I've talked about this in previous posting but I'm going to revisit it for the sake of this series. People ask all the time, "When is the best time to come to the Missouri?"
It's not just the Missouri, it's any river or destination in Montana and the time of the year can either make or break a vacation based on what each angler wants to accomplish. Timing is so important but again, everyone in the group has a different expectation for fishing and different times of the year can offer different but equally rewarded experiences. There are a few questions to ask before I can answer the question.
First things first, are you a serious angler or are you a "fare weather anger?" A lot of guys bring their wives out and even kids and although they might be having a blast boating 30 fish in the rain and snow, their spouse is miserable and they can't wait to get out of the boat and back to the lodge where the fire is stoked and the hot totties are, well...HOT.
You can't underestimate the importance of how each person defines a good time fishing. For a lot of people, kids especially, being able to get into fish quickly is important but no amount of fish are going to make a good day out of 15 degrees and snow. For some, catching a few fish on a sunny day, taking in the scenery and catching a better tan than a better brown would be much more enjoyable and may get them to want to come back. If their experience is always having to fight miserable weather, you might be spending your vacations at Disneyland from now on.
Taking this into consideration, there is always that reality that weather in Montana can be incredibly unpredictable. I've seen it snow in every month out here except July. However, if weather is something you, or anyone else in the group are concerned about, then July and August are your best bets. Just remember though, that a lot of people book in July and the hotter it gets, the tougher the fishing can be so there are trade-offs.
June and early July can be the best as far as bugs go on the Mo but that also means more people on the river. If you're the kind of angler that doesn't like crowds, you might want to consider the fact that as a river get's a reputation for certain hatches, hoards of people often follow those hatches. Take for instance, the Bitterroot and the skwala hatch. It used to be a blast going over there in March and early April to chase those stoneflies but now I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole, (or nine footer for that matter.) It get's crazy busy and although the fishing can be good if you're one of the first boats on, it's just not worth it to me.
Some anglers are willing to roll the dice on weather and on hatches, which opens up a lot of opportunities for great fishing without a ton of folks to compete with. I've had great fishing in February on the Missouri fishing streamers and nymphing. Sometimes when the weather is right, afternoon midges can bring those lethargic fish up as well. It definitely takes a little local knowledge for when and where the fish are holding and what they're willing to move to but it can be good all the way into March and April with hardly a boat to contend with.
If you're looking for dry fly fishing, some of my best days have been in early spring on midges. The fish are happy and they haven't been pounded. April and May can get pretty crazy with the right conditions but even with high sun and less than ideal weather for hatches, the nymph fishing is almost always good at that time. As we move into May we get more mayflies and eventually, the caddis start popping. The dry fly fishing picks up but again, so does the pressure. The beauty of the Missouri is that there is 35 miles of great fishing and it's a huge river so if you're willing to work a little bit, the traffic isn't too bad.
June is the biggest gamble in my opinion. The hatches can be insane and the fishing can be amazing but you could also hit it in between hatches and it can be tough. Also, changing water conditions with run-off can throw a wrench into your plans. Typically, because the Missouri is a tail-water, the flows don't fluctuate so much that it doesn't fish but you may have to adapt. Just remember though, when all the other rivers are blown out with spring run-off, the Missouri might be the only game in town. Recently this has meant everybody and their brothers are making the big migration to Craig and the Missouri can resemble rush-hour traffic in Chicago. Again, there are ways of avoiding those crowds with a little local knowledge and if you're willing to sacrifice solitude for fishing, then no problem.
August on the Missouri can be a sleeper month so don't count it out. The last few years, the fishing in August on the Mo has been pretty fricken phenomenal if you're willing to do what it takes to catch fish. The weather is pretty predictable at that time and the crowds are gone. As for hatches, early morning trico action can be insane and fish will eat well into the afternoon. Those are tiny little bugs however, so be prepared to get techy if you're looking for active targets. If you like throwing big ugly bugs like I do, roll it in the afternoon and you might get a huge pay-off. Remember two things: the smaller the rise, the bigger the fish and "God save the queen!"
The draw-back to late summer fishing is that the weeds can definitely frustrate people so take that into consideration when planning. Some guys won't fish in August because of this but with the right attitude and again, a little local knowledge, the experience can be everything you wanted it to be and more. Actually, I've seen a lot of pleasantly surprised folks fishing that time of the year who's expectations where completely blown out of the water.
As we move into late summer and fall, the fishing is definitely subject to the weather and again, rolling the dice can mean epic fishing one day and tough fishing the next. Weather systems come and go and fish turn on and off but that is fishing. As for consistency, pushing a trip back into October might be the ticket. However, I've definitely seen snow and temps that barely hit double digits in that first week of October. The fishing was stupid good though...
I've guided every month of the year except for December. In November, we often get guys that were hunting and tagged out early so they decide to fish for a couple days. It's typically pretty good fishing and you'll see bugs and fish on them. You'll probably be one of only a couple boats on the river but plan for tough conditions. If you don't get snow and cold, call it a bonus. It's all relative though. Some of us are just fine with 40 degrees if the fish are cooperating.
The bottom line here is that you don't want to sacrifice someone's experience in the name of catching a few more fish. However, if you want epic fishing, fish epic weather. It comes down to priorities and taking risks, which is what is so great about fishing or hunting or anything a person does that involves a little bit of chance and just being in the right place at the right time. The idea is to maximize the greatest opportunity for the most amount of fun or success. For some, that's basking in 80 degrees and sun and for others, it's blue wing olives in 40 degrees and rain or snow. Although there are no guarantees, we do have it all out here on the Mo so take some time to get to know what you or your partners in crime want out of a trip and plan accordingly.
Keep 'em where they live...
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