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Best pumpkinseed lakes in Montana

31 Montana waters hold pumpkinseed, 31 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The brilliant little sunfish of weedy northern bays — a snail-crunching shallow-water resident that outnumbers bluegill across the east and Canada.

1. Canyon Ferry Reservoir — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
2. Swan Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout
3. Seeley Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
4. Salmon Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
5. Placid Lake — 93 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout
6. Lake Mary Ronan — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout
7. Lake Inez — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout
8. Lake Alva — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook Trout
9. Glen Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
10. Blanchard Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow Perch
11. Island Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow Perch
12. Lower Stillwater Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
13. Peterson Lake — 39 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
14. Castle Rock Reservoir — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
15. South Sandstone Reservoir — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
16. Rainy Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Pumpkinseed
17. Savage Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout
18. Lake Josephine — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
19. Horseshoe Lake (Lake) — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed
20. Lake Elmo — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
21. Frenchtown Pond — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Pumpkinseed
22. Abbot Lake — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
23. Wadsworth Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
24. Gartside Reservoir — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
25. Skyles Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Cutthroat Trout

…plus 6 more Montana waters holding pumpkinseed.

When to fish pumpkinseed in Montana

• Spring 1–8 ft — Spawning colonies carpet warm, protected bays — small baits dropped on the beds get instant attention.
• Summer 2–10 ft — Docks, pads and weed flats — pumpkinseeds hold tighter to vegetation than bluegill and love snails and nymphs.
• Fall 4–14 ft — Schools tighten on the last green weeds — find healthy cabbage near a drop and the school is there.
• Winter 6–18 ft — A staple ice panfish — soft-bottom flats just outside the deepest green weeds; downsize and watch for lift bites.

Also in Montana: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best arctic grayling lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes

Pumpkinseed elsewhere: Minnesota · Michigan · New Hampshire · New York