UTERJanuary
Tailwater midges; ice walleye
Missouri below Holter.
The Madison to Fort Peck
Montana freshwater fishing
What's biting in Montana freshwater in October: smallmouth bass, black crappie and yellow perch at their peak, with largemouth bass, bluegill and sauger around too. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows 19 fish here month by month, from Madison River to Fort Peck.
Pre-spawn browns
Blue-ribbon trout rivers — the Madison, the Missouri, the Bighorn, the Yellowstone — native grayling in the Big Hole, Flathead's lake trout, and the plains reservoirs' walleye and paddlefish.
Madison RiverMissouri River (Craig)Bighorn RiverBig Hole RiverYellowstone RiverFlathead LakeFort Peck
Updated
Now · October
Pre-spawn browns
Streamers.
Rainbow troutBrown troutCutthroat troutWalleyeLake trout (mackinaw, togue)Smallmouth bass
This month here
From the season calendar, best firstPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakSpawningSpawningPeakSpawningSpawningAroundAroundAroundAroundAround
Smallmouth bass
Black crappie (speck)
Yellow perch
Walleye
Northern pike
Channel catfish
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
Pre-spawn browns on streamers — the Missouri, the Madison, the Beaverhead
Brook trout
Cutthroat trout
Lake trout (mackinaw, togue)
Kokanee salmon
Largemouth bass
Bluegill
Sauger
Arctic grayling
Common carp
The water
Structure that matters
LakeReservoirRiverCreek / streamPond / pitDock / pilingsBridgeBoat ramp
Month by month
What's happening, and what to throwFebruary
Ice fishing
Canyon Ferry perch.
March
Skwala stoneflies
Bitterroot.
April
Pre-runoff and grayling spawn
Big Hole.
May
Runoff; paddlefish open
Cutthroat troutWalleyeLake trout (mackinaw, togue)Paddlefish (spoonbill)Black crappie (speck)Northern pike
Yellowstone at Intake.
June
Salmonfly hatch
Madison and Big Hole.
July
Summer dries
Missouri and Bighorn.
August
Hoppers; hoot-owl closures in heat
Fish mornings.
September
Fall trout
Tricos and BWOs.
October · now
Pre-spawn browns
Streamers.
November
Browns spawn
Late season.
December
Winter
Tailwaters only.
Fish guides for Montana freshwater
When, where and what to use, fish by fishArctic graylingBrown troutCutthroat troutLake trout (mackinaw, togue)Paddlefish (spoonbill)Rainbow troutSaugerWalleyeYellow perch
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