Montana

Missouri River

Montana·Central Montana·47.05° N, 111.85° W

Solunar · next 7 days

About Missouri River

The Missouri's fly fishing fame is concentrated on a 35-mile stretch between Holter Dam and the town of Cascade. Holter Dam releases cold, clear, consistent water year-round, and Montana FWP electroshocking surveys have measured 4,000-5,000 trout per mile in the upper stretch — fish densities that put this river in the top tier nationally. Rainbows dominate (75-85% of the population) with strong brown trout numbers, and average size is genuinely 16-18 inches with regular fish over 20. The river is wide, flat, and slow by Montana standards — more like a giant spring creek than a freestone. Wade and walk-in access is available at every FWP site along Recreation Road, but float fishing is the standard. Three takeouts (Wolf Creek Bridge, Craig, Mid-Cannon) bracket the most-floated water, and there are 11 boat ramps in the 35-mile stretch.

The Missouri's hatch calendar is dominated by midges and mayflies — Pteronarcys (salmon flies) are absent. Midges are the year-round protein source; you can fish a midge cluster on the surface in February and crush fish. The Trico hatch from late July through early September is the West's most reliable spinner fall, with morning windows producing rising fish for hours. PMDs in late June through July, BWOs in spring and fall, and caddis (especially Brachycentrus) in late June through July. Crayfish and sculpins drive the streamer fishery — sink-tip lines and articulated patterns at first light or last light produce the biggest browns. The river fishes 12 months a year — even January can produce a 20-fish day if a midge cluster sits up on the surface.

Craig is the corridor town (population ~50), a one-block-of-storefronts fly fishing village with Cross Currents Fly Shop, Headhunters Fly Shop, and Trout Shop Tackle. Wolf Creek (5 miles upstream) and Cascade (15 miles downstream) provide more amenities. Drive times: 30 minutes from Helena, 90 minutes from Great Falls or Bozeman. The Missouri sees significant guide traffic and float-trip pressure — peak weekends in July can put 200+ drift boats on the water — but the river is so productive that even crowded days produce. Wind is the biggest weather factor — Craig sits in a corridor where 25-mph wind happens 5 days a week. Below Cascade the river transitions through warmwater habitat with a smaller trout fishery before reaching Great Falls — Cascade is the practical downstream boundary of the destination fishery.

Species

Rainbow Trout
Abundant · Year-round · 14-22"
Dominant species (75-85% of population). Surveys show 4,000-5,000 trout per mile in the upper stretch between Holter and Craig.
Brown Trout
Common · Sep-Apr · 14-26"
Strong brown trout population concentrated in deeper runs and bank structure. Pre-spawn streamer fishing in fall is exceptional.
Mountain Whitefish
Common · Year-round · 10-18"
Native. Often hammer small nymphs aggressively.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Rainbow Trout	Abundant	Year-round	14-22"
Brown Trout	Common	Sep-Apr	14-26"
Mountain Whitefish	Common	Year-round	10-18"

Sections

5 reaches

Cascade to Great Falls (transitional)

Wade & FloatBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout · Whitefish

Transitional water between the tailwater fishery and the warmwater habitat through Great Falls. Trout densities drop sharply; warmwater species appear. Not a destination trout fishery.

Best for: Brown trout and mountain whitefish in the cooler months. Best Sep-May. Skip in summer.

Mid-Cannon to Cascade

Wade & FloatBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout · Whitefish

Lower section of the destination tailwater. River widens further; gradient slackens. FWP access at Cascade boat ramp. Strong brown trout numbers — especially in fall for streamer fishing.

Best for: Brown trout on streamers, rainbow trout, mountain whitefish. Best fall for browns. Quieter than the upper float.

Craig to Mid-Cannon

Wade & FloatBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout · Whitefish

Below Craig the river runs through public-private mix with FWP access at Spite Hill, Pelican Point, and others. Bigger water with deeper runs. Heavily fished and floated through summer. Mid-Cannon boat ramp is the standard takeout for the day.

Best for: Wild rainbow trout, brown trout, mountain whitefish. Trico fishing through August. Hopper-dropper rigs along the cut banks.

Wolf Creek to Craig

Wade & FloatBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Classic Missouri float water — wide, flat, gravel-bottomed with consistent depth and current. Wolf Creek Bridge ramp at the upstream end and Craig boat ramp at the takeout. Roughly 5 miles between ramps. The most-floated stretch on the river. Holding water everywhere along the banks; weed beds in mid-channel.

Best for: Wild rainbow trout and brown trout. The standard daily float. Dry-dropper rigs through summer; sink-tip streamers in fall and spring.

Holter Dam to Wolf Creek Bridge

Wade & FloatBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

The first few miles below Holter Dam. Wadeable from the dam tailwater fishing access site with bank walking trails along Recreation Road. Big rainbows hold in the swift water immediately below the gates. Productive year-round with midges in winter, BWOs in spring, Tricos in summer, and streamers in fall.

Best for: Wild rainbow trout and brown trout. Year-round fishery. Midges in winter, mayflies in spring/fall, Tricos in summer. Wade access from FWP sites.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 3,000–6,500 cfs
Blow-out: >10,000 cfs
Ideal water temp: 48–62°F

Best seasons

Year-round fishery. July for Tricos and PMDs. October for fall BWO and streamer. Winter midging when surface temps are warmer than air.

Regulations

Open year-round below Holter Dam. Standard MT regulations apply (5 trout daily, only 1 over 18 inches). Whirling disease and aquatic invasive species protocols apply at boat ramps.

Holter Dam to Cascade: open year-round; standard MT trout limits (5/day, only 1 over 18")
Specific FWP regulations apply for spawning closures on some side channels Mar-May
Aquatic invasive species inspection required at some boat ramps
Mountain whitefish counted as part of trout daily bag limit

The Missouri is one of the most consistently surveyed and monitored trout rivers in the country — current population estimates and electroshocking data are published by Montana FWP each year. Conditions and regulations can shift; check the FWP website before fishing.

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Fishing Regulations. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Craig, MT

30 min from Helena, 90 min from Great Falls, 90 min from Bozeman

Fly shops

Camping: Wolf Creek Bridge, Craig, and several FWP sites along Recreation Road have streamside camping. Cabins and motels in Craig and Wolf Creek. The Trout Shop Lodge and several fly fishing cabins line the river road.

Recreation Road parallels the river from Holter Dam to Cascade with wade access every 1-2 miles. 11 boat ramps on the 35-mile float water (Wolf Creek Bridge, Craig, Spite Hill, Mid-Cannon, Cascade among the most used). Float trips run 6-10 miles between ramps.

Missouri River

About Missouri River

Species

Sections

Cascade to Great Falls (transitional)

Mid-Cannon to Cascade

Craig to Mid-Cannon

Wolf Creek to Craig

Holter Dam to Wolf Creek Bridge

Fishing reports

More in Montana

Central Montana

Smith River

Other regions

Beaverhead River

Big Hole River

Bighorn River

Bitterroot River

Blackfoot River

Clark Fork River

Missouri River

About Missouri River

Species

Sections

Cascade to Great Falls (transitional)

Mid-Cannon to Cascade

Craig to Mid-Cannon

Wolf Creek to Craig

Holter Dam to Wolf Creek Bridge

Fishing reports

More in Montana

Central Montana

Smith River

Other regions

Beaverhead River

Big Hole River

Bighorn River

Bitterroot River

Blackfoot River

Clark Fork River

Fishing conditions

Fishing conditions