Missouri River Fishing Report - Land of the Giants in Montana Weather

Date
Wednesday, 11 May, 2016
Water Clarity
Clear
Angler Traffic
Low
Fish Caught
4-8 fish
Report
Windy, Snowing, Raining, and cold....but we prevailed the only boats on the water and it produced with Rookie Flyfisherman.

Quoted from them: "Best freshwater fishing I've ever done!"
 
Start Time:
1:30 PM
End Time:
7:30 PM
Flies
Nymphs
Name
Size
Sow bug14
Hot bead16
Fishing Water Report
The Land of the Giants is a short section of the Missouri River between Hauser and Holter lakes in Montana.
 (2)
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
We specialize in providing the real indigenous Montana vacation experience by using local Montana fly shops and fishing lodges to ensure the memory you have with us will be 100% genuine. ... moreGo Fish Montana specializes in the discriminating traveler looking to visit Big Sky Country and focus on the purity, fun, and enjoyment that only the Last Best Place can offer. As Montana outfitters, we take care of all little details so you can relax and enjoy our little slice of heaven.
1 reviews   0 comments
Accuracy
(5.0 of 5)
Completeness
(5.0 of 5)
Missouri Trip 5/11/16
Tyree was everything you'd want in a guide! Positive, helpful, extremely knowledgeable, and an all around awesome guy. If you want to have the best fishing experience possible in MT, I would strongly recommend Tyree!
Accuracy
Completeness
0
0

Discover Your Own Fishing and Hunting Adventures

With top destinations, guided trips, outfitters and guides, and river reports, you have everything you need.