Clark Fork above Missoula
River flow & level · USGS gauge 12340500 · Montana · drains 6,021 sq mi
Latest reading Oct 26, 10:00 AM · streamflow
The Clark Fork at Missoula is running 1,800 cfs, 118% of the median flow for October 26 (1,520 cfs, 97 years). Gage height is 2.87 ft, 4.6 ft below flood stage (7.5 ft). Flow is down 7% from 24 hours ago.
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumAction (7.0 ft) is 4.1 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (7.5 ft) is 4.6 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (11.0 ft) is 8.1 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (13.0 ft) is 10.1 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
Clark Fork above Missoula fishing report & conditions
updated Oct 26, 12:50 PM ETWater 42°F, flow 118% of normal, flow steady, calm wind — fair fall fishing day (5/10), best window 8:33 AM–9:33 AM (moonset near sunrise).
- Water temp42°Fmeasured Oct 26, 10:00 AM · this gauge
- Air temphigh 56°F / low 35°FPartly Sunny then Chance Light Rain
- WindCalm2–6 mph 6 AM–6 PM, gusts to 9
- Flow118% of normalFlow steady (-7% in 24 h)
Official Montana fishing info: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Fishing info
Best fishing times today
Today is a fair fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
5/10
Full moon · 99% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 8:09 AM · Sunset 6:28 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead12:20 AM–2:20 AM
- Moon underfoot12:47 PM–2:47 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset8:33 AM–9:33 AMSunrise
- Moonrise5:52 PM–6:52 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 26 | 5/10Fair | Major 12:20 AM–2:20 AM · 12:47 PM–2:47 PM Minor 8:33 AM–9:33 AM · 5:52 PM–6:52 PM Calm wind 2–6 mph |
|---|---|---|
| TueOct 27 | 5/10Fair | Major 1:16 AM–3:16 AM · 1:46 PM–3:46 PM Minor 9:57 AM–10:57 AM · 6:28 PM–7:28 PM Light wind 5–7 mph |
| WedOct 28 | 3/10Poor | Major 2:17 AM–4:17 AM · 2:49 PM–4:49 PM Minor 11:18 AM–12:18 PM · 7:16 PM–8:16 PM Calm wind 2–4 mph |
| ThuOct 29 | 4/10Fair | Major 3:21 AM–5:21 AM · 3:54 PM–5:54 PM Minor 12:30 PM–1:30 PM · 8:19 PM–9:19 PM Calm wind 1–2 mph |
| FriOct 30 | 3/10Poor | Major 4:26 AM–6:26 AM · 4:57 PM–6:57 PM Minor 1:26 PM–2:26 PM · 9:34 PM–10:34 PM Calm wind 1–2 mph |
| SatOct 31 | 4/10Fair | Major 5:28 AM–7:28 AM · 5:57 PM–7:57 PM Minor 2:07 PM–3:07 PM · 10:55 PM–11:55 PM Calm wind 0–1 mph |
| SunNov 1 | 4/10Fair | Major 5:25 AM–7:25 AM · 5:52 PM–7:52 PM Minor 1:38 PM–2:38 PM · 11:16 PM–12:16 AM Calm wind 1–2 mph |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonset × sunrise +1; Moonrise × sunset +1) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 0 |
| Today | 5, rounded | 5/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured at this gauge. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 46.88, -113.93 (moon times from astronomical equations, Clark Fork above Missoula local time).
Weather & wind at Clark Fork above Missoula
air temperature, not water3-day forecast
- Today56° / 35°Partly Sunny then Chance Light RainWind ESE 5 mphRain 83%
- Tuesday48° / 32°Chance Light RainWind WSW 7 mphRain 46%
- Wednesday47° / 27°Rain And Snow LikelyWind S 3 mphRain 72%
NOAA National Weather Service forecast for 46.877, -113.932 (grid MSO), issued Oct 26, 2:01 AM local time. High / low are air temperatures; water temperature is in the fishing section above. The “Air temp & weather” tile at the top refreshes live.
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge ABOM8- Action stage7 ft+4.1 ft from now
- Minor stage7.5 ft+4.6 ft from now
- Moderate stage11 ft+8.1 ft from now
- Major stage13 ft+10.1 ft from now
- Record crest17.4 ft1908
October 26 in history
97 years of flow records- Today1,800 cfs
- Same date last year1,090 cfs2025
- Median1,520 cfs
- Normal range1,280 cfs – 1,740 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19303,710 cfs1960
- Lowest since 1930842 cfs1943
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Oct 26 (today) | 1,834 | -5% |
| Sun Oct 25 | 1,940 | +3% |
| Sat Oct 24 | 1,890 | +27% |
| Fri Oct 23 | 1,490 | +6% |
| Thu Oct 22 | 1,400 | -1% |
| Wed Oct 21 | 1,410 | -1% |
| Tue Oct 20 | 1,430 | -1% |
| Mon Oct 19 | 1,450 | -1% |
| Sun Oct 18 | 1,470 | -1% |
| Sat Oct 17 | 1,480 | -2% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 12340500 — Clark Fork above Missoula MT
- Location
- 46.8768, -113.9321 · Montana
- Drainage area
- 6,021 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1930–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Oct 26, 10:00 AM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Oct 26, 2026 12:50 PM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge ABOM8 — National Water Prediction Service
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.