Fishing Season: late Spring/early Summer, Fall

Missouri River - MT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

55

CrossCurrents Fly Shop's Tip of the Week

Dry fly fishing is starting to improve as our BWOs start to show up. Small, size #20 dries are effective, often paired with a larger October caddis pattern. Nymph fishing in shallow, riffly water and deeper pools is your best bet throughout the day. The floating weeds we have been contending with all summer have also started to diminish, so getting a clean drift will continue to get easier. Streamer fishing should improve, especially on cloudy days and in the evenings.

Directions open in app

Map of Missouri River

Water Flow Data

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Blue Damsel Lodge
Fins & Feathers
PRO Outfitters
Bitterroot Fly Company

5-Day Outlook as of 10/17/25

Following our first freeze of the season, we have been in the 50s, and will remain in for the next number of days. It will be breezy this weekend, with a chance for a few showers. Expect BWOs to show up, especially on cloudy days, although it will be breezy this weekend.

Techniques & Tips as of 10/17/25

The BWOs have started to show up on the Mo', so dry fly fishing can be very good on calm and cloudy days. Otherwise, nymph fishing is good with 5' to 7' from your indicator to your top fly, a worm followed by a sow bug or small baetis or midge nymph.

Local Species Available late Spring/early Summer, Fall

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    Rainbow Trout

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    Brown Trout

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    and White Fish

CrossCurrents Fly Shop's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Vernille San Juan Worm Red, purple, Pink #4 - #8
Lightning Bug N/A #16 - #18
Rouse's J-Dub Sow Bug N/A #14 -#18
Travis Para Ant N/A #16-#18
Tailwater Sowbug N/A #14 - #16
Warrior Perdigon N/A #16 - #18
Flashback Baetis Nymph N/A #16-#18
May's Full Motion Crayfish N/A #4 - #8
Sparkle Minnow Pearl, Sculpin #4 - #6
Lil' Kim N/A #4 - #8

Vernille San Juan Worm

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CrossCurrents Fly Shop's Recommended Gear

Description: About Missouri River

The Missouri River is one of the largest and most easily accessed rivers in Montana. The mighty MO is certainly a trout factory! Three reservoirs in a row make this tailwater fishery have a constant water flow and stable temperatures from day to day. Amazingly fertile, with prolific hatches of mayflies, caddis, and midges, the Missouri is a 365 day river. You'll see fish rising just about every day of the year. Take a float trip down the Missouri and you'll know why it made such a powerful impression on Lewis and Clark during their great expedition. During the summer, caddis and mayfly hatches are so prolific that it looks as though there is a mini blizzard over the river. This river is known for its excellent dry fly fishing. But it's also amazing when fished with emergers. or small bead-heads as a dropper behind a dry fly. The MO fishes fantastically in the shoulder seasons of Spring and Fall with Baetis and Midges for dries and big, ugly streamers! That is when some very big fish are caught! The Missouri throws itself into the heated debate of "Row vs. Wade" because it is so perfectly suited to angle from both a drift boat (or other water craft) as well as wade fishing on foot. With an adult trout population (Rainbows and Browns over 10") between 4000-8000 fish per mile and an average size of 16"-18", it's not too hard to figure out why the Missouri ranks up there with many people's favorite places to fish!

Nearest Airport:

Helena, Great Falls

Hatches:

BWO, October Caddis, terrestrials.

Best Time to Fish:

Mid-morning and evening

Best Stretch:

Wolf Creek to Stickney, Mid to Prewett

Best Access:

Holter Dam, Wolf Creek Bridge, Craig, Stickney, Spite Hill, Mid-Canon, Mountain Palace, Prewett Creek, Pelican, with walk-in access between all those.