It’s a fishing day

Fort Peck Lake fishing conditions · Montana

Tonight 11 pm to tonight 1 amWalleye

The bite peaks at 55.

Lake Wind Advisory until Saturday 4 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 46 for walleye, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 462 pm
  2. 46
  3. 50
  4. 465 pm
  5. 51
  6. 51
  7. 438 pm
  8. 43
  9. 47
  10. 5511 pm
  11. 55Sun
  12. 51
  13. 512 am
  14. 51
  15. 51
  16. 515 am
  17. 51
  18. 55
  19. 518 am
  20. 51
  21. 51
  22. 5511 am
  23. 55
  24. 51
  25. 512 pm
  26. 51
  27. 55
  28. 515 pm
  29. 51
  30. 51
  31. 438 pm
  32. 43
  33. 43
  34. 4711 pm
  35. 47Mon
  36. 43
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
15 mph

From the west-northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:39 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
58°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Montana Eastern District regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

55MarginalTonight 11 pm to tonight 1 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Eastern District: 5 walleye and sauger a day, only 2 sauger; 10 in possession, only 4 sauger.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Eastern District

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Northern Pike

Northern pike

Esox lucius

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Northern pike bite in 50–70° water, best near 63°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Eastern District: 10 northern pike a day and in possession.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Eastern District

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round. More on northern pike

Lake Trout

Lake trout

Salvelinus namaycush

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Lake trout bite in 40–52° water, best near 48°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 30–200 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Eastern District limit of 3 lake trout a day, 6 in possession. Lake trout and chinook may be speared through the ice Dec 1 through March 31.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Fort Peck Reservoir, dam to Beauchamp Creek

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Sep–Jun. More on lake trout

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

8Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Smallmouth bass is here Apr–Oct. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Eastern District: 5 bass a day and in possession.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Eastern District

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

8Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Chinook salmon bite in 42–58° water, best near 50°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Chinook salmon is here Apr–Oct. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 5 salmon a day, 10 in possession. Chinook may be snagged Oct 1 through Nov 30, taken by bow Oct 1–15, and speared through the ice Dec 1 through March 31.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Fort Peck Reservoir, dam to Beauchamp Creek

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

8Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Channel catfish is here May–Oct. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Eastern District: 10 channel catfish a day, 20 in possession.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Eastern District

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

8Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Common carp is here May–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Montana Eastern District: species not listed in the district limits table, carp included, have no limit on the number taken or possessed.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Montana Eastern District

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.01 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:39 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:01 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:10 pm–4:10 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:20 am–7:20 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Montana FWP has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: Montana FWP · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

One of the largest reservoirs in the United States — a 134-mile Missouri River impoundment behind Fort Peck Dam, with more shoreline than the California coast. A trophy multi-species fishery: walleye and smallmouth bass on the structure, northern pike in the bays, channel catfish, lake trout in the cold depths, and the region’s premier landlocked chinook salmon.

Eastern District: 5 walleye and sauger a day (only 2 sauger), 10 pike, 5 bass, 3 lake trout, 5 salmon, 10 channel catfish. Chinook may be snagged Oct 1–Nov 30, and chinook and lake trout speared through the ice Dec 1–Mar 31.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Bighorn River197 mi · MontanaBest now until tomorrow 7 am
92Go
Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park)235 mi · North DakotaBest tomorrow 8 am to Monday 2 am
68Marginal
Lake Audubon243 mi · North DakotaBest tomorrow 9 am to Monday 2 am
68Marginal
Canyon Ferry Lake261 mi · MontanaBest now until 6 pm
90Go
Missouri River at Craig268 mi · MontanaBest now until 11 pm
80Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Fort Peck Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Fort Peck Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Fort Peck Lake?

Fort Peck Lake is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Chinook Salmon, and 3 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Fort Peck Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Fort Peck Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Fort Peck Lake have?

Fort Peck Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Eastern District: 5 walleye and sauger a day (only 2 sauger), 10 pike, 5 bass, 3 lake trout, 5 salmon, 10 channel catfish. Chinook may be snagged Oct 1–Nov 30, and chinook and lake trout speared through the ice Dec 1–Mar 31.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Fort Peck Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Fort Peck Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Fort Peck Lake tidal water?

No. Fort Peck Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.