Montana ·
Missouri River Fly Fishing Report - October 4, 2026
MISSOURI RIVER
ReportOCT 4 — 11, 2026
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Flow
—CFS
🌡️
Water Temp
—
☀️
Weather
44–74°F
Mostly Clear
💧
Clarity
Clear
Check post-storm
Live USGS gauge data is unavailable today, but recent web intel puts the Missouri below Holter Dam at approximately 3,050–3,200 CFS with water temps right at 60°F and excellent fall clarity — textbook tailwater conditions with trout feeding confidently across all water types. Sunny skies and a high near 72°F today will warm things up nicely by midday.
What's Working — Hot Flies
Juju Baetis Tungsten #22
#22
Parachute - Blue Wing Olive #22
#22
Top Secret Baetis #16
#16
Barr's Flashback Emerger - BWO #22
#22
Black Zebra Midge(TBH) #20
#20
Olsen's Peacock Blowtorch Barbless #22 - 24
#22
Egan's Silver Bullet - Baetis #14
#14
Egan's Thread Frenchie Jig - Olive #12
#12
Corn-fed Caddis (CDC) Olive #20
#20
Coffey's CH Sparkle Minnow Sculpin #6
#6
Tungsten Jig Bugger - Olive - Barbless #14
#14
Egan's Warrior Perdigon - Rainbow #12
#12
Hatch Chart
| Insect | Size | Activity | Prime Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | #18–22 | Heavy | 11 AM - 3 PM |
| Midge | #20–24 | Heavy | 8 AM - 11 AM |
| Caddis | #16–20 | Moderate | 4 PM - 6 PM |
| PMD (Pale Morning Dun) | #16–20 | Light | 12 PM - 2 PM |
| Sculpin / Streamer Forage | #4–8 | Moderate | 7 AM - 9 AM |
Best Time Window
- 7 AM - 9 AM: Low-light streamer window — work sculpin and bugger patterns along rocky structure and deep outside bends before the sun crests the canyon walls.
- 11 AM - 2:30 PM: Prime BWO hatch — switch to dry flies and emergers in the flat tailouts and slower runs as Baetis begin popping in the midday warmth.
- 4 PM - 6 PM: Evening caddis and nymph session — target the grassy bank edges with a CDC caddis or drop back to a Frenchie jig through the deeper slots as light fades.
Guide's Tip
From the benchWith flows around 3,000 CFS and crystal-clear water, trout will be spooky in the flats — stay low, cast long, and use a 12-foot leader tapered to 6X for your dry fly and emerger work during the BWO window. For nymphing, set your indicator depth at 1.5x the water depth and focus your drifts along the seam where fast water meets slow, especially on the inside bends of the bigger pools. The sunny afternoon forecast means the best dry fly action will likely compress into a 90-minute window around 1–2:30 PM when cloud shadows or a slight breeze ruffles the surface — be ready to switch quickly. Early morning is your best shot with streamers before the sun gets high and pushes fish deep.
Main Species
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Mountain Whitefish
