The Missouri River has been in great shape with the cooler weather, and anglers have had plenty of options throughout the day. Mornings have still offered the best dry fly fishing, with blue-winged olives, midges, and a few lingering tricos bringing fish to the surface. As the day goes on, hoppers are still worth fishing along the banks, and the streamer bite has continued to improve with the cooler temperatures.
Nymphing has been the most consistent way to stay into fish. Tailwater sowbugs, rainbow warriors, zebra midges, and frenchies have all been good choices under an indicator. If fish are feeding on top, don't force the nymph rig. There have been enough fish rising that it's worth switching over and taking advantage of the hatch.
The Missouri has a lot going on right now. Keep an eye on what the fish are doing, be willing to change techniques throughout the day, and don't overlook streamers if the clouds and wind stick around.
Additional Resources:
View stream flow graph on USGS
Tailwater Sowbug Jig
Tailwater Sowbug
Black Zebra Midge
White Zonker
Gray Sprout Midge
Olive Tailwater Tiny
Olive Mini Dungeon
Gray Gonga
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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