Cold temps have the fish in full winter mode, meaning slow, deep, and deliberate is the name of the game right now. Focus on silty bottoms on the Missouri with heavy double nymph rigs fished low and drag-free, while spey anglers are finding success swinging flies through shallow, slower water. Pike are holding in back sloughs and responding best to slow strips and long pauses, and with some stillwaters like Holter still ice-free, indicator rigs, balanced flies, and stripped buggers are all solid options. Slow it down, and get it deep.
Here is the full report by The House of Fly:
Lower Mo
Missouri River Pelican Point Down
Dam Temps: 35.6°
Cascade CFS: 3,530
Ulm CFS: 4,820
Morony Dam CFS: 3,420
Fort Benton CFS: 4,520
Missouri River Pelican Point Down
With the cold snap hitting us, these fish are going to be sluggish, lazy, and looking for a good meal when eating. When fishing right now on the Mo, think silty bottoms. That’s where food will have nowhere to hide, and fish will be stacked up in those areas. Ripping a double nymph rig is key, for presentation and the necessary weight to get down. Start off by using a larger attractor- style pattern as your point fly: Wire Worm, Squirmy Worm, larger sow bugs, micro leeches. Secondary patterns should be smaller: sow bugs, small mayfly patterns, Zebra Midges, Peridgons. Letting these rigs roll low and slow, making sure mends are kept tight, and allowing the rig to fish drag-free is key.
Nymphs:
- Tailwater Sow Bug, size 16
- Skurp size 16
- Carpet Bug, size 14, 16
- MFC EpoxyBack Sow, lucent pink bead, Matte Orange bead, size 16
- Ken Morsih Sparkle Donkey, black 16, 18
- Radiation Baetis, peacock size 18
- Zebra Midge, black size 18
For Those looking to get out and do some double-hand fishing, spey has been an excellent option. People have been coming in with reports of fish sitting in shallow, slower water and eating swung flies. When using light tips, you must mostly rely on the flies weight to get down.
P. s., don’t be afraid to give your fly a couple of twitches near the end of the swing. Head out to Craig, stop at The Trout Shop. Our manager, Fred, is always in the “know”. I’ve heard he’s been swinging scandi lines…check out his report, too.
Spey Flies:
- Rio Extrovert, black size 4
- Kris Keller’s Yukduster, Olive size 6
- Bam-Bam Minnow, size 4
Cascade Down
Cooler weather is slowing the warmwater fish down. Find the pike in sludgy, back slough waters. Stripping slow and giving pauses during your retrieve is important. Getting the fish interested is one thing; getting them to strike is another. Picking flies that produce long, sweeping movements will help. Making sure flies suspend long enough to get reactions is also important.
Pike Flies:
- Buford Jr
- Dan Soltau’s Wild Thing Diver
- Jake’s Pike Bait
- Satkowkis Devil Tail
Stillwaters
Ice is still not formed on several stillwaters. I know Holter is still open. Whether hitting upper, or lower Holter, there are fish to be found. I’ve been getting reports of the typical indicator and balanced flies working well. But there’s no doubt in my mind that stripping a Woolly Bugger will put fish in the boat. If you’re in a boat and have electronics, find weedlines, transitional types of substrates, and channels. If fishing from shore, find differences in structure; points are always a safe bet, and when in doubt hit a boat ramp!
Stillwater Trout flies:
- Brian Chan’s Ruby Eyed Leech
- Phil Rowley’s Balanced Leech
- Chan’s BMW
- Phil Rowley’s Strip Tease Damsel
Photo credit: Marko Blažon from Pexels
