Friday BWO Image
Friday BWO Image Maybe some cloud cover today. We’re crossing our fingers. Have a great Friday. We hope it includes some baetis action for you.
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HH Guide Spring Prep
Most of our guides live here full time. Some guide elsewhere during the winter months. One thing in common? They all fish all year long. No hobby guides here on the Missouri River. All of the Headhunters Guides fish for…
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Fly Tying Night in America
Fly Tying Night in America Tomorrow in Craig Fly Tying Night in America. Wednesday at 6pm. A few gathered ’round the tying table. See you at the shop. Enjoy this Just Add Vise Tying Video Mozuri Minnow today. Order the…
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Missouri River Top 10 February Nymphs
Spring like weather has brought out the shut in February anglers here on Montana’s Missouri River. While many are swing the 2 handed Trout Spey rod the rest are tossing the good ‘ol nymph fly. Here is a photo hit…
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In Defense of Switch Lines…. Just Kidding.
Lately I’ve seen a resurgence in the dreaded “switch” line. Particularly on newer spey rigs purchased regionally. At our last clinic there were no less than 3 new outfits present rigged with switch lines. All were recommended as part of a rod/reel/line…
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Friday Foto Spey Day
Good friend Erich Bittmann and myself went out for a quick afternoon session Thursday. A couple hours casting and fishing from Stickney Creek to Spite Hill. Just perfect. A few fish and some good times. Enjoyed the mild weather that…
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Macroinvertebrates On the Back of an Envelope
If you like aquatic macroinvertebrates (river bugs), here are some “back of the envelope” calculations that may amuse you. The UMOWA 2015 Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Report reported that the greatest density of macroinvertebrates occurred between the Dam and Craig. The density…
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Sunday Morning Fishing Report Headhunters Style
Ever use a hook sharpener? A good idea if you want to increase your hook-up rate. A cheap investment for a giant return. Write it off as an investment in your fly fishing year. While cooler yesterday than the high…
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Rainbow Czech Nymph Video
Rainbow Czech Nymph Video Headhunters very own Fly Tying Kits for your winter fly tying consumption. Winter is a good time to tie up a box full of the #1 selling fly on the Missouri River. It is losing ground…
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2015-16 Spey Rod Lineup
Here is the 2015-16 Spey rod lineup at Headhunters for those interested in casting and fishing with two-hands. With the introduction of micro-spey rods in the last couple of years, we definitely are seeing a switch in both what we carry…
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Friday Foto
Randy Hicks of Rocky Mountain Angler in Boulder CO fishing with Headhunters in conjunction with the annual RIO Products trip to the Missouri. Randy fishing the Missouri River for the first time. He has fished many other Montana rivers and…
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Late September Missouri River Flies
Flies for the late September time frame. Fishing the last couple days pretty tough. Inconsistent for sure. Guides and anglers alike soaking their sorrows at both Izaak’s and Joe’s Bar the last couple nights. The water levels dropped a bit…
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I guess we’re starting Troutspey a little early…
It seems like everyone is Jonesing to Spey. We still have several weeks of great dry fly and streamer action left! You’ll still be in shirt sleeves 6 weeks from now! But anglers are coming by, asking for the “swing”…
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Smoke and Fire Report
Woke up early this morning and I could see the sky. Meaning I could see some definition, clouds, the sun itself. It’s been a few days. Very thick fire smoke has been plaguing North Central MT for a while now.…
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Fly Hacker: Camp & Boat Tunes
Whether it’s a casual float/fish day with the family, the front of a flats skiff, or around the campfire in Steelhead camp, more and more folks are taking their music/media into the outdoors. It’s so easy now. You’re iPhone can…
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Madison River Report
A brand new Otter Raft from NRS has been sitting on it’s trailer in my garage since May. Pathetic. Last weekend, Julie and decided it was time to get it wet. Our search for some good flows for a family…
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Dual Sport
The other day top-guide Nick Stipech invited me to go do a little Perchin’ up on Holter Lake. He did some recon off the dock the evening before and said it was good. He though we should take my Towee Calusa…
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Crowds. Your Choice.
