photo by Wolf Creek Angler
The fall fishing continues to please and if things remain consistent with the weather (and the bugs and the fish) fall 2016 will go down as one of the best fall seasons we’ve seen on the Missouri in recent years. Not that I have decades of seasons to compare it to but it’s the best I’ve seen in my time here and for the most part 2016 has been getting rave reviews from most everyone.
We had a great little taste of winter this week but things are back to normal (actually a bit above normal) today with cloudy skies and 60 degrees…perfect fall fishing weather. Rain is in the forecast as we head into the weekend. Temps will hold in the 50’s throughout the weekend and into next week. 50 -60 degrees on a dry day is nice. 50-60 degrees with rain and wind can border on miserable and calls for lots of layers and a very fishy constitution but most who venture out to fish the Missouri during the fall know the game and appreciate the challenges. The payoff is the potential for great fishing which is exactly what we’ve seen these past couple of weeks and which we will hopefully continue to see for the rest of the fall.
The nymphers and streamer guys (and gals) are all smiles right now and we definitely recommend these courses of action, the former in particular if you are numbers driven but that being said there are dry fly opportunities a plenty pretty much daily and while we’re primarily still dealing with itty bitty baetis that could all change very soon with cool temps and overcast skies and a chance of precipitation each day for at least the next 5 – 7 days.
I’ve heard the words “epic” and “biblical” bandied about this week in reference to the dry fly fishing in a couple of areas in particular and while I wouldn’t go so far as to attach these terms to what I’ve observed there is definitely some good dry fly fishing to be had and it should only improve as we head into the second half of October and close it out in November after which time we’ll stash the dry fly rods at least for a couple of months and concentrate on winter nymphing or swinging.
Best bets in your dry fly box right now? Parachute Adams, WCA Trudes, Sprout Baetis, Flash Cripples, Drown Spinners, Wilcox’s Micromay BWO, CDC Caddis Emerger and October Caddis if you’re clinging to the Dry-Dropper.
Nymphing has been a sow bug game as of late with tailwater sows, soft hackle sows and Granato’s Snack Nasty Sows all getting plenty of action. If you’ve got a favorite sowbug use it, it will get eaten. Czechs, Firebead Rainbow Weight Flies and San Juan worms are all a great option for a lead fly and zebras, Rainbow Warriors, Pearl Lightning Bugs, Gray WD40’s and Little Green Machines are all being eaten with regularity along with a host of others. There have been plenty of days lately with no adjustments to bugs or rigging necessary. We like those days…..especially when it’s cold and rainy and your fingers don’t seem to work very well.
Streamer fishing is good right now, not great, but definitely worth your while. Stick to the overcast days for your best chance at an epic streamer experience or throw them regardless of weather conditions if that’s your thing. We do. I’m liking Circus Peanuts in a host of flavors, Black/Olive Dolly Llama, Sparkle Minnows and Brown Dirty Hippies which we were completely sold out of a couple of days ago but as you would expect we are fully stocked with Black, Rainbow and Brown Dirty Hippies – get em’ while you can! I hear black Wooly Buggers are getting it done as well….we’ve got those too.
Rooms have been hard to come by and will continue to be for the next two weeks but we do get the occasional cancellation so make sure to try us. Guides are at the ready and the shop is fully stocked for fall with cold weather gear, waders, boots, bugs and much more. We are your Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing One Stop Shop with everything you need for your day on the water.
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