April Fishing Update
Hello from the Canyon! It’s been a normal April here lately as far as weather goes. We had snow five days ago and are looking at mid 60 degree temps this weekend. If you don’t like the weather here, wait five minutes. With warming temperatures comes changing fishing conditions, and things have changed for the better the last couple of days.
We’re starting to see large numbers of baetis throughout the day, which is leading to really exceptional nymph fishing. As water temps warm and the baetis get more active, the fish react accordingly. We got out for a couple hours on Wednesday and ended the day with sore shoulders due to the number of fish caught on baetis nymphs. The nymph action should continue from here on out as the fish really key in on the mayfly hatches. On the normal sunny days, dry fly opportunities are harder to find but still out there. We’re finding smaller pods of fish in shadowy areas where they feel protected from the sun. Check out these videos for some of the sunny day dry fly action.
The cloudy, rainy days and the evenings are dynamite for the dry fly angler. We’re seeing lots of fish rising in these conditions, which makes the hardest part of fishing choosing your next target on the surface. Big fish are showing themselves this time of year as they try to put on some weight coming out of the winter. The trout seem to have wintered well, as most of the fish we’re seeing are husky and well fed. Streamer fishing has improved lately as well, with some big browns seeing the net from slow retrieved streamers. Here's a picture of one we picked up on a flashy streamer pattern.
Late April is great on the Missouri. Hungry fish and cooler weather make for a great time. While it can be inconsistent, if conditions are right it can be lights out. May is a lot like late April, just more consistent due to warmer water temps. At the end of every season, we recap our fishing for the year and try to decide the best day or week of the year. Every single season, the best day of fishing has been in the beginning or the middle of May. If you have the flexibility to do a last minute trip, you need to be here this May. You can catch big numbers on nymphs, try your hand at headhunting on dries, or target big angry fish on streamers. And most days, you can do all three.