Caddis Sunset – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

I overheard some folks at dinner the other night proclaiming that the season is back after apparently having had a particularly good dry fly day, and while I’m not sure it ever really started to begin with it does seem as though things are coming into shape….just in time for the late summer lull.

There are bugs (tricos a plenty, lingering PMD’s and caddis in the evening). The water is perfect for wading (right around 5K and holding) and most importantly, there are pods of rising fish.

It’s happening much later than what it usually does but better late than never!

As luck would have it the summer traffic cycle has been normal. Prime Time traffic is over but Prime Dry Fly Fishing has just begun.

The boat ramps are quiet (relatively speaking), there’s an abundance of lodging and guide availability and the river is calling.

As if that weren’t enough, starting tomorrow we’re running our Dog Days of Summer Lodging and Guide Trip special. For the entire month of August when you book a full day guide trip and a night of premium lodging we’ll throw in a second night of lodging for FREE.

Does it get any better?

Keep in mind prime time usually books out a year in advance. Now you’ve got a golden opportunity to fish prime conditions on the Missouri at a huge cost savings with a last minute call.

We can’t make any promises about the fishing. It’s been good these past several days and hopefully will continue to be but there are no guarantees. The conventional wisdom is that tricos will continue through the month of August. PMD’s are all but done but terrestrials are about to become a major player. Caddis activity has been somewhat sporadic but is always a possibility.

Will we see epic dry fly days throughout the month of August? Time will tell. I expect we will see some good days and some not so good days, as always.

Give us a call today to book your Dog Days Special. You’ll have the potential for some awesome Trico fishing  and there is no better month to fish hoppers on the Missouri. Some of our biggest browns of the season are always caught on hoppers.  I haven’t even mentioned the nymphing since most of the focus seems to be on top right now but should you want to fish the bobber you’ll likely do just fine.

Best bets for nymphing right now include Little Green Machines, Weight Flies (gold or purple), Tung Darts, Psycho Mays, PMD and/or Rusty Magic Fly, Black Zebra Midge, PMD Redemption, Purple Lightning Bug, WD 40’s, Soft Hackle PT jigs, Red Headed Step Child, Dark Peep Show, Doc’s Summer Bug, Nitro Caddis Pupa, Pulsating Caddis Pupa, 2 Bits and various crayfish patterns (Claws R, Snapping Cray, Zirdle etc.)

Best Dries- Indicator Spinner Trico, Hi Vis Trico Spinner, RS2 Trico, Drowned Trico, Barr’s Trico Emerger, Trinas Hi Vis Sprout Black, Bloom’s Parachute Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, CDC Caddis Emerger, X Caddis, Front End Loader and your grass hopper or ant of choice. We like More or Less, Moorish and White Cloud hoppers just to name a few.

It’s also time to take advantage of the best deals of the season on  Simms sportswear during our Annual Summer Sale. 25% – 30% off men’s and women’s sportswear from Simms, Ouray and more.

This could be the best August we’ve seen in years. Will you be here for it?