Missouri River Fly Fishing Report- November 2026

Flows out of Holter Dam are low at 2,800 cfs, and water temps have dipped into the low 50s. We marked 52 degrees at the Wolf Creek Bridge yesterday morning. You can check current numbers any time on the USGS gauge below Holter Dam.

Missouri River Conditions: What’s Happening Right Now

It’s very quiet out there. In Craig yesterday morning we saw just two other guide boats meeting clients for the day. The fishing has been darn good. Late October and November are our absolute favorite time on the river, and we love these shoulder seasons.

Hatches on the Missouri River

We’ve seen very few Blue-Winged Olives the past couple of days, and not many fish up on midges. There has a few sporadic risers, but nothing worth pulling over for.

I guided Wolf Creek to Stickney creeks yesterday, fished shallow right out of the gate, and never changed. With flows at 2,800 cfs and water temps in the low 50s, a lot of fish are sitting in skinny water, and that’s where we’ve spent our time. Three approaches are working right now.

Techniques Producing Fish

Short Leash Nymphing

Short leashing has been the main program. We’re fishing unweighted bugs and targeting water two feet deep or less. Sow bugs, scuds, and thin Pheasant Tail nymphs all produced yesterday, and we never needed to change what we were doing.

Trout Spey

The swing is productive. We’re running light tips and swinging small leeches through the same shallow water. Trout spey is a good fit for the Mo this time of year: low flows, light traffic, and fish willing to move for a fly. Our few remaining trips of the season are spey days.

Streamer Fishing

It’s streamer season on the Mo, and fish are responding well. If you’re running sinking lines, expect the bite to hold up as water temps keep falling and those fish move a bit deeper for winter.

Fall Fly Fishing Forecast: What to Expect Through November

With flows low and water temps in the low 50s, we expect November to keep fishing well. Our guide season is winding down, with just a few trout spey trips left on the books.

See you out there.