Missouri River Fishing Report - Fishing Gates of Mountains

Date
Sunday, 10 Apr, 2016
Water Clarity
Moderately Clear
Angler Traffic
High
Fish Caught
20 fish or more
Report
Fishing is so good right now that I had 2 brothers who are 9 and 12 and they caught so many trout there arms were wore out at the end of the day!
we caught Rainbows in the 3 to 5 pound range all day. It should be like that the rest of the month.
 
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.
Reporting Outfitter
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Welcome anglers of all skill levels. We invite you to join us on one of Montana's finest fishing adventures! Owner Brian O'Connor has been fishing Montana's rivers for over 18 years. ... more

Outfitter # 5937
Reported Trip
  • Expert guide
  • BBQ shore lunch
Spend a day with Captain Brian O’Connor and his jet boat and fish the Gates of the Mountains. It is the best spring fishing in Montana. Known also as the Land of the Giants because ... moreof the enormous Rainbow’s you will catch, Catch’em large and many with over 7,000-12,000 fish per mile. This stretch of the Missouri River gives anglers of all skill levels truly a day to remember.
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