Clark Fork River/Missouri River reports

   Clark Fork River -It fished very well last week as the water continued to fall. We had several great days of fly fishing using primarily big dries. There really aren't any skwalas left but the fish are still looking for them. Try a slightly bigger pattern, as those big fluttering stones should make an appearance after another week of warm nights. Pigs and skwalas don't fly. Those big willow stones do.
    The march browns have been out in force and the fish have been on them. Try a prince or sjw before the dry fly bite kicks in. An olive bugger has been a kick early in the day if you feel the need to pull something.
 
   Missouri River-Baetis! You can nymph like 90% of the dingbats on the river, or you can tie on a dry and cast to risers.  Oh, and you can catch them! They have been agreeable to a small adams with any emerger behind it. The #20 purple lightening bug has been a great dropper too. The lower river has been a bit slower, but if you stay above the Dearborn you should be in business.



   Hmmmm? A big orange plastic ball or a dry fly? I just don't get it.

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Missouri River Fly Fishing Report-Montana=New Siberia

Monday Morning

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I drove to the Missouri River sunday evening to guide some great folks from Calgary Alberta.  The Bow River is an awesome river but the fly fishing in Montana cannot be beaten. The snow began around Lincoln, Montana, and by the time I made it to Wolf Creek, Montana it was a full blown blizzard. I awoke in Cascade to 20 degrees (I don't know what the hell Celsius that is, for all of you Canadians) but it was cold.  My entire boat was covered in ice and the prospect of fishing looked tough. Canucks are tough folks and most of them have a good sense of humor.  So we went fishing. We were all rather skeptical but the Mo' rarely disappoints.  Oh, and we were the only boat in that section. Go figure.

This was our first fish of the day and it ate a dry fly. We caught a bunch more and several were as large as this, but one of our mates was nearly dead from hypothermia and we skated through the afternoon. But anyway, they will eat a dry right now on the Missouri. Try an 18 zebra midge dropper if the dry fly bite is spotty.
   No need to put a pink ball on your leader and chase it down the river.

Late last week we hit a spot of lake fishing. Try the olive bugger on a short strip. They'll eat it. If you start to get follows but no take, vary your retrieve until you find what get's 'em going.  A hare's ear under a tiny indicator will work too. Remember that they have a lot of time to check things out and 4x fluoro can help.

   If you don't like fly fishing in lakes, that's good. More for us.



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