Fort Peck Reservoir

Channel Catfish and Black Bullhead lurk in the depths of Fort Peck Reservoir. Remaining in relative obscurity, the Channel Cat grows to enormous proportions in this body of water. With little to no fishing pressure, the opportunities are endless. Fort Peck has long been known for it's world-class Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Lake Trout, and Salmon.  The Channel Catfish belongs on that elite list. There is a unique opportunity to boat a state record at any given moment. This massive body of water has been home to the Montana state record three times in the last twenty five years. (25.89 lbs. in 1984, 25.89 lbs. in 1989, and most recently, a 34.8 lb. giant boated by Dan Davenport in July of 2013 in the Snow Creek area).  
Planning a weekend trip in early spring could be well worth your while.  It is tough to target cats if you’re a shore angler on Fort Peck Reservoir. So if you are planning on attacking cats, via boat or shore, plan on getting an early start at it (Mid April to Early June), and concentrate your efforts in the big dry arm or throughout the upper reaches of the lake.  Catfishing west of the UL Bend Area can be your best bet for cats over 20 lbs. during those first spells of warm weather, and extending well into pre-spawn.  Channel Cats will look to charge up the Missouri River towards the Fred Robinson Bridge Recreation area or cruise their way into Crooked Creek Bay on their way up the Musselshell River looking for that perfect place to spawn.  Cats can also push up the far east of the Lake, past Nelson Creek and even up Big Dry Creek in high water years. 
Walleye anglers will happen upon catfish infrequently while fishing the Duck Creek and Pines Recreation areas near the town of Fort Peck.  Often times these accidental catches will come by way of bottom bouncer or various vertical jig presentations.  Hell Creek, Devils Creek, and Snow Creek have harbored large channel cats during the fall fishing season in recent years.  Anglers have found them in shallow bays and under submerged tree stumps.  It is not uncommon for big game hunters to target massive Channel Cats during the evenings on their trips into the Missouri River Breaks region during the months of September and October.  Big Cats offer an added bonus for those out chasing Elk in some rough country.
Above Information from Montana Cats Staff.  
 
Located 17 miles south-east of Glasgow, MT and 120 miles north of Billings, MT. Fort Peck Reservoir is the largest earth-filled man made dam in the entire world. It has more shore line (1,500 miles) than any other body of water within the United States, and if stretched out, it's shores would be longer than the entire west coast of California.  It covers 250,000 acres of land in secluded north-eastern Montana and continues to be a top tourism destination. It is home to over 60 species of fish and is pressured throughout the entire open water season as well as through the ice. There are twelve fully functioning boat ramps during normal water levels, and access to the lake is surprisingly easy. 
Above Information from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website.