Fly fishing report · West

Missouri River

A Missouri River report for anglers checking Holter Dam flow, Wolf Creek and Craig access, PMD and caddis hatches, rules, and weather.

Check flow & weather

Today's river scoreHigh source confidence

Good

Best option: Wade.

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Updated Jul 13, 11:17 PM UTCUsually refreshes about every 45 minutes

Recommended approachWade

Mode scores adjust the river-wide score for the risks of wading, bank fishing, or floating.

Wade · Best fit72/100

Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.

Bank / edge72/100

Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.

Float72/100

A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.

Confirm before you leave

Flow and weather right now.

Use the flow trend to confirm the score before you leave. Weather can change the safest and most productive fishing window.

River strategy

A technical tailwater where flow and wind set the day.

The Montana Missouri below Holter Dam is a famous trout tailwater, but it still needs a current plan. Check the gauge, wind, FWP rules, ramps, and hatch timing before choosing a section.

Use the below-Holter gauge for this page; Cascade and Fort Benton are different river reports.
PMDs, caddis, tricos, midges, and sowbugs can all matter by season.
Wind can make good flow feel unfishable, especially from a boat.
Wade shelves and private banks require careful access choices.

Why this score moved

FlowUse caution

USGS shows 3,260 cfs with a stable over about 6 hours trend. same-date USGS history (1946-2025, 80 readings) puts normal around 4,930 cfs and the lower quartile near 3,410 cfs; today's flow is below normal for the date. This is below normal, so edge depth, temperature, and pressure matter.

Public alertUse caution

A heat alert is active near this forecast point, so the score is capped until water temperature and fish-handling risk are checked. NWS alert: Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 2:20PM MDT until July 13 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT.

SeasonHelps score

Summer: PMDs, caddis, tricos, and dry-fly pods draw technical fishing.

Water temperatureHelps score

USGS water temperature is about 65F, with no heat stop triggered.

Fishing usefulnessHelps score

Skip or simplify when wind makes boat control unsafe, flow changes expose or flood wade shelves, FWP restrictions affect the plan, weed conditions are poor, or ramps and takeouts are too crowded for a clean float.

Read the water

What changes the plan.

The best Missouri days have stable tailwater flow, manageable wind, and a clear hatch or nymphing plan. If wind is heavy or flows change, simplify the float, fish protected banks, or wade a safer shelf.

Stable generation

Dial depth, watch for pods, and match PMD, caddis, trico, or midge activity.

Windy

Fish protected banks, shorter floats, heavier rigs, or streamers where casting stays safe.

Clear flats

Use long leaders, small dries, and patient presentations to feeding trout.

Flow change

Recheck wade shelves, boat position, and nymph depth.

Field plan

Fish it with intention.

Best flows

Use RiverReports and USGS 06066500 below Holter Dam together. Stable generation is the best platform for depth control and dry-fly pods; sudden flow changes should trigger another wade-safety and boat-position check.

When to skip

Local plan

Start with the below-Holter flow, wind forecast, and one defined ramp or wade access. Then decide whether the day is a nymph-depth exercise, a dry-fly pod hunt, or a streamer bank plan.

Backup water

If the Missouri is too windy, crowded, or flow-shifted, compare the Bighorn for another technical tailwater, the Gallatin for canyon wading, or the Madison for a different west-side trout plan.

Hatches & flies

Bring a flexible box.

TimingWhat to watchUseful flies

Winter to early springMidges, scuds, sowbugs, slow nymphs, and occasional olivesZebra midge, scud, sowbug, Ray Charles, small leech

Reviewed pattern · report says “Zebra midge”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it

Reviewed family · report says “scud”Scud Fly PatternsScud patterns typically use a curved hook, tapered dubbed body, shellback, rib segmentation, antennae, and brushed legs. Olive, tan, gray, orange, weighted, bead-body, and pregnant forms remain labeled—not aliases for one recipe.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

May to JulyPMDs, caddis, midges, yellow sallies, and worms during bumpsPMD emerger, sparkle caddis, midge pupa, soft hackle, small worm

Reviewed family · report says “PMD emerger”Pale Morning Dun PatternsPMD names an insect group, not one fly. Pale nymphs, trailing-shuck emergers, upright or low-riding duns, cripples, and spent-wing spinners stay visibly separate.See family guide

Reviewed family · report says “sparkle caddis”Caddis Patterns by StageCaddis is not one fly. Larvae live below, pupae and emergers rise through the column, tent-wing adults ride or move on top, and spent forms create other silhouettes.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

August to OctoberTricos, pseudos, caddis, hoppers, ants, and small baitfishTrico spinner, small BWO, X-caddis, hopper-dropper, sculpin

Reviewed pattern · report says “Trico spinner”Trico SpinnerThe reviewed dry form is extremely sparse and flat, using a black body or thread head and pale spent wing. A weighted Sunken Trico Spinner is a separate variant.See photos & how to fish it

Reviewed family · report says “small BWO”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide + 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

Late fallMidges, BWOs, scuds, sowbugs, and streamer windowsMidge cluster, BWO emerger, scud, sowbug, black leech

Reviewed family · report says “Midge cluster”Midge Patterns by StageMidge wording can mean a threadlike larva, wing-padded pupa, film emerger, tiny adult, or visible cluster. Those profiles fish at different depths.See family guide

Reviewed family · report says “BWO emerger”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide + 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box

Start with depth and speed before changing flies; most nymphing failures are rigging failures.

Watch slicks and soft banks for PMD, caddis, trico, or midge pods before wading in.

Use reach casts and long leaders on technical dry-fly fish.

Streamer fish clouds, wind, and bank structure with a controlled boat or wade angle.

Respect boat lanes, wade anglers, private banks, and busy ramp etiquette.

Access & responsibility

Know the entry. Know the exit.

Montana FWP regulations apply to the Holter Dam to Cascade corridor and include trout and non-trout species rules. Check current regulations and restrictions before fishing.

Holter Dam to Wolf Creek

Upper tailwater reach and primary flow context.

Craig corridor

Core drift-boat, wade, and technical trout planning area.

Wolf Creek Bridge FAS

FWP-listed public access with ramp and site facilities.

Transparent sources

Check the facts behind the plan.

Last material review: 2026-05-31

flowRiverReports Missouri River below Holter Dam flowUSGS Missouri River below Holter Dam 06066500 regulationMontana FWP fishing regulations accessMontana stream access law safetyMontana FWP current waterbody closures and restrictions accessFishMT Wolf Creek Bridge FAS safetyNational Weather Service forecast point

Common questions

Before you leave.

What should I check first before fishing the Missouri River?+

Check the below-Holter gauge, wind forecast, FWP rules, ramp plan, and current hatch or weed conditions.

Are there special regulations on the Missouri River?+

Yes. The Holter-to-Cascade corridor has specific trout and non-trout rules that should be checked before fishing.

What flies should I bring for the Missouri River?+

Bring the hatch-chart flies, a few confidence nymphs, and a streamer box. Then adjust for water temperature, clarity, and the insects you actually see.

Can I wade the Missouri River?+

Yes in some shelves and islands, but boats are common and private banks matter. Use official access and watch flows.

When should I skip the Missouri River?+

Skip it when flows are unsafe, temperatures stress trout, wildfire or emergency closures are active, or legal access for the reach is not clear.