May Fishing on the Missouri River

By: Warren DeMark

Birds are chirping and fluttering about. The sun is sitting higher in the sky and the days are longer. The weather is warmer, and the grass is greener. May is a time of change, and this can be seen in the fishing on the Missouri. Warming water temps and longer days inject new life into the river and the fish react accordingly. If you enjoy high quality fishing and using a variety of approaches without the heat of the summer, May is the time for you. 

In May, rising water temps cause many changes to the invertebrate ecosystem of the Missouri. The most important insect this time of year is the Baetis. May is the peak for spring Baetis hatches, making it a prime time for great dry fly fishing. Baetis hatch daily, but the best time to target fish rising to Baetis is on cloudy, rainy days. Poor weather with high humidity makes it difficult for Baetis duns to get off the surface of the water, creating endless easy targets for trout. This plethora of surface food leads to pods of rising fish. Our favorite approach is to park adjacent to a large pod of risers and target the biggest head in the bunch. Our most common fly for this is a size 18 crippled Baetis. You can fish uprights, but I find crippled patterns have a better chance at getting eaten by more selective trout. On the best days with the right conditions, the surface of the river will look like a carpet of bugs and there will be unlimited risers to target. If you fish for longer than a couple of days in May, you have a great chance at getting at least one day of incredible dry fly fishing.  

While dry fly fishing can be incredible in May, it is not as consistent as the nymph bite. Nymphing in May is incredibly effective and can lead to some huge number days. Most of the time we are nymphing in 3-5 feet of water, targeting the edges of gravel bars and fishy tail outs. We also will fish short leash on shallow flats to target Baetis eaters in the afternoons. Nymphing in May is a great way to get lots of action and have a chance at hooking a big fish that is gorging on the abundant subsurface buffet of insects. We use lots of euro style Baetis patterns, sowbugs, scuds, and small jig streamers this time of year.  

In general, streamer fishing is highly overlooked in its effectiveness compared to other approaches. On the right days, streamer fishing can be just as effective as nymphing and a hell of a lot more fun. May is a month full of these days. Cloudy days are preferrable, but good streamer fishing can be had in bluebird conditions as well. On cloudy days, we will chuck streamers in between pods of rising fish for a fast paced, action filled float. In May, warming water temps lead to more aggressive fish, and targeting these fish with streamers is a treat. Accurate shots to the bank and fishy flats with quick, erratic retrieves can entice some incredible eats. It’s not uncommon for fish to fly out of the water while you're starting your back cast in pursuit of your streamer. Streamers also help you target a larger average class of fish, and potentially a fish of a lifetime. A good amount of our biggest fish from the Mo’ came from stripping the big stuff.  

With all of these approaches being so effective, how do you decide what to focus on? Lucky for you, you don’t have to just fish one way. The best days are spent trying all techniques and experiencing the advantages of each approach. It is possible on any given day to catch a fish on a dry, streamer, and nymph. A perfect day looks like nymphs in the morning, streamers after lunch, and stopping on pods of dry fly risers everywhere in between. May is a great time of year for less traffic, cooler weather, and incredible fishing. If you’re interested in experiencing the Missouri in May with us, contact us about available dates. We have a few May dates still available for the 2024 season.