I’m going to ride along with some of Mark’s recent posts and advice, like this recent article about July Do Not’s. July is the time of year that the fishing is great, but the masses descend on Craig as well.…
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Low Water and Weather – Outlook
I’ve long believed that extremely long periods of hot weather have a greater negative impact on trout and trout fishing than low water alone. We are heading into our normal “low flows” of summer. While we have enough to keep…
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Craig Caddis Festival & BBQ Cook-Off Saturday May 16th
Craig Caddis Festival and BBQ Cook-Off This Saturday in Craig MT. Parade begins at 4pm BBQ Cook-Off begins at 4pm. Silent Auction at 4pm. Live Music with Max Hay at 4pm Live Music with Rocket to Uranus @ 8pm. Live…
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Friday Foto Renegade Edition
Friday Foto Renegade Edition today on the Headhunters Fly Fishing Blog. Montana’s daily fishing blog from the Missouri River. Renegade’s still catch fish. Honest. This one caught by Ryan Smith of Avid Angler in Lake Forest Park Seattle WA. He…
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Headhunters Famous $300 Spring Special
Headhunters Fly Shop is in full swing with the $300 Spring Special. Yes, guided fishing trips and discounted lodging here in Craig Montana. Craig Trout Camp has lodging starting @ $125 and it has become very popular for this 45…
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Aurora’s and Chinese Spacejunk
A little un-fishing today at Headhunters. Which I normally do not do. Most of my ‘un-fishing’ activities are not blog worthy. But I’ve been creeping around at night chasing the Aurora Borealis with my camera this week, and got a…
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Back to Spey
Ok, I did a bobber report the other day. I hope you liked it, and that it helped you find success on the Missouri. If so, you should know that I made it all up. I only swing a two…
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Fly Tying Night in America
Our biweekly tying event is again in Craig tonight @ Headhunters Fly Shop. 6-8pm with Ninch, Max and Braden, Mark, and maybe additional Headhunters around. Come one come all to this relaxed fly tying affair. Watch this on Hans Stephenson’s…
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New Breed Chicks Rule Winter Edition
Carrie with this nice winter caught brown trout this last weekend. Caught it on the swing. Nice work Carrie, thanks a ton for the photo and keep on swinging! P.S. Randall and Carrie also lost a couple Switch rods…
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Silly Sunday Scenery
More snow over the weekend. We may be catching up for the unseasonable weather leading up to today. Oh, save for the two periods with high temps topping out below zero. While we may not stay for long this weekend…
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“Tailout” Steelhead Film by Scumliner Media
A cool film made by Scumliner Media a few years back. Enjoy it on this Monday. Hope you are enjoying it at home or away. “SuperNatural” – Tailout Teaser from scumliner media on Vimeo.
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Strip Strike or Sweep?
I released a new video, Switch it Up, featuring some two-handed fishing on the Missouri River a couple days ago. Last night I was going through a bunch of FB comments and shares in my inbox, and noticed that PNW Spey…
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Workshop Wednesday. Tying a Soft Hackle Fly Video
Cool video produced by In the Riffle about the proper way to tie a soft hackle. Many only wrap one full wrap as too many hackle fibers can minimize the effectiveness of this should be tied slight pattern. Enjoy on…
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Echo Glass Spey Rod – First Look
With the resurgence of fiberglass fly rods, it was only a matter of time before someone brought archaic glass technology to the two-handed market. Leave it to ECHO to be the first with a production model (there are some blanks…
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Headhunters Glass by Phil
This super cool triple layered hand made glass plate arrive this last week from our friend Phillip Allen from Pennsylvania. Phil fish with buddy John a few years back in conjunction with Project Healing Waters. We love you Phil. Say…
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Always Worth the Trip Video
Here is the latest video from Scumliner Media from some fishing from Mark and John on the Blackfoot River this past month. Get over there in the next week. Like this one and you may have some really good fishing!
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Howlin’ on the Mo’! Tomorrow Sunday Sept 21st 3pm
You coming tomorrow for the fall party of the year? We hope so! The menu is set with Chicken Skewers & Peppers, Garlic & Onion Burgers, Kosher Dogs, salads, chips and more! The Wrinkle Neck Mules will a lose be…
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DeYoung – Redfish Confetti
Here’s a neat video from our bud and famous Montana artist Derek DeYoung. You get to watch the process of a DeYoung painting in creation, and Derek shares a little story about Redfish, one of his – and our –…
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Missouri River Photos by Jon Covich
We had a visit from well known angler, photographer and tackle rep Jon Covich last week. Jon was taking his boys on a fly fishing trip through Montana before they had to go back to school. I asked these boys…
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Birthday Girl on the Elk River BC.
