Finally the time has come that all us river rats beg for all season: fall in Montana.  It’s been a tough summer since the snow burned off and the heat kicked up in July, but a few well timed weather systems saved our asses, keeping water flowing in the rivers and quenching the fires that inevitably come with the dry conditions.  Now we can see the light at the end of the tunnel: the nights are cold, days are shorter, and the Missouri is fishing like we know it can.

We spend a lot of time on the Mo during the fall months.  Anyone who has experienced a decent day here–not to mention those lucky souls that have hit it perfect– is essentially hooked for life.  She’s got you.  Guides included.  Fish start to stack up in all the right places to feed heavy on the fall bugs, Baetis and Pseudos primarily.

This fall fished well for us, though the summer moss hung on longer than we’d like and dry fly opportunities were limited.  Once the daily rig was determined, nymphs more often than not, the fishing was consistent and down right smoking hot at times.  Look for moving riffles and drop offs with the right depth, and fish were all over the place.  The dry or die mentality had to be kept in check, though, as most fish just weren’t coming to the surface reliably enough to target them.