It's that time of the year when I get the itch to do something a little off the beaten path and different then why most people come to Central Montana. The Missouri, near Craig, MT, is the fly fishing mecca now and with somewhere around 4,000 fish per river mile averaging 16 to 18inches and easily accessed by wade fishermen and boaters, it's easy for clients of all skill levels and physical ability to have a stellar experience. However, for those that want a little more adventure, there are options and the Dearborn is just about ready to fish.
In the past, I've sold this trip as more of a site-seeing adventure than a fishing trip because the fishing hasn't been all that predictable. What is predictable are the cliff walls lining the Dearborn for about 3/4 of the 18 miles of river you float and there are some fun little rapids. It is absolutely gorgeous and the wildlife won't disappoint either. But the more I've fished this river, the more I've learned that there are good fish to be had and if you hit it right, the dry fly fishing can be pretty epic when the Missouri is off.
Check this brown Jill caught last year on a dry fly--pretty damn cool and she was pretty stoked.
It is a commitment though, so plan for an all-day event. Like I said, the stretch we float is about 18 miles so bring your big-boy/girl pants.
This is what the Dearborn has been doing for the last week. You can see where the storm we had blew it out and now, we're getting some heat so the snowpack is going to bring it up again for a few days. I'm optimistic that in a week, it should be pretty much good to go and this year's window might last through June. That would be awesome.
Go to www.mdfishingoutfitters.com to find out more about this and many other opportunities for a trip of a lifetime.
Keep 'em where they live...
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