the missouri river is my home river
I grew up in the area and have been fishing since I could hold a rod, and I started rowing boats before I was a teenager. I started guiding in 2004 on the Missouri River, and I have called it home ever since. I have, and still do guide a few other rivers occasionally, but the Missouri River is my home water where I do the vast majority of guiding. I am still here because the Missouri River has it all.
The Missouri River can fish well most any day throughout the entire year. There are many different bug hatches that change throughout the year and are very prolific. Depending on the time of year, and the section of river, it can fish like a tailwater, a giant spring creek, and even a freestone. There is a ton of food in the river for the fish to eat, it is like a food factory, meaning they are big, healthy, hard fighting, and love to eat flies.
The Mighty Mo, as we like to call it, is a great river for beginners to learn, and it can test the abilities of the best anglers. It can be fished with success in many different ways, and it changes its personality throughout the year, and sometimes throughout the day.
I love catching big trout on dry flies in shallow water, which happens quite often on this river. Not much is better than having a 20+" Brown trout in less than a foot of water gently sip your dry fly, and this river can offer that opportunity a lot of days. If they are not eating dry flies or streamers, you can always nymph this river with good to great success. No matter what your ability level is, or how you like to fly fish, it can be done with success on this fantastic river. I love the fact that you can fish this river in many different ways, often in the same day, and have success with each. Those are just some of the reasons that I love to take people fly fishing on the Missouri River.