Freestone · Mixed · Montana

Dearborn River

Dearborn River venue image
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The Dearborn is a flashy little freestone off the Rocky Mountain Front that empties into the Missouri near Craig.

Species

A proper day on the water

River high but settled. Match the colour and fish the seams.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for cutthroat trout
Cool — slow
8.8°Cideal 9–15°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for cutthroat trout
  • Temperature9628% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity5412% weight
Conditions
Level
1.48 m
Water temp
8.8°C
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
21°C
Wind
N 15 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1013 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.3 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

How to fish it · for cutthroat trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Montana licence
  • Short flow window — fish it early, leave it alone once it draws down
  • Yellowstone/westslope cutthroat are native here — handle and release them gently.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The Dearborn is a flashy little freestone off the Rocky Mountain Front that empties into the Missouri near Craig. It comes up fast and drops fast, which gives it a short, sweet window in early summer when the canyon stretch can be floated and the cutthroat and rainbows come up willingly for a dry. Miss the window and it's a bony trickle by August. People floating the famous Missouri tailwater nearby often forget it's even there, which is exactly its charm.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • TroutThird Saturday of May → Last day of February
Other water nearby · 2