Fishing Season: Autumn

Missouri River - MT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

55

CrossCurrents Fly Shop's Tip of the Week

With the fall weather and cooler temps having arrived, the BWOs should start to hatch soon, making for excellent dry fly fishing. But until then we are currently between hatches with only tiny pseudos on top. In conditions like these it is a safe bet to resort to nymph sowbugs and small baetis nymphs through channels and drop offs. The Missouri is a nutrient dense river making scuds and sowbug a constant and abundant food source for the trout.

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 10/22/24

Cooler (50's and 60's), cloudy with a couple of days of predicted precip. That will make for great streamer and Baetis dry fly fishing. It's fleece, waders and rain gear time here on the MO - finally!

Techniques & Tips as of 10/22/24

In order to avoid throwing size 22 pseudo dry flies at pods of rising fish, try drifting a couple nymphs on 4x tippet a couple feet under a pinch-on strike indicator with little or no weight. The fish in these pods have been extremely cautious and specific on dry flies, but using this weightless nymphing rig will be a more subtle presentation.

Local Species Available Autumn

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    Rainbow Trout

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    Brown Trout

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    and Whitefish

CrossCurrents Fly Shop's Recommended Fly Patterns

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

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Blue Winged Olive N/A #18 - #20
CDC Comparadun N/A #18 - #20
RS2 N/A #20 - #22
Rusty Spinner Rusty #18 - #20
Hi-Viz CDC Spinner BWO #18 - #20
Warrior Perdigon N/A #16 - #18
Lightning Bug Gold, Silver #16 - #18
Bead Head Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail N/A #16 - #18
Sparkle Minnow Pearl, Sculpin #4 - #6
Lil' Kim N/A #4 - #8

Blue Winged Olive

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Item #0338

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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") over 7,000 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:

Pseudos, Midges, few Caddis -and soon, Baetis when the clouds are present!!

Best Time to Fish:

9:00 am-2pm

Best Stretch:

Dam to Craig, Dearborn to Mountain, and Prewett to Cascade

Best Access:

Floating- Holter Dam, Wolf Creek Bridge, Craig, Stickney Creek, Mid Canon, Mountain Palace, Prewett. Wading- Various Rec Road fishing access sites and pull-offs, including Bull Pasture, California Island and Rhoda's Island.