Fishing Season: Fall

Missouri River - MT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

55

CrossCurrents Fly Shop's Tip of the Week

No need to rush out in the morning. Fishing hasn't been getting good until the late morning/ early afternoon once the bugs come out. If you insist on getting an early start, try throwing streamers, which have been producing some big fish.

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
Living Water

5-Day Outlook as of 10/17/26

Temps should remain in the mid 60s this week, with overnight lows hitting the upper 30s. Some windy days mixed with some calm ones, so pick your day smartly. Another storm system rolls next weekend, so pack warm clothes for that.

Techniques & Tips as of 10/17/26

The best techniques at the moment have been involving worms and sowbugs. I would start the day with a weighted worm about 5-6 feet below an indicator, using a 3x leader. I would tie about 20 inches of 4x of the bend to an unweighted sowbug. Target drop-offs and water 4-5 feet deep. Once the bugs pop later in the day, we've been shifting techniques to a sowbug and a BWO imitation and fishing shallower waters. Look to target flats, especially the start of it. It is worth running those bugs shallow over pods of rising fish as well. Our BWOs have showed up, producing rising fish most afternoons. Try smaller, #20 imitations as our fall bugs are smaller than the ones in the spring. Use a 5x leader that's at least 9 feet long.

Local Species Available 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 N/A #12
Blue Winged Olive N/A #18-#20
Adams N/A #-#20
Flashback Baetis Nymph N/A #18
Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer Thin Mint #6-#10
Rusty Spinner N/A #18-#20
Green Machine Pheasant Tail #18
Tailwater Sowbug N/A #16
Pill Popper N/A #16
Lil Kim N/A #4

Vernille San Juan Worm

Fish the Vernille San Juan Worm fly dead drifted tight to the bottom and it can be deadly.

2.49

Item #0290

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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's, Midges

Best Time to Fish:

Late Morning to Early Evening

Best Stretch:

Craig to Mid

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.