Today is Julie’s Birthday. You can’t wish her well face to face, because she is floating down the Elk River in BC (in the front of the boat, of course), sticking big Cutties on dries. Single dries. Julie making the…
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Team Headhunters Great Falls Voyagers Baseball Re-Cap
Yep we did it. Team Headhunters went to the ballpark last night and rented a Suite for the staff and the guides. Fun was had by all. The Voyagers lost 8-3. No worries. We ate well and tipped a couple…
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Friday Foto
All you need to get through the day here on the Mo. The fly patch says it all. A couple Trico patterns, a few subsurface jewels, and a few hoppers. Enjoy you river day. It is quiet today. Nice. Shop…
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Freestone Reprieve
Sara and I hit the Blackfoot the other day, along with my 9 year old daughter Adair. Rumors that some Spruce Moths were hatching had us up early and on the water, despite the fact that we’ve been working very…
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Silly Sunday Scenery | PMD Spinner
PMD Spinner hanging from the web of life here on Montana’s Missouri River. Happy Silly Sunday Scenery from all of us here at Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig Montana. Enjoy.
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Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 7.20.14
Late July and all is well. The dry fly fishing has been fantastic and aided in part from the false overcast this last week from the fires to the North and to the West. Now the smoke has been blown…
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No Fish. No bugs either.
A common wade fishers belief. That there are no fish below Craig. I do understand that the upper is classic wade water and that the wade fish opportunities are not as prolific downstream…but having said that, there are some ways.…
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New Breed Chicks Rule #879
Jan Lindsey with this nice brown trout fishing with Headhunters Guide Jared Edens. Does it look like we like to fish with women? Well boy we do. Headhunters loves to fish with both men and women. But the women seem…
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Happy Fathers Day!
Happy Father’s Day from all of us here at the epi-center of trout fishing in America. Yesterday Flag Day, today Father’s Day, tomorrow? Monday I think. Staying and fishing with us here at the Craig Trout Camp are Lance, Brian,…
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Skipping Rocks
Ninch, Mark and I headed out on the river yesterday. The plan was to shoot some video and get a day on the water together. An option that will be rare for any of Team Headhunters for the next few…
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Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 5.20.14
Welcome to the Headhunters nearly daily fly fishing report for Montana’s Missouri River. Flows still at 9K and water temps flirting with 50F. The tribs are still relatively clear and viz below the Dearborn, 987 cfs, is about 2 1/2…
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The Hutterite or Wrong?
A couple of our guide just love the Driftwood in Cascade Montana. A bar with a grill. In central Montana. And they ought-ta like it. There are not a large number of restaurants in our neighborhood. The Missouri River Inn…
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Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 3.25.14
The short fishing report from the info source Headhunters this morning. The last week brought us snow and cold temps. This week, starting today brings us much warmer temperatures and no snow. Just rain. Fishing is good. For many it…
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Stream Access Battles
If you spend even 5 minutes a week surfing around blogs, forums, FB & Twitter, you should at least be aware that Montana and Utah continue to battle small but powerful (well funded) lobbies and individuals attempting to shutdown rivers…
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Tailout | Scumliner Media
John’s video last year that debuted at Down the Hatch Video Festival in Missoula. A cold spey clinic today with lots of indoor action. Next week, outdoor action too. Although we will venture out for a short, and frozen, casting…
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Sunday Science – Salmon GPS
From WIRED Magazine – by Mary Bates Interesting read from the wires… how those Salmon and Steelhead get back to the creeks they were born in. Salmon Inherit a Magnetic Map Young salmon with no experience of the world, and without…
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Spey Clinic moved to Sunday
Due to the super cold temperatures forecast for the end of the week, we are forced to move our free spey/two-handed clinic to Sunday, instead of Saturday as scheduled. Temps on Saturday are forecast to be 0 degrees when we…
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Missouri River Montana Fishing Report 1.8.14
Cold ? Yes. Good? Yes. It really does not change much in the winter months. The weather changes more often than any other factor. Water temps wobbling between 34F and 35F. Pretty standard for winter months. Last year the water…
Read MoreBenny Hill Sunday Funny Film
Fever with Benny Hill and Dilys Watling. One of my favorites as a kid. Still funny.
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Friday Foto | Winter Seat
You may remember this image in the summer. It was warmer. Much warmer. Planning for your summer, your Missouri River summer of 2014? It is not too early. In fact, the lodging and guiding choices in June, July, and August…
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