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Best pumpkinseed lakes in Montana

35 Montana waters hold pumpkinseed, 35 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 PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
2. Swan Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
3. Seeley Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
4. Salmon Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
5. Lake Inez — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
6. Placid Lake — 93 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Lake Mary Ronan — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. Glen Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Blanchard Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow PerchWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Peterson Lake — 39 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
11. Castle Rock Reservoir — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
12. Canyon Lake (Carbon) — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. South Sandstone Reservoir — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Rainy Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Yellow Perch, Lake Trout, Cutthroat Trout, PumpkinseedWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
15. Savage Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brook Trout, Cutthroat TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
16. Lake Josephine — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
17. Horseshoe Lake (Lake) — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow Perch, PumpkinseedWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Lake Elmo — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
19. Frenchtown Pond — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, PumpkinseedWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Abbot Lake — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
21. Wadsworth Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Gartside Reservoir — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Skyles Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Cutthroat TroutWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Rock Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Summit Lake (Carbon) — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, PumpkinseedWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 10 more Montana waters holding pumpkinseed.

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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: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · New York · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Connecticut · Rhode Island