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Missouri River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Below Garrison: the Missouri runs walleye, salmon and pallid sturgeon through North Dakota.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
16,600 cfs
Air / High
89 / 91 F
Wind
SE 14 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 06342500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Missouri River lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. The river is running 16,600 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind SE around 14 mph, steady pressure near 1008 hPa and a high of 91. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Similar at 93 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Missouri River at Bismarck.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 06342500.

16,98517,70018,41516,600 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp89 F
High / Low91 / 57 F
WindSE 14-20 mph
Pressure1008.1 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 4%
Sunrise / Sunset07:07 / 20:17
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 91/57 F, wind 16 mph, rain 4%

Fair or better. A 16 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Missouri River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Missouri River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Missouri River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 78 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 82 F, wind to 14 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 79 F, wind to 7 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

North Dakota requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

North Dakota license. Walleye, sauger and salmon limits per current Game and Fish regulations; pallid sturgeon are endangered and must be released.

Access

Ramps at Garrison Dam tailrace, Washburn, Bismarck and Mandan; city park and wildlife area shoreline access.

About this water

The free-flowing Missouri River between Garrison Dam and Lake Oahe, Burleigh and McLean counties, North Dakota.

Fishing Missouri River: the full guide

A river between reservoirs

The Missouri River flows through North Dakota between Lake Sakakawea and Lake Oahe, with the free-flowing reach below Garrison Dam running past Bismarck and Mandan. The cold releases and river habitat support an excellent fishery: walleye and sauger in numbers, chinook salmon that drop down from the reservoir, smallmouth bass, northern pike, catfish and the endangered pallid sturgeon.

Walleye and sauger

Walleye and sauger hold the current seams, wing dams, sandbars and channel edges: jigs tipped with minnows are the standard through spring and fall, with trolling crankbaits and harnesses productive in summer. The tailrace immediately below Garrison Dam concentrates fish and is one of the most productive stretches in the state.

Salmon and the rest

Chinook salmon, stocked into Sakakawea, drop through the dam and are caught in the river below, an unusual fishery for the Great Plains. Smallmouth bass work the rocky banks and rip-rap, northern pike hold the backwaters, and channel catfish are abundant. Pallid sturgeon are endangered and must be released immediately if encountered.

Bismarck logistics

Ramps at Garrison Dam, Washburn, Bismarck and Mandan serve the river, with extensive shoreline access through city parks and wildlife areas. The river is big and the current strong: know the channel and watch for sandbars, which shift with flows. Bismarck provides full services along the corridor.

Common questions

Is the tailrace worth fishing?

Very: the water below Garrison Dam concentrates walleye, sauger and salmon and ranks among the state’s most productive.

Salmon in North Dakota?

Yes: chinook stocked into Sakakawea drop through the dam and are caught in the river below, unusual for the plains.

What about sturgeon?

Pallid sturgeon are endangered: release any immediately and learn to distinguish them from shovelnose.

Is fishing good at Missouri River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Nelson Lake42 miLake Tschida49 miLake Audubon57 miLake Sakakawea97 miPipestem Reservoir97 miJamestown Reservoir100 mi
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