Missouri River Fishing Report: May 14, 2026

Summary

The Missouri has rolled out of post-spawn into early-summer mode, running two to three weeks ahead of schedule. Water has jumped five degrees in a week to 53°F, caddis have just arrived in force, and the first PMD noses are showing. Flows are easing near 3,150 CFS.

At a glance: ~3,150 CFS at Holter | Clear, tailwater normal | 53°F, up from 48°F a week ago | Warm and sunny, highs in the 70s with a possible 80, lows in the 40s | BWOs waning, caddis arriving, March Browns, midges, first PMDs

The Missouri has rolled smoothly out of post-spawn and into early-summer mode. Flows are sitting at ~3,150 CFS at Holter (Headhunters' May 12 read; the May 7 numbers across the other three shops were 3,200, a 50 CFS dip in a week), water temp has climbed five degrees in seven days to 53 °F, and clarity is the usual tailwater clear. The week ahead skews warm and sunny, highs in the 70s today and through the weekend, with a chance at 80 on Mother's Day, and overnight lows in the 40s. The whole hatch board has moved up the calendar: BWOs are past peak but still around, caddis arrived early and are now the strongest single hatch (especially in the canyon stretch and downriver), March Browns are mixed in, and the first PMD noses are out, Headhunters noted "PMDs just peeked their antennae out" on May 12.

Fish are feeding actively across all three columns. Rainbows are off the spawn and chasing again; browns are in their normal aggressive springtime posture on streamers. Boat traffic on the upper river is picking up, Headhunters' Mark Raisler made a direct ask for courtesy in the report and the next six weeks: communicate with other anglers before tension shows up. Wolf Creek Angler's Jason Orzechowski flagged the broader water-year concern (low snowpack, lower-than-ideal Missouri water for 2026), but daily fishing remains "solid river-wide." Water managers have projected a 10 to 20 % flow bump to ~3,500 CFS for June/July, which would be the favorable summer number if it lands.

The two-nymph rig remains the bread-and-butter setup, with the dry-fly window opening reliably mid-afternoon under BWO activity and stretching toward evening as caddis come on. Streamer fishing is being described in two different keys: Headhunters and Cross Currents see it as productive; WCA rates it "a solid Meh" for the season so far. Translation: it's worth your time, especially for browns, but don't plan a streamer-only float around it.

Best techniques

• Nymphing is the default. Cross Currents's specific protocol: deep in the morning (6 to 7 ft) with a worm or sow as the lead fly; transition shallower (3 to 5 ft) in the afternoon as fish key on emerging bugs in the upper column.
• Dry-fly window is open under BWO activity from ~2 PM until dark, and the caddis surface bite is layering in on top. On bright sunny days the caddis hatch pushes later, often evening only.
• Reach cast / slack-line presentation is the right cast for rising fish, on anchor or on foot. Straight-line presentations fare worse. 9-ft leader minimum, 4X or 5X to the bug, clean drag-free drift.
• Dry-dropper with a Mini Chubby or larger mayfly up top, suspending a small mayfly nymph below, the go-to in skinny water and an effective searching rig everywhere.
• Soft-hackle swing behind a small leech or minnow pattern is producing grabs when BWOs are emerging but no noses are showing. #12 to 14 Soft Hackle PT for March Browns; #14 Translucent Emergers for caddis.
• Streamer programs run the whole gamut, dry-line tossing, intermediate, and scraping the exposed center lanes with heavier flies. Target drop-offs and mid-river buckets. Be ready to swap profile and color until something works.

Hatches and flies.

BWO (Baetis): Nymphs: Green Machine, Two Bit Hooker, Psycho May (PMD/Olive), Frenchie, Blow Torch, Spanish Bullet (brown or olive), Pheasant Tail Nymph (size 12, plus Tung Jig PT), Tung Jig Hare's Ear, Crust Nymph, Black IPT, Micro May, Throat Lozenge, Split Case, Purple Weight Fly. Emergers / Cripples: Sprout Baetis, Film Critic, Translucent Emerger. Dries: Pederson's 401K Baetis, Adams, Purple Haze, Purple Para Wulff, Royal Wulff, Sparkle Flag, Split Flag, Brianne Dun, CDC Para Spinner, Hi-Vis Rusty Spinner, Harrop Olsen PED Blue Wing

Midge (Chironomidae): Nymphs / Pupae: Zebra Midge, Mercury Midge, Tufted Zebra, Midge Larva. Adults: Griffith's Gnat, Buzzball

March Brown: March Brown Nymph in #12 to 14 paired with a smaller BWO nymph remains a productive stack. Surface play: March Brown Parachute and Ms. Tickle Cripple March Brown

Caddis: Mother's Day Caddis arrived early. The canyon stretch and downriver are seeing the most action; Headhunters notes blind fishing the caddis dry has come back into rotation following last year's bumper year. Dries: Cornfed Caddis, X-Caddis, Missing Link Caddis, Hi-Vis Spent Caddis, Jeb Caddis

PMD: Headhunters' first PMD sighting of the season was May 12. Trout Shop is anticipating PMD nymphs entering the rotation in earnest by the third week of May, be ready

Sows & scuds: Pill Popper, TFP Skurp, UV Yum Yum, Soft Hackle Ray (pink, orange, or red bead), Pink Bead Tungsten Epoxy Back Sow, Tailwater Sow (natural grey and rainbow)

Worms: Wire Worm as the deep lead-fly in the morning is Cross Currents's specific recommendation right now

Streamers: Flashy: Kreelex (all colors), Sparkle Minnow, Lil' Kim, Goldie, Finch's Red Delicious. White / smolt: Skiddish Smolt. Dark / leechy / sculpin: Sex Dungeon (including big white Dungeon for the bold), Mini-Dungeon, Micro Peanut Envy, Bam Bam, Thin Mint, Heisenberg, Sparkle Bugger, Mini Montana Intruder, Mini Sculpin, Trout Spey Bugger, Squirrel Leech, Peacock and Black Bugger, Fruit Roll Up, SOL's Streamer Sushi Roll

Outlook. Warm and sunny through Mother's Day weekend and into next week, 70s with a possible 80 on Sunday, lows in the 40s overnight. Expect the caddis picture to keep building, BWOs to thin further as the hatch wraps, March Browns to hold steady, and the first sustained PMD hatches to start showing inside the next week to ten days. Water managers' projected 10 to 20 % flow bump for June/July (to ~3,500 CFS) remains the favorable scenario; the lower-water concern is real but not impacting current fishing. Boat traffic peaks for the next six weeks, communicate with other anglers and the day fishes well.

Sources and Thanks

Shop	Report date	Coverage
Headhunters Fly Shop (Craig)	May 12, 2026	Missouri River
The Trout Shop (Craig)	May 7, 2026	Missouri River
Cross Currents Fly Shop (Craig)	May 7, 2026	Missouri River
Wolf Creek Angler (Wolf Creek)	May 7, 2026	Missouri River