What is the best fishing lake in Montana?

Fort Peck Lake is our first pick, with walleye, northern pike and lake trout. Flathead Lake and Lake Koocanusa are close behind.

How many lakes in Montana does LakeScope cover?

68 lakes, each with a page for today's conditions.

Where can I catch walleye in Montana?

Try Fort Peck Lake, Noxon Reservoir and Canyon Ferry Lake.

Where can I catch bass in Montana?

Try Fort Peck Lake, Lake Koocanusa and Noxon Reservoir.

Where can I catch trout in Montana?

Try Fort Peck Lake, Flathead Lake and Lake Koocanusa.

Best fishing lakes in Montana: 12 lakes and what bites

Picking the best fishing lakes in Montana comes down to size, the fish you are after and how much structure the bed offers. Here are 12 lakes that tick those boxes, with what each one is good for.

The lakes at a glance

Lake	Size	Main fish
Fort Peck Lake	245,000 acres	walleye, northern pike, lake trout
Flathead Lake	126,000 acres	lake trout, yellow perch, northern pike
Lake Koocanusa	46,500 acres	trout, kokanee salmon, largemouth bass
Noxon Reservoir	7,940 acres	largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike
Canyon Ferry Lake	33,500 acres	trout, walleye, northern pike
Hungry Horse Reservoir	23,600 acres	trout
Whitefish Lake	3,330 acres	lake trout, trout, northern pike
Tiber Reservoir	21,300 acres	northern pike, walleye, trout
Holter Lake	4,550 acres	trout, walleye, yellow perch
Lake Frances	5,250 acres	northern pike, trout, walleye
Seeley Lake	1,030 acres	kokanee salmon, northern pike, trout
Georgetown Lake	2,820 acres	trout, lake trout, kokanee salmon

1. Fort Peck Lake

Fort Peck Lake covers some 245,000 acres. It holds walleye, northern pike, lake trout and smallmouth bass. At about 220 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer.

Fort Peck Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Flathead Lake

At 126,000 acres, Flathead Lake is a huge piece of water. The fish here are lake trout, yellow perch, northern pike and trout. The deepest water is around 371 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start.

Flathead Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Lake Koocanusa

Lake Koocanusa spreads over 46,500 acres. You will find it near Eureka. It is the Kootenai River behind Libby Dam. Expect trout, kokanee salmon, largemouth bass and northern pike. At about 350 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Lake Koocanusa is a transboundary reservoir that stretches from Montana north into British Columbia, Canada.

Lake Koocanusa today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Noxon Reservoir

Noxon Reservoir spreads over 7,940 acres of water. The lake is about 70 miles west of Spokane Valley. It holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye. At about 200 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Noxon Reservoir on the Clark Fork River is a top smallmouth and largemouth bass fishery in Montana.

Noxon Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Canyon Ferry Lake

Canyon Ferry Lake is a reservoir of 33,500 acres of water. It lies about 61 miles north of Great Falls. Canyon Ferry Dam holds it on the Missouri River. Expect trout, walleye, northern pike and largemouth bass. The deepest water is around 166 ft. Its bed shows three steep ledges and an upper arm worth a first look. Canyon Ferry Lake, near Helena, is one of Montana's most popular fishing and boating destinations.

Canyon Ferry Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Hungry Horse Reservoir

Hungry Horse Reservoir is a reservoir of 23,600 acres of water. The lake is near Columbia Falls. It holds trout. It goes down to about 500 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Hungry Horse Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Whitefish Lake

Whitefish Lake spreads over 3,330 acres of water. The lake is next to Whitefish. It holds lake trout, trout, northern pike and yellow perch. At about 233 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove to work. Whitefish Lake, next to the resort town of Whitefish, is an oligotrophic (clear, nutrient-poor) lake with lake trout that rival nearby Flathead Lake. The water is known for being clear: lighter line and natural colours help.

Whitefish Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Tiber Reservoir

Tiber Reservoir is a reservoir of 21,300 acres of water. The lake is within an easy drive of Great Falls (about 55 miles). It holds northern pike, walleye and trout. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and a steep ledge to work. Lake Elwell, commonly called Tiber Reservoir, was formed by damming the Marias River in north-central Montana.

Tiber Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Holter Lake

Holter Lake covers 4,550 acres of water. The lake is about 5.4 miles south of Helena Valley Northeast. It is the Missouri River behind Holter Dam. It holds trout, walleye, yellow perch and northern pike. It goes down to about 120 ft.

Holter Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Lake Frances

At 5,250 acres, Lake Frances is a good-sized lake. It lies about 67 miles southeast of Great Falls. Expect northern pike, trout, walleye and yellow perch. At about 43 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring.

Lake Frances today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

11. Seeley Lake

Seeley Lake is a natural lake of some 1,030 acres. You will find it next to Seeley Lake. It holds kokanee salmon, northern pike, trout and yellow perch. It goes down to about 125 ft. Seeley Lake, in the Clearwater chain, gives its name to the nearby town of Seeley Lake, Montana.

Seeley Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

12. Georgetown Lake

At some 2,820 acres, Georgetown Lake is small enough to learn in a few trips. The lake is near Philipsburg. Trout, lake trout and kokanee salmon are the draw. It goes down to about 38 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Georgetown Lake, near Anaconda at over 6,000 feet elevation, is a popular high-mountain trout and kokanee fishery.

Georgetown Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Which lake for which fish

A lake appears under a fish when it holds it, by the record or by the type of lake.

Bass: Fort Peck Lake, Lake Koocanusa, Noxon Reservoir and Canyon Ferry Lake
Walleye: Fort Peck Lake, Noxon Reservoir, Canyon Ferry Lake and Tiber Reservoir
Trout: Fort Peck Lake, Flathead Lake, Lake Koocanusa and Noxon Reservoir
Crappie: Nelson Reservoir, Bighorn Lake, Hauser Lake and Lake McDonald
Pike and muskie: Fort Peck Lake, Flathead Lake, Lake Koocanusa and Noxon Reservoir
Catfish: Nelson Reservoir, Bighorn Lake, Hauser Lake and Lake McDonald

Season by season

Spring: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
Summer: walleye are usually fair. Warm surface. They go deep in the day; try evenings.
Fall: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
Winter: walleye are usually at their best. Good cool-water bite, best at dusk and after dark.

Before you go

A Montana fishing licence covers every lake here; the state fish and wildlife agency publishes the limits and any special rules lake by lake. Each lake page on LakeScope shows today's water temperature, the wind, the best bite times and a 3-D view of the bed, so check it the morning you go.