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Missouri River Trout Populations from 1981 to 2011 - Grant’s comments:

2011 Missouri River trout population summary

In May in the Craig section, the brown trout estimate of >10 inch fish was 537 per mile.

The 30 year mean is 560 per mile. We sampled 41 walleye and 13 burbot.

In October in the Craig section, the rainbow trout estimate of >10 inch fish was 6,034 (SD 194) per mile, which is the highest on record. The 30 year mean is 3,036.  We saw a very high number of 10-12 inch hatchery fish in the Craig section this year, which is an artifact of the high water flows during the spring flushing fish from Holter Lake. Hatchery fish made up 20.2% of the fish we sampled (1130/5583). We calculated an estimate of 1,605 (SD 240) hatchery trout per mile. The estimate of wild trout only was 4,429 fish per mile which would be the second highest on record. The high number of wild fish was not entirely unexpected. In the past few years we observed higher numbers of 8 and 9 inch rainbow trout suggesting a possible increase in the adult population. The results of 2011 confirm these fish successfully recruited into the adult population. We sampled 169 walleye and 120 burbot in the Craig section.

In May in the Cascade section, the estimate of >10 inch fish was 909 per mile. The 28 year mean is 377. We sampled 2 walleye and 14 burbot.

In October in the Cascade section, the estimate of > 10 inch fish was 2,161 (SD 82) per mile.

The 28 year mean is 1,529. We sampled 37 walleye and 33 burbot in the Cascade section.

The largest walleye was 13.95 pounds 32.5 and inches long.

Strainer’s comments:

(Strainer’s comments were regarding the 2010 data.  We’ll have an update here soon)  Both sections of river (upper -”Craig” & lower-”Cascade”) continue to show solid population numbers for both Rainbows and Browns.  What these graphs don’t show are the sizes or year class of fish in the river.  We continue to have a lot of fish over 18” and we also have a lot of fish around 9”-11”.  What that means is we will be able to catch a good number of big boys this season and will have a large number of fish just coming into the “fun” catchable size and more importantly, spawning age class.  For those bio-geeks (like me) amongst our customers, the MO is showing a bimodal population distribution of trout year (or size) classes.  This can also make it challenging to get the true estimate of population so these data need to be looked at more generally than as precise numbers.  (Basically, don’t freak out when you see a small drop or increase in the numbers from one year to the next.)  Grant and his team doing the survey said the river overall looks good now and in the near future.

Another way to look at the population levels is with anglers experiences.  Most folks in 2010 had great fishing and did well catching big fish -especially earlier in the season.  Once September hit, we saw a lot of one year old fish enter the river and there were times that you had a challenge to catch a trout larger than 10” -especially when you saw rising fish.  Barring any crazy disaster, we should have another great year of fishing on the MO and I bet the early streamer fishing will be gonzo for big fish (especially for Browns) and you’ll have plenty of scrappy 12”-13” trout grabbing dry flies later in the Summer.

I have to say it again, but just because there are lot of trout in the river doesn’t mean that everything is hunky dory.  The fish, the river and surrounding habitat are constantly in need of careful stewardship.  Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS), dewatering, riparian habitat degradation and off-site land use and pollution are clear and present hazards for the Missouri River and her tributaries.  We’ve got some great professional Biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, like Grant Grisak, who are constantly monitoring and performing research to keep a weather eye on our fish.  You too can help by getting involved with organizations such at The Pat Barnes Missouri River Chapter of Trout Unlimited and The Missouri River fly Fishers.  Please see our CONSERVATION page for more information.  (Also, click on the link below to see some of the research that Grant is currently doing on the Missouri utilizing remote telemetry to study fish movements int he system.  Check out a short video clip from MT FWP called, “Tracking Montana Fish” on Grant’s ongoing radio telemetry study on the fish of the Missouri River.  It’s fascinating and informative.)

Below is the population information for the Smith River through 2009.  It did get beat up a bit during the many years of drought but I think it’s safe to say that wasn’t the conditions it experienced in for the last 2 seasons.  Lots of water makes for happy fish.  I suspect that the trout had good spawning conditions both Spring and Fall and that the population should be on the uptick for the next season or two as long as healthy streamflows continue.  Our biggest challenge in 2011 for fishing wasn’t for any lack of trout in the river but having to catch them in very high, muddy water.  And amazingly we did very well finding fish in the dark water!

Below is the 2011 information on the Missouri River Trout Populations from Grant Grisak, MT FWP Fisheries Biologist for the Missouri River below Holter and her tributaries.

You can also find out what’s happening on the river or at CrossCurrents on our Facebook page & profile.

April 13-15, 2012 -2012 Orvis Western Guide Rendezvous in our Missoula, MT.  (Our stores may be closed on the 15th due to our Staff & Guides attending this meeting.)

April 17, 2012 -2012 Orvis Pro-Guide Day & BBQ at our Missouri River Store in Craig, MT.  This is an open invitation to any & all Montana Fly Fishing Guides.

May 19, 2012 -6th Annual Craig Caddis Festival & BBQ Cook-Off on the banks of the Missouri River in Craig, Montana.  Check out our Facebook Page for the Caddis Fest.                                                           Countdown to FUN & FOOD in Craig, Montana:

May 19, 2012 -General Fishing Season Opener in Montana (aka “Small Stream Opener”) 

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May 5, 2012 -2012 Pat Barnes Missouri River Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s Annual Free Fly Casting Clinic.  With Bob Jacklin from West Yellowstone.  It will be held from 12:30-4:00pm at the East Valley Middle School in East Helena.

April 21, 2012 -2012 Pat Barnes Missouri River Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s Annual Missouri River Cleanup.  We’ll meet at 9:00am in Craig.

June 12, 2012 -2012 Fly Fishing Film Tour in Helena, MT! Hosted by the Pat Barnes Missouri River Chapter of Trout Unlimited and CrossCurrents Flyshop, Montana Radio Company (The Mighty MO 107.3), Orvis.  It will be held at the Grand Street Theater in Downtown Helena (we can serve beer there!)  More information coming soon.  Friend us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to keep up with this and other events!