Spring Fed · Limestone · Missouri

Roaring River (Missouri State Park)

Roaring River is one of Missouri's classic trout parks — a small spring-fed stream bursting out of the Ozark hillside in Roaring River State Park near Cassville, stocked daily with rainbows and run on the state's tag-and-whistle park system that draws crowds the moment the season opens.

Species

About as good as it gets

Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for rainbow trout
Ideal
15°C est.ideal 10–18°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for rainbow trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6712% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
15.1°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
24°C
Wind
E 17 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1019 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Rain · ahead
8.3 mm
Light rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for rainbow 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
Excellent — 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
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Brown SedgeHatch
2
3
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Blue Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
2
Mayfly (Green Drake)Hatch
2
2

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

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • A daily trout tag is required inside Roaring River State Park; a Missouri Trout Permit is required to possess trout
  • The fly-fishing-only zone and the winter C&R season have specific rules — verify exact park dates, zones and tag/permit rules against current MDC rules.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Roaring River is one of Missouri's classic trout parks — a small spring-fed stream bursting out of the Ozark hillside in Roaring River State Park near Cassville, stocked daily with rainbows and run on the state's tag-and-whistle park system that draws crowds the moment the season opens. Most of it is put-and-take park water fished shoulder to shoulder on opening day, but there's a catch-and-release fly zone and a winter catch-and-release season that give the fly fisher quieter, more rewarding water, and the spring keeps it cold and constant year-round. It's not wilderness and doesn't pretend to be — it's a friendly, accessible, intensely managed spring stream. Fish the fly zone with scuds, midges and soft hackles, lean into the winter C&R season for solitude, and take the park rules and daily tags as the framework they are.

  • Limestone
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 March → 31 December
Other water nearby · 3