The Missouri River AKA “The Mo”

Overview

Join Montana Fly Fishing Experience on one of the most famous fisheries in North America. The Missouri River is home to prolific hatches and thousands of trout per mile. All fly fishers should treat themselves to a few days on the Missouri River.

The Missouri River is the longest river in North America. It originates in the Rocky Mountains of western Montana, flowing east and south for 2,341 miles. Montana Fly Fishing Experience focuses fishing on the Missouri River from the town of Wolf Creek, Montana below Holter Dam downstream to the town of Cascade, Montana. This section of river is one of the most famous tailwater fisheries in the world, with literally thousands of trout per mile.

The upper section of the Missouri River below Holter Dam winds slowly through farm and ranch country with amazing views and continually changing characteristics. Bighorn sheep, Whitetail deer, Mule Deer, pheasants, and Merriam turkeys are often spotted along your float. Downstream of Craig, the Missouri River merges with several freestone tributaries and enters the canyon section. Hay fields give way to high cliff walls and rocky banks. Soaring eagles and other raptors glide above you, riding the wind currents coming off the cliffs. Upon leaving the canyon and fishing your way to the town of Cascade, the lower river opens up to the Great Plains with a myriad of channels and cottonwood bottoms to explore with your Montana Fly Fishing Experience guide.

The Missouri River is a year round fishery. Warmer winter days can produce great nymphing and streamer fishing. Winter dry fly fishing can be very good with midge hatches and fish eating bugs on the surface. As winter turns to spring, the prolific Missouri River hatches begin. Tricos start in April, and great mayfly and caddis hatches continue on into November. Terrestrial fishing with hoppers and ants can turn on in mid summer. There is nothing quite as exciting! The nymph fishing on the Missouri River is always dependable and a great way to rack up numbers. Dry fly fishing on the Missouri River can be world class. Float tiny dries to picky fish, or to hook jawed brown trout eating hoppers. Your Montana Fly Fishing Experience Guide will put you on the fish. There is nothing quite like seeing a big brown trout slurp your hopper in 6 inches of water!

Fishing the Missouri River with Montana Fly Fishing Experience has something to offer for everyone. If you are an experienced angler looking to target large finicky trout on the surface, or a first time angler wanting to catch some big Montana trout on nymphs, Montana Fly Fishing Experience guides have you covered.