MISSOURI RIVER FISHING REPORT
October 29th, 2026
Missouri River Below Holter Dam
Flows: 2810cfs
Weather: Foggy and Still
Water Temp: 51 degrees below Holter Dam.
What we are excited about: BWO’s. Brown trout coming off the spawn and back on the bite. Rainbows that have the feed bags on.
Weekend Outlook:
Highs 40 Friday, 55 Saturday, 45 Sunday. Lows near freezing.
On the Horizon:
Fall fishing is here. Streamers, dry flies, and solid nymphing.
On the Dry Side
#18 BWOs have been hatching along with lots of little ones. Fish are up and dry fly fishing was epic during the recent cloudy days. Water temps have dropped out of the 50s as you move below Craig now, so we will be saying goodbye to caddis and look to mayflies and midges. We should see continued action topside on BWOs this week and beyond.
Topside Patterns
Royal Wulf Emerger, Renegade, Purple Haze, Para Adams, Flying V, Olive Hackle Stacker, Sparkle Flag BWO, Brianne Dun, Almost Dun.
Underneath the Indicator
Sows remain the mainstay and are always a solid choice to start. Sometimes, you can dial in a magic mayfly or two if you are willing to dabble. Size #18 Red or Olive Two Bits and Black IPTs have had their moments. If you partake, the worm can always get some.
Pro Tip
In the morning, start with a Double Sow bug rig. Beadhead followed by no bead. Add a mayfly midday.
Another Pro Tip
Soft Hackles. When fish are rising sporadically, swing through the zone rather than trying to play whack a mole with a dry.
Nymphing Fly Patterns We Love
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Zebras: Flying Zebra, Zebra, Tufted Zebra for the micro hatches.
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Evergreen Nymphs: Tailwater Sow, Worm, Hares Ear, Pheasant Tail
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Mayflies: Hares Ear, Pheasant Tail, Black IPT, Two Bit Hooker, Frenchy, Black and Brown Perdigons, Jig Micro May,
Dry Dropper
Tired of the indicator? Rounding out the day with a dry dropper setup is the play. Expect most of the activity on the nymph, but those occasional topside eats make it super exciting. A few October Caddis have been out this week and Ants are always a possibility.
Meaty Stuff
Opportunistic and sometimes aggressive fish are on the hunt for junior sized trout, whitefish and sculpins. Under clouds or whenever the sun is off the water is generally best, but even on a sunny day, fish will eat the streamer over shallow flats and open buckets in the weeds. The Zonker, Flash N’ Grab, Kreelex, Sparkle Minnow, Bam-Bam Minnow, Flare A Bou, Thin Mint, articulated flies are also beginning to turn on some bigger fish. As browns come out of the spawn, they are hungry and greedy. Come check out our streamer wall full of articulated options.
Trout Spey
Weeds are thinning down and some days the floaters are not so bad. If you can find some clean water (look to inside bends), Try a Biot Swimmer BWO followed by a BWO Soft Hackle on a Scandi set up. Larger streamers can also work if you want to throw Skagit and a light tip. As water temps drop into the 40s, the swing action will heat up.
Welcome to Craig Montana
THE TROUT SHOP is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday. On Sunday November 1, we will be moving to our winter hours of 9-4. We will remain your one-stop shop for coffee, breakfast sandwiches, deli sandwiches, sides, snacks, soft beverages, wine and beer though the winter and be here every day, unless the roads are terrible. We have guides, we do shuttles, and we have all the flies and gear you need in the shop.
Our Hub Saloon in the Trout Shop Lodge is open through October 30th and closed on the 31st for an employee/guide party. In November, we will be rolling out Pizzas from 5-8pm until further notice. You can preorder at The Trout Shop or walk into the Hub after 5pm.
RESOURCES
MISSOURI RIVER WEATHER FORECAST
OTHER REPORTS WE LIKE TO FOLLOW
Missouri River fishing reports aren't always the same. One stretch of the river may fish better than others which is why we like to check a number of different fishing reports from other shops in the area. We've gathered our favorite fishing report sources in the links below.
Where is the best fishing on the Missouri River?
The Missouri River below Montana's Holter Dam is one of the most productive trout fisheries in the world with over 5,000 trout per mile averaging 16 inches or better. Abundant hatches throughout the season feed large groups of rising fish setting the stage for the finest fly fishing you'll ever experience. As a tailwater fishery regulated between dams, water levels and temperatures remain consistent allowing for a longer season than many other rivers in Montana. As a prime dry fly fishery, this stretch of the Missouri River is renowned for epic waters boasting large pods of fish rising rhythmically on midges, mayflies, caddis and terrestrials. The shear variety of fishing techniques that work on this river is second to none. Streamer fishing, nymphing, dry fly fishing, and skating mice all work well bringing fish to hand.