Eagle Creek Outfitters

Owned and operated by Chuck Tuchschmidt, Eagle Creek Outfitters has been guiding fly fishermen on southwest Montana rivers since 1983. In 1991 Eagle Creek Outfitters decided to concentrate it's guiding services on Montana's premier dry fly river...that stretch of the Missouri river from Holter Dam to the small town of Cascade.

THE WATER

This stretch of the Missouri is a tailwater fishery created by Holter Dam near the town of Wolf Creek, Montana. We have thirty miles of beautiful water available to us stretching from Holter Dam to the small town of Cascade, Montana. This stretch of the Missouri is a classic tailwater fishery, wide and gently flowing over a gravel bottom, which makes for easy wading, and lush weed beds that hold an abundance of aquatic insects. It reminds one of a spring creek, but the size of the Yellowstone river.

THE FISH

When you come to the Missouri you'll be fishing for rainbow and brown trout. The Missouri is primarily a rainbow fishery with apprpximately 3000 rainbowm trout per mile and approximately 500 brown trout per mile. You will occasionally catch small fish but for the most part fish will average sixteen inches and it is not uncommon to catch browns and rainbows nineteen to twenty-one inches. The Missouri is a wild trout fishery which means the trout reproduce naturally, no stocked fish. Nearly all the trout use one of the many tributaries of the Missouri to spawn and most of the fingerlings will stay in the tribs for one year. Once they hit the main river they grow very, very fast due to the richness of the food there.

HOW WE FISH THE MISSOURI

We float the Missouri in drift boats putting in a full eight to ten hour day covering stretches of the river anywhere from 7 to 12 miles in length. Sometimes we will fish from the boat and sometimes we park the boat and wade fish a particular stretch or stalk visibly rising fish, it all depends on the day. The Missouri gives itself up to a variety of techniques, there is classic dry fly fishing, nymphing, hopper fishing, classic wet fly fishing and streamer fishing, it all depends on the season and the day.

EQUIPMENT

A 4 or 5 weight graphite rod 8 1/2 to 9 feet in length is ideal for the dry fly fishing. A 5 or 6 weight rod 9 feet in length is just right for nymphing, hopper fishing or streamer fishing. A good single action fly reel to match with a floating line and you're all set.
Be sure to bring your vest, a pair of breathable waders (with wading belt), a good hat, polarized sunglasses and sunscreen. Eagle Creek guides will provide all the flies.

THE BUGS

The clean, fertile waters of the Missouri support a vast number and variety of aquatic insect life. For this reason it can really be a dry fly fisherman's dream. In the early and late seasons the predominant hatches are midges and Blue-winged Olives. Sometime in June the caddis hatches will begin to appear and depending on the year can run strong until the end of July. Also in mid or late June we should see the emergence of the PMDs (Pale Morning Duns). The PMDs can run strong but typically they don't go quite as long as the caddis and only rarely do we see them go to the very end of July. By the third or fourth week of July the Tricos begin to show, one of the most popular hatches with both the fish and the fishermen. In a good year the Tricos will go till the end of August. It's much harder to predict on the Missouri but some years can develop into spectacular Hopper fishing toward the end of August and the first couple of weeks in September.
The end of September and first part of October mark the return of the midges and BWOs. Also many angling fans of the Missouri return in October to throw streamers as the Browns prepare to spawn. Add to the mix that nymphing is generally always productive and you have a river that really has something for everyone.

WHEN TO COME

There are many factors that go into choosing the time to fish the Missouri. Your own level of experience, the type of fishing you prefer, the weather, the crowds, etc. Overall, the best dry fly fishing will be from the beginning of the first week in July to the end of the first week in August, however it is also the most crowded time because of that reason. The early and late seasons offer excellent oportunities but the weather can sometimes get a little nippy for some folks. In the end it is best to give EAGLE CREEK OUTFITTERS a call and discuss the weather, water conditions and your personal expectations.

ACCOMODATIONS AND COST

EAGLE CREEK OUTFITTER'S operation is centered around the town of Craig, Montana. There is a wide variety of accomodations available in the area ranging from bare bones to deluxe. Whether you are a single fisherman or a party of eight or ten EAGLE CREEK OUTFITTERS will find accomodations to suit you. Just give a call to discuss your requirements.
EAGLE CREEK OUTFITTERS rates are $425.00 per day for one or two fishermen in the boat, lunch is included. A deposit is required upon booking which is refundable if cancellation is made more than 21 days prior to scheduled trip or if cancelled days are subsequently re-booked.

CONTACT US

Contact us by e-mail at Eaglecrk @aol.com or by phone at 406-686-4789 (winter)
406-468-9171 (summer)