Missouri River – Below Holter Dam

December 29, 2008

A necessarily quick trip to Great Falls and a brief break in the weather provided ample opportunity to get back on the Missouri for most likely the last time in 2008. Temperatures in Great Falls had barely risen above freezing earlier in the afternoon, but fell as a storm approached. The Wolf Creek area was hardly warmer – just enough to keep ice out of the line guides and allow the fingers to work.

With heavy clouds and sunset approaching the narrow river valley within a half-hour or less, the lighting was much more challenging than the camera and a little photo editing suggest here. Once again, the sounds of early winter on the mighty Missouri were mesmerizing. Teal and pintail ducks screeched overhead in flight up and down the river. The sound they make flying so quickly is marvelous.

Montana weather is notoriously variable. Many Decembers will provide temperatures well above freezing and ample sunny days. This December has been different, though, with abnormally low temperatures and snow storms. Snowfall north of Helena has been more sparse, as the photographs show. A couple of days of sunshine, melting temperatures, and wind helped clear away accumulations, too.

Fishing

With less than an hour of daylight and a rapidly approaching storm out of the north, I jumped at the chance to wet a Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear. The technique was to use a leader about double the depth of water to be fished, place some added weight about 12” above the nymph (3x tippet), and use a strike indicator at the head of the leader.

A couple of trout were rolling over at the surface, perhaps feeding on drifting nymphs. A magnificent sleet storm borne on high winds screamed from the north within about a half-hour, but not before I managed to lose the nymph on a good, strong strike.

Much too quickly, sleet and wind drove me back to the car and the company of my patient wife. Slush rapidly built up on the roads, making for a slow and trying trip back to Helena. Ah, but the memories of a great 2008 fishing season and one last series of casts on the Mighty Missouri!