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.govTuesday
50°F
Slight Chance Snow Showers
N 3 to 17 mph
Wednesday
71°F
Sunny
SW 3 to 13 mph
Thursday
70°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
W 6 to 13 mph
Friday
74°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
SW 3 to 12 mph
Saturday
63°F
Light Rain Likely
WNW 7 to 13 mph
Gauge Stations
Live data refreshed every 30 minutes. Tap any chart for hourly readings.
Missouri River near Ulm, MT
Downstream of Cascade — useful for tracking how flows roll through the lower fishing reach.
Solid day on the water.
Latest reading May 5, 7:45 AM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°CToday's read
- Flows are in the sweet spot (3,200 cfs) — wadeable, fishable, and predictable.
- Water temp 46°F — trout are sluggish. Slow your drifts, fish deeper.
Missouri River at Toston, MT
Upstream of the reservoir chain — sets the stage for what reaches Holter Dam in the days ahead.
Solid day on the water.
Latest reading May 5, 7:00 AM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°CToday's read
- Lower flows at 2,880 cfs concentrate fish — focus on slots, drop-offs, and shaded edges.
- Water temp 56°F — peak metabolism for trout. Bugs are moving, fish are moving.
Smith River near Eden, MT
Smith River below the canyon — UMOWA monitors macroinvertebrate health here.
Worth a look — adjust tactics.
Latest reading May 5, 7:15 AM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°CToday's read
- Very low flows (302 cfs). Fish are spooky — fish early, light tippet, longer leaders.
- Water temp 45°F — trout are sluggish. Slow your drifts, fish deeper.
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.