The frantic pace of June has slowed.

Crowds have thinned a bit with a good number of our seasonal regulars having already come and gone, most of them having booked their dates for 2024 which is always a good feeling from where I sit.

Flows are still running higher than what the wade anglers would prefer, currently sitting at around 8100 CFS. Most Probable outlook from the Bureau of Reclamation has us at around 5K for July so we should start to see things drop very soon.

PMD report has been mixed but the consensus is that sporadic is an apt description of PMD activity in 2023. Are PMD’s done? Not likely, but it seems we’re trending that way. That being said, I’d encourage you to keep that PMD box close at hand with plenty of spinners (Rusty has been $$) and cripples at the ready.

Evenings have provided plenty of caddis action…so much so that some of our most ardent evening floaters have opted out choosing instead to ply the wadable waters on foot.

Cornfed Caddis has been king, always accompanied by a CDC Caddis Emerger. Missouri CDC Caddis, Iceberg Caddis and Stockingfoot all wise options as well.

Tricos are here…just getting started. The fish have yet to key on them but they’re definitely starting to take notice. Two-Wing tricos and Indicator Spinners are a couple of my favorites. We’ve got plenty of both with many more to choose from.

Still chasing bobbers? Sow bugs, Frenchies, Purple Weight Flies, Little Green Machines, Split Case PMD’s, PMD and Rusty Magic Fly, Psycho Mays, Nitro Caddis, Translucent Caddis Emerger, plain old Pheasant Tails and Zirdles all attracting plenty of attention.

Streamer season is over according to the calendar but you’re still allowed to throw them and with the higher flows weeds have yet to get a real foothold so strip to your heart’s content.

We’re a couple of weeks out from hoppers but there are some naturals around. If you’re bored with the bobber replace it with a hopper. Drop a Pheasant Tail, a sowbug or a Green Machine and see what happens. You might be surprised.

Conventional wisdom says Hot Summer nights are best for throwing the mouse. I agree with that wisdom from a comfort perspective but I don’t know that the fish care whether it’s a warm night or a cold night and I know the mice don’t care so if you’re into the nocturnal game, cool nights aside, it’s probably go time.

It’s summertime and there is a tremendous abundance of trout food out there. You are right smack dab in the midst of Prime Time so enjoy it. The march towards winter’s darkness is underway and this will all be over before you know it.

We’re open early, 6:30 AM for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs.