Fishing Conditions

Roaring River State Park · USGS 07050152

🎣
Good
River is in good shape. Most techniques effective. May be slightly off-color above 100 CFS. Flow is currently 119% above the historical average for this time of year.
As of Jul 1, 2026 3:25 PM CDT
🏪 Tim's Advice at Similar Flow
Based on 5 reports at 75–175 cfs · Closest match: 125 cfs (Jun 11, 2026)
125 cfs
Roaring River is running at 125 CFS with murky but improving water clarity. Fishing activity was strong this morning with many anglers catching fish.
📢 Current special note: Rooster tails work best in the first 30 minutes of the morning; bigger jigs recommended due to faster higher water, will revert to smaller jigs as water drops; sinking lines particularly effective in zone two
🪝 Fly Rod
Dry flies
stimulators, parachute Adams, blue wing olives, beetles, crane flies, caddis
Nymphs
copper John, pheasant tail nymph, grey scuds, Y2K bugs, bright colored San Juan worms, pink San Juan worms, pheasant tails, Copper Johns
Streamers & buggers
black woolly bugger, olive woolly bugger, tan woolly bugger, white woolly bugger, big black buggers, leeches, large woolly buggers, black woolly buggers, crackle backs
Other patterns
glo balls, pink San Juan worms, mop flies, black woolly worm, mega worms, pig stickers, glow balls, Y2K bugs, pink mop flies
🎣 Spin Rod
Lures
dark olive marabou jigs, black marabou jigs, black/yellow marabou jigs, white marabou jigs, ginger marabou jigs, micro jigs, trapped magnet jig, plastic worms (lucky lady orange and white, orange), small spoons, small crankbaits, black rooster tails, dark brown rooster tails, skunk rooster tails, pink rooster tails, yellow bumblebee rooster tails, black/yellow Maribou jigs 1/8 oz, olive Maribou jigs 1/8 oz, black/yellow Maribou jigs 1/16 oz, olive Maribou jigs 1/16 oz, spoons, yellow rooster tails, roaring river special olive green, roaring river special black ginger, black and yellow marabou jigs, olive marabou jigs, brown marabou jigs
Bait
1 inch yellow gulp grubs, 1 inch pink gulp grubs, natural fish oil salmon eggs, shrimp salmon eggs, white power bait eggs, orange power bait eggs, pink power bait eggs, live minnows, nightcrawlers, yellow power bait paste, 1 inch pink power bait gulp crawlers, 1 inch yellow power bait gulp crawlers, white eggs, pink PowerBait, yellow PowerBait, orange PowerBait, natural fish oil plastic eggs, shrimp plastic eggs, orange plastic worms, orange and white plastic worms
See original report text
Roaring River is looking good, 125 CFS, and murky, but much clearer today, saw lots of people catching fish this morning.…
Discharge
125
cfs
Fishable below 150 cfs
Gage Height
0.81
feet
Fishable below 1.8 ft
Trend
→ Steady
+0 cfs since last reading
Historical Average Today
57
cfs typical
0.61 ft typical gage
River Context
Days since last flood
9
Last time gage exceeded 2.5 ft
Days below 150 cfs
3
Consecutive fishable days
vs. Historical average
+119%
Compared to 57 cfs historical avg
Water clarity estimate
Good
Based on days since last flood
7-Day Historical Outlook
Historical average discharge for this time of year, based on 8 years of data. Not a forecast — shows what's typical, not what's predicted.
Today
Jul 1
57
0.61 ft
Fishable
Tomorrow
Jul 2
54
0.60 ft
Fishable
Fri
Jul 3
53
0.59 ft
Fishable
Sat
Jul 4
51
0.59 ft
Fishable
Sun
Jul 5
50
0.58 ft
Fishable
Mon
Jul 6
49
0.57 ft
Fishable
Tue
Jul 7
48
0.57 ft
Fishable
Fishing Technique & Tackle Guide
Based on weekly reports from Tim Homesley at Tim's Fly Shop (Hwy 112, Cassville). The currently active tier is highlighted. Current discharge is 125 cfs.
🐟 Prime Conditions Under 80 cfs · under 1.0 ft
🪝 Fly Rod
  • Dry flies — blue wing olives, caddis, tricos (morning), beetles, ants, Adams, stimulators, cracklebacks
  • Leaders: 9’ 7X for dries, 9’ 6X for nymphs
  • Nymphs — pheasant tails, burlaps (caddis larva), scuds (gray), copper Johns, black & gray zebra midges, sow bugs
  • Streamers — black, olive, and brown woolly buggers; use 5X–4X tippet on bigger flies
  • Other patterns — San Juan worms (orange, pink, yellow), glo balls (apricot, orange), chamois worms, mop flies, cracklebacks
  • Sight fishing is excellent — spot fish and present to them directly
  • Small jigs (1/32–1/16 oz) under an indicator work all day; black/yellow, white, olive, tan, gray
🎣 Spin Rod
  • Line: 2 lb is critical at these flows — fish can see everything
  • PowerBait grubs — yellow, pink, white, orange; 1-inch size
  • Salmon eggs — white, orange, pink; drift under a small bobber
  • Rooster tail spinners — black, pink, white, brown; best early morning, most stop working by 8–9 AM
  • Marabou jigs — fish small ones under indicator all day; heavier ones slow and deep at midday
  • Zone 3: white PowerBait paste, small crankbaits, Rebel crawfish
Tim says at ~33–62 CFS: “Clear and running well — great dry fly fishing. Tricos in the morning, caddis around 10:30 AM, BWOs after 1 PM. 7X leaders for dries, 6X for nymphs. Spinners are good for a bit in the morning but most stop using them by 8–9 AM.”
