Missouri River Fishing Report
Date: 08/13/2025
Posted by: Toby SwankCurrent Conditions
The Missouri River is fishing well and continues to offer quality opportunities for anglers who match its late summer rhythm. Morning sessions remain the highlight with trico spinner falls arriving on schedule by mid morning. Pods of trout are rising in slicks inside bends and slower seams, and a size 18–20 spinner can keep you in the game for hours. The hatch is tapering but still worth chasing when you see consistent activity. The river is getting increasingly weedy so expect to clean your flies every few drifts.
Nymphing continues to be reliable. Patterns like perdigons sowbugs and frenchies fished on 4x fluorocarbon with enough weight to get them down are working well. A pats rubberleg, zirdle bug, or worm up front trailed by one of these smaller flies has been effective in deeper structured runs. Short leash rigs are a good option for shallower faster seams where fish are actively feeding.
Terrestrial fishing is showing more promise each week. Hopper activity is not yet at its peak but a few trout have been responding to natural patterns like the sweetgrass hopper and henneberry hopper along grassy banks and midstream islands. Ants and beetles are also drawing some attention in the afternoons.
Streamer fishing is more situational now with weedy conditions limiting some drifts but smaller olive black or sculpin colored patterns will still move fish in shaded runs or under cloudy skies.
Overall the Missouri is in a stable summer pattern offering technical dry fly fishing in the mornings steady nymphing through the middle of the day and growing terrestrial potential in the afternoons. With healthy fish activity and a wide range of tactics in play this is an excellent time to be on the water.
Additional Resources:
- Missouri River fly fishing in August
- Bozeman Fly Fishing Guide to August
Stream Flows
Flows
Recommended Flies
Double Wing Trico Spinner
Red San Juan Worm
Pink Lite Brite Perdigon
Tan Morrish Hopper
Tungsten Tailwater Sowbug
Sweetgrass Hopper
Tailwater Sowbug Jig
CDC Trico Spinner
Black Zebra Midge
Missouri River Fly Fishing in Craig Montana
Our "Missouri River Fishing Guide" is a comprehensive guide to the river stretches and seasonal hatches along with pro tips from our seasoned team of Bozeman fly fishing guides.
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