Montana Lake & Reservoir Fishing Report
Do you find these reports helpful? We don't sell flies or otherwise make money off of them, so we humbly ask that you consider Buying Us a Coffee. Also, if you've got the funds, you can...
Book a Trip...or refer us to your friends.
This report is valid February 15 through mid-March.
Public Reservoirs – Low Elevation: Ice conditions around here are not safe! If it’s slushy, don’t even think about it. Many lakes are actually ice-free and reasonable places to boat. On the warmest days, you might find some rainbows along the rocky shorelines already, though the false spawn is a ways off.
Public Reservoirs – High Elevation (Hebgen, etc.): We are unsure about ice conditions, but suspect that it is sketchy even on Hebgen. Check in West Yellowstone.
Private Lakes: Frozen or slushy and generally inaccessible due to snow drifts and mud. This year looks to be an early start on the private lakes, though. Early April vs late April seems likely.
Beartooth Lakes: Frozen and snowed in.
Note: We update our general fishing report far more often than our fishery-specific reports like this one, especially between November and April.