🎣 Good Conditions 80–150 cfs · 1.0–1.8 ft
🪝 Fly Rod
  • Dry fly fishing is good but gets sketchy above 100 CFS — target slower water and seams
  • Nymphs excel — pheasant tails, copper Johns, burlaps, scuds, zebra midges, sow bugs
  • Streamers — black, olive, brown woolly buggers working very well; lots of people throwing streamers with good results
  • Leaders: 6X for nymphs and small buggers, 7X for dries, 5X–4X for bigger streamers
  • Glo balls, San Juan worms, mop flies, and thread jigs all working
🎣 Spin Rod
  • Line: 4 lb works; switch to 2 lb when river drops below ~75 CFS
  • PowerBait grubs — yellow, pink, orange; still highly effective
  • Salmon eggs — white, orange, pink; good all day
  • Spinners — rooster tails productive, especially mornings
  • Marabou jigs — black/yellow, white, olive, tan; small ones under indicator, heavier ones fished slow and deep
  • Small crankbaits, rebel crawfish also effective in Zone 3
Tim says at 77–105 CFS: “Good water flow. Dry fly fishing has been great, nymphing very good. When the water gets down to about 75 CFS or below, it’s usually time to switch back to 2-pound line. Clearing happens a lot quicker when the river gets below 100 CFS.”
⚠ High — Fishable with Adjustments 150–300 cfs · 1.8–2.5 ft
🪝 Fly Rod
  • Dry fly fishing is difficult — limit to slower sections; some caddis and BWO hatches still producing
  • Big, heavy nymphs — mop flies, mega worms, chamois worms; extra weight needed
  • Woolly buggers — black, olive, brown; fish them slow and deep
  • Leaders: bump up to 5X; even 4X on buggers in murky water
  • Fish the slower seams, behind rocks, and along banks where current breaks
🎣 Spin Rod
  • Line: 4 lb fine; 10 lb if using heavy sinkers
  • PowerBait is the top producer — yellow, pink, fluorescent yellow, orange; key is getting it to the bottom
  • Weight: 1/4 to 1/2 oz sliding egg sinker or worm sinker to hold bottom
  • Spoons — sink fast, lots of flash; very effective in high water, mimic wounded minnow
  • Spinners — add extra weight, fish very slowly
  • Zone 1 is better than Zones 2–3 when extra flow is entering from Dry Hollow Creek
Tim says at 111–152 CFS: “Murky but catching fish. Lots of quality fish caught this week — 7, 8, and a 10-pound trout. Good flies are mop flies, mega worms, chamois worms. Fish can be caught right now — healthy trout go to the bottom where flow is lighter and wait for high water to subside.”
🚫 Very High — Very Difficult Above 300 cfs · above 2.5 ft
🪝 Fly Rod
  • Dry fly fishing essentially impossible
  • If determined to fly fish, use a full sinking line with heavy streamers or mop flies
  • Target absolute slack water behind large boulders or in deep eddies
  • Conditions improve quickly once rain stops — Tim says nymphing becomes viable again soon after
🎣 Spin Rod
  • PowerBait is your best option — pink and yellow most visible in dirty water
  • Heavy sinker required — 1/2 oz or more; 10 lb line recommended
  • Spoons — heavy, fast-sinking; best option after PowerBait
  • Fish only the very slowest water available; most of river is too fast to hold fish effectively
Tim says at 682+ CFS: “Fly fishing was good all week [before the rise]. With the CFS above 100, the dry fly fishing is a bit sketchy. PowerBait will be the best thing to use, especially if the water gets up and murky. When the water is murky, pink or yellow PowerBaits seem to be best.” Tim recommends waiting for conditions to improve before making the trip.
How conditions are determined
Prime
Discharge ≤ 80 cfs and gage ≤ 1.0 ft — low, clear, full technique options
Good
Discharge ≤ 150 cfs and gage ≤ 1.8 ft — excellent fishing, most techniques work
High — Fishable
Discharge ≤ 300 cfs and gage ≤ 2.5 ft — murky, requires heavier gear and PowerBait
Unfishable
Discharge > 300 cfs or gage > 2.5 ft — Tim recommends waiting it out
Rising Fast
Gage height increased more than 0.05 ft since the last reading — conditions deteriorating
Live data: USGS Water Data · Tackle advice: Tim Homesley, Tim's Fly Shop (Hwy 112, Cassville) · Historical averages: local database 2018–present