Fishing Conditions

Roaring River State Park · USGS 07050152

🐟
Prime
Flow is currently 50% below the historical average for this time of year.
As of Oct 31, 2026 1:40 AM CDT
👑 Tim's Advice
Tim's latest report — posted Oct 26, 2026 at 19 cfs.
19 cfs
Water is low and clear with no rain expected until the end of the month, so conditions will likely remain stable. Fishing is pretty good across multiple techniques given the clear, low-water conditions.
📢 Current special note: Zone 3 allows night crawlers and PowerBait paste. Live bait and micro jigs can be purchased at Sportsman's Corner, located about 5 miles north of Tim's shop on Highway 112.
🪝 Fly Rod
Dry flies
beetles, ants, Adams, caddis, Griffith gnats, crackle backs (holographic green/grizzly)
Nymphs
pheasant tails, zebra midges (black), hares ears, copper Johns
Streamers & buggers
black wooly buggers, olive wooly buggers, tan wooly buggers, brown wooly buggers, marabou streamers (tan), marabou streamers (black/yellow), marabou streamers (olive), marabou streamers (white)
Other patterns
Glo balls, San Juan worms, mop flies, mini mops, fur bugs
Leader / tippet
2lb line, moss green or clear; avoid white, fluorescent blue, or other colors
🎣 Spin Rod
Lures
black/yellow jigs, olive jigs, white jigs, tan jigs, rooster tail spinners (black), rooster tail spinners (skunk), rooster tail spinners (olive), rooster tail spinners (black/yellow), Roaring River specials (olive), Roaring River specials (tan), Roaring River specials (black), micro jigs (olive), micro jigs (tan), micro jigs (black/yellow)
Bait
family fishin plastic bait, natural fish oil plastic bait, shrimp eggs plastic bait, white PowerBait eggs, pink PowerBait eggs, orange PowerBait eggs, orange/white plastic worms, pink/white plastic worms, cheese yellow plastic worms, pink plastic worms, night crawlers, white PowerBait paste, dark brown fish food pellets
Line weight
2lb line, moss green or clear; avoid white, fluorescent blue, or other colors
See original report text

Water is still low and clear, fishing is still pretty good, no rain expected till the end of the month, so the water will probably remain low till the end of the month. For your best luck, use 2lb line, moss green is good right now. Avoid lines that are white, fl. Blue, or any other color, clear or moss green is best. CFS is 18.1 October 25 2026. Great dry fly fishing still, beetles, ants, Adam’s, caddis, Griffith gnats are good right now, crackle backs, (holographic green/grizzly) are working well right now. Nymphing is always good, small is good right now, #16’s and smaller right now, pheasant tails, zebra midges(black) hares ears, copper John’s are all good right now. Black, olive, tan, and brown wooly buggers are good every morning, I usually start with black. I’ve been doing pretty good on brown, black, and tan woolies, and marabou streamers in tan, black/yellow, and olive, white is good early in the mornings. Glo balls, San Juan worms, mop flies, mini mops and fur bugs are all good at the moment, and these work most of the year. Black/yellow jigs have been good for the past few months, and the usually work most of the time, olive, white, and tan have also been good colors. Roaring river specials in olive, tan, and black have all been good. Micro jigs, olive, tan, black/yellow have all been good. Plastic baits are good right now, the family fishin, natural fish oil, and the shrimp eggs are really good right now, white, pink, and orange power bait eggs have all been effective. Plastic worms are good, the orange/white, pink/white, cheese yellow and the pink have all been good for the past few months. First thing in the morning, black, skunk, olive, and the black/yellow rooster tail type spinners have all been good. Zone 3, night crawlers, white power-bait paste or the dk. Brown fish food pellets are working pretty good, live bait can be purchased at Sportsman’s Corner, they are located about 5 miles north of my shop on hwy 112, they also carry the micro jigs, so you can get em there when, I’m closed. God luck on the river this week.

Discharge
22
cfs
Fishable below 150 cfs
Gage Height
0.35
feet
Fishable below 1.8 ft
Trend
→ Steady
+0 cfs since last reading
Historical Average Today
46
cfs typical
0.55 ft typical gage
River Context
Days since last flood
130
Last time gage exceeded 2.5 ft
Days below 150 cfs
—
Consecutive fishable days
vs. Historical average
-50%
Compared to 46 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
Oct 31
46
0.55 ft
Fishable
Tomorrow
Nov 1
48
0.56 ft
Fishable
Mon
Nov 2
48
0.57 ft
Fishable
Tue
Nov 3
49
0.57 ft
Fishable
Wed
Nov 4
49
0.57 ft
Fishable
Thu
Nov 5
49
0.58 ft
Fishable
Fri
Nov 6
49
0.58 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 22 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