Great Falls, Montana Fishing Report 10.25.18
Missouri River
The weather has been spectacular, and it appears to be staying that way for a while. While crappy fall weather often means better fall fishing, the nice weather is sure enjoyable.
Nymphs
You can almost always get them on nymphs, but when it’s bright out in the spring and fall, it can get a bit tough. Mid-morning is generally good with the scuds, sows, zebras, and small mayfly varietals. Dry dropper in the afternoon is often the best way to deliver your nymph in the low, clear water or even all day. Tufted Zebras are hard to beat under an indicator fly.
Dry Flies
The mild weather has the caddis holding on. They won’t be around much longer, but fish are still seeing them and still eating caddis dries like the hi-vis spent. If you want to fish a big dry, the October Caddis can bring on some big splashy eats, especially late in the day. A few terrestrials are also hanging on. Ants and beetles are great attractors to run on a mild afternoon if you can’t lock in the baetis.
Baetis are the primary hatch and there are always some fish paying attention to these little mayflies. When we finally get some cloudy days, the fishing is going to be awesome. In the sunshine, you’ll need to look a little harder to find heads working on them.
Streamers
As most of the hatches fade, the streamer bite improves especially once the water temps drop below 50. Lower light or first boat down a bank is always best. Flash N’ Grabs in the dark version have been reliable. Kreelex, skiddish and sparkle minnows are always worth throwing. If you’ve got a homebrew pattern of the same genera, even better.
If you want to throw some big articulated stuff, it’s coming into that time again. The next cold front should light them up. We are stocked with Galloup’s, Craven’s and fly fish food favorites.
Trout Spey
I’ve had a great week with the trout spey. Flash N’ Grabs and Montana Intruders are picking up a few good fish, but buggers, balanced leeches, and foxxy Clouser’s trailing soft hackles and even caddis pupa are hard to beat. I’ve also been playing around with some new October caddis patterns with positive results.
Stillwaters
You will find the majority of the fish concentrated around 10 feet deep during the day, but there are some shoreline cruisers too. Drag around a leech or a crayfish from a float tube or a boat and you can stick some real pigs right now. Shoreline anglers are getting some too. Pishkin and Holter are both tuning out some good-sized kokanee for shoreside anglers.
See past reports from the Great Falls region here, or click here to view all northwest regional reports.