Nymphs are hitting hard on the Missouri River

Date
Sunday, 15 Nov, 2015
Water Clarity
Clear
Angler Traffic
Low
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The river flow is at winter levels below 3000 cfs. Nymphing has been a hot way to fish. The flies will be small, size 20's. RS2's, Purple Death and some Ray Charles are a good starting point. Now that we are into the beginnings of the winter weather the nymph rod will be your weapon of choice. Start the day with a normal length of leader to fish deep. As the day progresses, try shortening the length. During the warmest part of the day you may find fish in relatively shallow water. This weekend is going to be around 40 degrees.
 
Fishing Water Report
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Given its association with transport, commerce and business development, it’s easy to forget that there remain parts of the Missouri set aside for fishing, boating and enjoying nature’s ... morebounty. From source to mouth, it is the longest river in North America, over 2, 341 miles. The river’s watershed consists of over a million square miles and includes parts of 10 American states and 2 Canadian provinces. When combined with the lower Mississippi, it is the 4th longest river in the world. Whew! That’s a lot to take in. But, if you’re a fly fisher in Montana, the only section of the Missouri you really need to know about is a tiny, 40 mile, stretch downstream of Holter Dam, near the towns of Wolf Creek, Craig and Cascade and not far from the city of Helena. This is the “Blue Ribbon” trout section of the Missouri.

Water released from Holter Dam keep this section the river at a fairly consistent level, helping to maintain cool temperatures year round. Some guides describe the river here as a gigantic spring creek surrounded by weed beds with long riffles, great banks and undercuts that provide ideal habitat for the river’s substantial trout population. By substantial, we’re talking 3,500 to 5,500 fish per mile on a yearly basis – and many of these exceed 16 inches! The first ten miles of the river from Holter Dam to Craig tend to have the largest number of hatches resulting in the highest concentration of fish.

In this “gigantic spring” part of the river, rainbow trout outnumber browns by a ratio of 6:1. In addition, stable populations of burbot and stonecats live below the dam. As a bonus, the reservoir is surrounded by the Beartooth Wildlife Management Area as well as three other designated nature preserves and wilderness set-asides. Look up and there’s a good chance you’ll spot a bald eagle, various types of falcon, red-tail hawks, osprey and golden eagles – you may even get a chance to see them snatch a fish from the water. Shore side it’s not unusual to sight bighorn sheep, elk, and mountain goats. This may be an area small in size but its large in its grandeur and many offerings.
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Fishing Water Reports:
Size:
22 acres
Elevation:
3,858 ft
Activities:
Boating, Fishing, Camping, Hunting
Boat Services:
Ramp
Campground:
Primitive Campsite
Sanitation & Water:
Toilet
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