Should I bring the boat for Upper Missouri Paddlefish ?

[Luke_with_a_lab]

Hey everyone,

The wife and I both drew the keep tag for the Upper Missouri Paddlefish this year. I grew up over by intake so I've fished for the paddlefish many times on the Yellowstone but this will be my first time fishing for them on the Upper Missouri. The question I have is should I bring my jet boat or would it not be worth the pull? I've herd it can be quite busy around the main accesses, or is that mainly on the holiday weekend? Lastly any thoughts on when is generally a decent time to go on that stretch? I know its water dependent but being that I live in the west part of the state now its a decent drive over there so I think realistically we're only going to get one trip in. Thanks!

 

[golfer]

It get pretty packed by the main access points. I think if you had a boat I’d bring it can go and find the fish that way. If you’ve never fished the Missouri and only at Intake, the current is much slower than Intake. I’d just watch the flows, not sure what the Magic’s number is on the Missouri, but it seemed that fishing was always good at intake once the flows hit 60-65000 cfs, but those flows are not seen on the Missouri.

 

[D4570]

YES bring a boat.
Then sit in line to put it in.
60,000 is the number for the big females but the males will stage at slipperAnn in less than that.
It will rain and the mud will swallow your truck, keep an eye on it...

 

[Luke_with_a_lab]

Thanks for the input. I'll keep an eye on the flows. Good to know about the fish staging around slippery ann.