When to fish the Missouri River?
Any day could be "The Day"
The Missouri River can fish well at anytime during the year, but mother nature has the say on what a specific day will bring. Good weather doesn't always mean good fishing, and bad weather doesn't always mean bad fishing. I've seen it snow in August and be 75 degrees in March, the weather in Montana is somewhat unpredictable.
How the fishing will be depends on the current and previous conditions of the river and weather. There are a lot of variables that go into determining when would be the best time for you to fish the Missouri River. If you tell me how you like to fish, I will give you a time frame of when to come. If you have a certain time of year you want to fish, I will give you my best guess of what the fishing will be like when you want to come. I don't have a crystal ball to tell you when the best day to fish will be, but I can give a good idea of the possibilities for a certain time frame.
No matter when you come, keep an eye on the weather and come prepared. Conditions are always subject to change depending on what mother nature decides to throw at us. With all that being said, there are certain things that are fairly consistent year to year, and day to day. Shoot me an email and I will answer any questions you have, and give you my best guesses about what the fishing in the future will be.
The seasons of the missouri river
Spring
Starting in March we start to see midges hatching. April brings the Blue wing olives and skwalas, which can last into May. Caddis and March Browns show up sometime in May. The right conditions can bring on good dry fly fishing in the afternoons. This is my favorite time to fish streamers on the Missouri River. Nymphing is usually the most productive, which makes this a great time for beginners. We always try to avoid spawning rainbows the best we can, I don't row around spawning beds like some other guides. Spring is a great time to fish, the river is free of weeds and the fish are hungry and concentrated in certain areas.
Summer
In June the caddis get thicker and the PMD's show up around the middle of the month. When the water hits the right level the dry fly fishing can be fantastic for targeting specific rising fish. Water flow and water temperature are huge factors on when the best dry fly fishing will be. July brings the Tricos into the mix, the amount of bugs this time of year is impressive. The fish will at times be in "pods" of multiple fishing rising in the same small area. Mid June to mid July is usually the best time to fish to rising fish August can be good with hoppers and ants in shallow water, with less people around.
Fall
In September we are still fishing caddis at times, as well as hoppers, ants, etc... The dry fly fishing isn't as consistent as June and July, but some good days can definitely be had. Shallow nymphing(1-3ft) is usually the best this time of year. The fish are the fattest this time of year, and can be a real handful to get to the net. October brings back the Blue wing olives and the big October caddis. Dry fly fishing is hit and miss, but the nymphing can be fantastic. Streamer fishing on the overcast days can be good as well. Fall is a great time to fish.
Winter
In November we start seeing less and less bugs and the fish start moving into slower water due to the water getting much cooler. Not much if any dry fly fishing until February or March when the midges start coming out in numbers. Streamer fishing can be productive. The nymphing is typically productive as well. The fishing is more spot specific this time of year, where there is one there are many. A nice time to fish, days are shorter and the crowds are gone. It's chilly, but can be an enjoyable time to come fish, weather will dictate what days are fishable.