Water levels, Weather, and a short State of the Mo
Hump Day here in central Montana as we talk about Water levels, Weather, and a short State of the Mo.
Water levels look to be steady as we get the fresh monthly report from the DNRC and Stephanie Micek on the water level predictions for the current month as well as the remainder of the water year. Check out the chart above to see. 4200cfs is status quo for the remainder of the summer and fall.
The weather has been real hot. Today it will be a reasonable and seasonal 75F. A bit cooler that normal but our daily air temps have been about 10 degrees above normal. We here in the the greater Craig Montana area recorded 23 days above 90F in July. That’s hot. Average temperature for the Great Falls area was 92.6F. That is the third highest average on record. 16/100ths of precipitation in July. Not much. Not enough.
So how is the Missouri River faring in light of the information you dropped on us Squeeky?
Again the read on this is as Ninch says “As good as you are.”
Ninch says it best. The dry fly game is difficult if you are boot a schooled and willing to learn dry fly student. If you are kick ass, it’s not too bad. Tons of rising fish. But, they do disappear rather quickly even if you do the right thing. Some will stay around longer than others. We like those kinds of fish.
Fish rising in spots that they haven’t in many years. Pretty freaking awesome. John and I were out yesterday and caught a few. Some were easy,a nd some were difficult. I certainly made lots of errors. My hook set sucks too. Clusters big and small, Buzzball’s, caddis, spruce moths. John stated that there was nothing else on the water but Trico spinners and he is right. So not as much action on the peripheral flies like caddis etc.
“Some days all the trout eat are Trico spinners when there is nothing else for them to choose, Period.” says John.
Truth. That is what you get here on this very website. Honesty. For better or worse.
The nymphing game is hit and miss. As good an opportunity as nymphing can be the blind dry fly game. Ants and hoppers or caddis or a baby Chubby. That is the blind fishing game that is having pretty good success. Your catch rate searching the surface is as good as plunging the fly to the depths.
A short leash system? Yes indeed. Casting with some line speed to shake the incessant weeds is something that is desirable. If you are a weak slow speed caster you should not come out here. The weeds will drive you mad.
Snap those green clingers off the fly. Sometimes you do gotta touch the fly to get off that stringy stuff.
The nymphing is 1 tick above not too good. The dam is the place to get the nymphing game achieved, for the most part. Fewer weeds and more friends to talk to. Wade anglers, drift boats, and fishing guides will keep you cozy. Zebra’s, sunken Trico’s, small mayfly patterns, Cray’s, rubber legs, worms, lightening bugs, and anything else that Ninch, Sara, and gang points at in the bins.
That is the long and short of it this Wednesday. About noon in many parts of the readership. Go have lunch and take the rest of today off. Why not.
Call of rang updates as needed, lodging, guide trips, trout conversation and the like. Here in downtown Craig Montana daily from 6-9.
