to see this scenario in your mind’s eye then you’ve likely found your bug.
We’ll tell you what we know about effective colors and sizes and we’ll tell you what we’ve been catching fish on but ultimately it’s up to you to try to think like a trout and find your quarry.
Sow Bugs of all varieties continue to be by far the most frequently purchased bugs for the past week or so followed by a host of mayfly nymphs. Tailwater Sows (with our without the bead), soft hackle sows in gray or pink, Snack Nasty Sows, Firebead Sows…..I’m not sure it really matters which pattern on most days but #14’s or 16’s are the sizes with which we’ve been doing well.
Green Machines, 2 Bits, Military Mays, Magic Flies, Jujus, Rainbow Czechs, Rainbow Warriors, Peep Shows, PsychoMays, Zebras, Worms…tons of stuff working right now.
Keep your fingers crossed for big bugs and in the mean time keep throwing your Parachute Adams and Tiny Olive Pseudos and CDC Caddis Emergers etc.
We’re here every day for all of your Missouri River Fly Fishing needs and to answer a frequently asked question….we DON’T close for the winter so go ahead and consider us your year-round Missouri River fly fishing headquarters. More on-site lodging than anyone, the hardest working guide crew on the river, a fully stocked fly shop and a staff of two fully dedicated to doing whatever we can to make your experience on the MO’ and beyond a success. We LOVE this place, we know you do too. And yes, we do know how lucky we are to be able to live and work in this place doing what we love and loving what we do.
Thank you for making this happen!
Leave A Comment