Missouri River — Craig & Cascade
The first place to check before you head to the river. Live flow, water temperature, and weather for the upper Missouri — pulled directly from USGS and the National Weather Service.
Today on the water
Good
Solid day on the water.
5-Day Weather — Craig, MT
weather.govToday
54°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 15 to 22 mph
Saturday
61°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 9 to 14 mph
Sunday
60°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 10 to 21 mph
Monday
55°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 3 to 9 mph
Tuesday
59°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 12 to 20 mph
Gauge Stations
Live data refreshed every 30 minutes. Tap any chart for hourly readings.
Missouri River below Holter Dam, MT
Top of the reach, immediately below Holter Dam — the master gauge for the Craig–Cascade tailwater.
Solid day on the water.
Latest reading Nov 6, 2:45 PM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°FToday's read
- Lower flows at 2,670 cfs concentrate fish — focus on slots, drop-offs, and shaded edges.
- Water temp 49°F — peak metabolism for trout. Bugs are moving, fish are moving.
Missouri River at Toston, MT
Upstream of the reservoir chain — sets the stage for what reaches Holter Dam in the days ahead.
Fishable, but pick your windows.
Latest reading Nov 6, 3:00 PM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°FToday's read
- Flows are in the sweet spot (3,890 cfs) — wadeable, fishable, and predictable.
- Water temp 41°F — cold-water specialty fishing. Long leaders, small bugs, slow drifts.
Smith River below Eagle Creek, near Fort Logan, MT
Upper Smith River near Camp Baker, above the canyon — close to UMOWA's macroinvertebrate monitoring sites.
Worth a look — adjust tactics.
Latest reading Nov 6, 3:15 PM
14-day flow
cubic feet per secondToday's read
- Flows are in the sweet spot (151 cfs) — wadeable, fishable, and predictable.
- Water temperature reading is currently unavailable.
How we read the river
Fishing condition ratings combine real-time flow and water temperature from USGS gauges with published thresholds for the Missouri River tailwater fishery. Excellent conditions cluster between 3,000–5,500 cfs and water temperatures of 48–58°F. Always check current angler reports, local guides, and on-the-water observations before making the call.
Data sources: USGS Water Services · NWS Forecast API.
Help us keep watching the river.
UMOWA's water quality, macroinvertebrate, and aquatic plant monitoring is what makes long-term river health visible. Your support funds the science behind every cfs reading on this page.