It’s hard to believe but June is officially in the books. Summer is in full swing and flying by. The BLUR has commenced!

We’re in the midst of our busiest three weeks of the year with all of our rental boats out daily and scores of guide trips starting earlier and earlier to beat this scorching summer heat.

Our day starts on the early side of 4 AM in order to get all of the boats where they need to be prior to opening the shop and it’s not uncommon to end our day in the dark hauling boats and getting them cleaned up for the next day’s launch.

We’re currently under a Heat Advisory through 9 PM on Friday. Temps are bumping up against 100 degrees daily with minimal chance of precipitation. Night time temps are comfortable in the 60’s but even so, with the flows being what they are, water temps are on the rise. We’re currently looking at flows of 3280 CFS and water temps holding right around 62 degrees. Keep in mind these readings come from just below the dam. The lower stretches are likely considerably warmer, something to keep in mind when choosing where to fish.

Low flows and high temps have already resulted in Hoot Owl Closures on several rivers in the region and with no cool down in sight we are likely in for more. The Missouri River water temps in the upper section are still in good shape, nowhere near the 73 degree threshold which prompts those closures after three consecutive days however the lower river, as already stated, is considerably warmer and may very well be subject to Hoot Owl Closures at some point in the not so distant future.

With the heat persisting we are responding by trying to get our trips out as early as possible and also giving our clients the option of doing half days if preferred. If you’re on your own please consider an early start and early off as the fishing tends to slow considerably during the afternoon hours. Should Hoot Owl Restrictions be placed on the Missouri we will shift all full day trip start times to 6 AM or earlier.

PMD’s and Caddis are your dry fly staples with Tricos knocking on the door. PMD’s in the mornings, Caddis in the evenings and the nymph forms of both effective anytime. Dry fly fishing has been good enough to keep the DFO’s busy and there are plenty of big fish looking up, willing to take a well-presented offering. We’re seeing plenty of fish up daily, perhaps not the mega pods of old but definitely enough to make a day of it.

Nymphing has been solid everywhere with the best action coming from the shallow, faster water. Split Case PMD’s and Crack Back PMD’s have been the go-to nymphs but there are all kinds of PMD and Caddis patterns they’ll eat right now. Stop in on your way to the water and we’ll get you set up with the right bugs for the right times. That way if you end up having a tough time out there you’ll at least be able to rest assured it’s not your bug selection.

The shop is officially open at 7 AM daily but we’re usually underway by 6:30 AM if not before, especially as we move those trip start times up.

Make us your first stop on the way to the MO for fishing licenses, ice, vehicle shuttles, sunscreen, Simms SolarFlex sun shirts, Fishpond Eddy River and Low Country Sun Hats, Smith and Suncloud sunglasses, our signature NO PRESSURE NO ATTITUDE FRIENDLY SERVICE and advice rooted in DECADES of Fly Fishing and Customer Service Experience and the biggest and best selection of Missouri River bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

We’ve established a great following over these past 7 seasons but we still hear it enough from those who darken our door to continue to proclaim that we are the best Missouri River Fly Shop you never knew was here.