Mo Report: March Browns

The quality of fishing on the Missouri is very high right now.  The water is low, clear, buggy and fishy.  I was guiding on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  Between the days, I covered the river from Wolf Creek to Prewett.  There are lots of bugs all the way through.  BWO’s are the most prolific in #18s and #20s.  The Green Machine is hard to beat, but lots of flies will get it done.  I’m fond of JuJu Baetis, Flashback Biot Nymphs, Split Case BWO’s and occasionally the Rainbow Warrior.  CDC Biot Emergers can get really hot during the peak of the daily hatch.

There are plenty of March Browns out there.  This makes fishing a #14 Parachute Adams or Purple Haze / Purple Rooster a good option.  Drop your nymph off the back or fish a Low Water Baetis or CDC Cripple Pattern if you find a pod of risers.  If you’ve got a good rower, you can work the shallow slicks with a dry, even when fish are not rising.  They are in there and they want to eat.

Caddis are in the mix below Craig.  We picked up a few fish on the North 40 Caddis this week.  Fishing pupas with no indicator can be really good in the right places.  If you want to have even more fun, fish a 3 or 4wt Switch rod with a long tapered leader and a caddis pupa.  It does not get much more fun than that.  We have the 3wt and 4wt Echo Glass Switch Rods and we’ve got the 3wt Winston Micro Spey for your caddis pupa pleasures.

As I mentioned, the quality of the fishing is really high right now.  That does not mean easy.  Novice anglers can be much challenged.  Fishing with a bright indicator while wading is not a good recipe for success.  A small yarnie, Palsa or visible dry fly is much stealthier.  Watch more and cast less.  Move quietly.  Try not to disturb the water. Look for fish.  You can see them or see where they are working.  If you can see them first, you’ve got a shot.  If they see you first, then listen very carefully.  You just might hear them laughing.