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
Marginal
Worth a look — adjust tactics.
5-Day Weather — Craig, MT
weather.govToday
86°F
Mostly Sunny
NNE 2 to 9 mph
Tuesday
88°F
Mostly Sunny
NNE 5 to 8 mph
Wednesday
92°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NNE 0 to 6 mph
Thursday
96°F
Sunny
SSW 1 to 6 mph
Friday
99°F
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 6 to 12 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.
Worth a look — adjust tactics.
Latest reading Jul 20, 11:45 AM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°CToday's read
- Flows are in the sweet spot (3,490 cfs) — wadeable, fishable, and predictable.
- Water temp 65°F — at or near stress thresholds. Consider not fishing midday and follow Keep Fish Wet practices.
Missouri River at Toston, MT
Upstream of the reservoir chain — sets the stage for what reaches Holter Dam in the days ahead.
Tough conditions today.
Latest reading Jul 20, 12:00 PM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°CToday's read
- Lower flows at 2,830 cfs concentrate fish — focus on slots, drop-offs, and shaded edges.
- Water temp 75°F — at or near stress thresholds. Consider not fishing midday and follow Keep Fish Wet practices.
Smith River near Eden, MT
Smith River below the canyon — UMOWA monitors macroinvertebrate health here.
Worth a look — adjust tactics.
Latest reading Jul 20, 12:15 PM
14-day flow
cubic feet per second14-day water temperature
°CToday's read
- Very low flows (143 cfs). Fish are spooky — fish early, light tippet, longer leaders.
- Water temp 64°F — fish hard early, give them a rest in the heat of the day.
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.