Best smallmouth bass lakes in Montana
252 Montana waters hold smallmouth bass, 251 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. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.
- Canyon Ferry Reservoir — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Yellowstone River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Sauger, Rainbow Trout, Common Carp
- Red Rock Lake, Upper — 5 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Little Bitterroot Lake — 260 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
- Mcgregor Lake — 220 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Lake Trout
- Bull Lake (Lincoln) — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Lake Mary Ronan — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout
- Thompson Lake, Middle — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Echo Lake (Flathead) — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Elk Lake (Beaverhead) — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Thompson Lake, Upper — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Dickey Lake (Lincoln) — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Sophie Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
- Mission Reservoir, In Part — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Hubbart Reservoir — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brook Trout
- Fox Lake (Park) — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
- Frank Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Thompson Lake, Lower — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Glen Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
- Lake Five (Flathead) — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Fossil Lake (Carbon) — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Aero Lake, Upper — 175 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Horseshoe Lake (Lincoln) — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Broadwater Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
- Aero Lake, Lower — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
…plus 227 more Montana waters holding smallmouth bass.
When to fish smallmouth bass in Montana
- Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
- Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
- Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
- Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.
Also in Montana: best largemouth 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 · best pumpkinseed lakes
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