Fishing Report For Noxon Reservoir, MT

Current Report: Good

Recent bass tournament results report it typically takes a 5-pound average to get top prize, most of them are largemouth.

WINTER. Winter isolates largemouth around slightly deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 8 to 20 feet deep, around main-lake channel edges, rock piles, stump fields and brush piles. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate from the group in 5 to 10 feet deeper water. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Before, during and after ice, slow presentations with drop shots, jigs or finesse worms are often the key to getting bites. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, largemouth may move a bit shallower to feed.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 3 to 10 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 1 to 5 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 12 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 3 to 10 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 8 to 15 feet deep. Some of the best reports seem to be from anglers fishing weedlines around North Shore and drop-offs along the main channel.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. Anglers typically have success in 5 to 15 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps in 15 to 25 feet of water. Here, flutter spoons are often the ideal bait. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves from the school, in 5 to 10 feet deeper water.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Noxon Reservoir is also an exceptional smallmouth bass fishery. Chunk rock shorelines, ledges and points are where lots of quality fish are reported to be caught all fishing season here.

WINTER. Winter will isolate them around deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. Before, during and after ice fishing season, they can generally be found from 8 to 24 feet deep. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs tend to temp smallmouth in deep water, even when ice fishing. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly, as the smallies are somewhat sluggish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring.

SPRING. After ice out, when water temperatures rise into the 50's, smallmouth move from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. An area with good numbers of smallmouth during the spawn include rocky flats and points off the North Shore. They feed heavily in 3 to 12 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 10 to 15 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

SUMMER. As Summer arrives, bass here will move off the bank to rock piles, points and ledges at comfortable depths. Smallmouth bass feed shallow early and late in the day, in 6 to 12 feet of water. They are being caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, gizzard shad, and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 15 to 20 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action. Anglers fishing weedy and rocky areas along the channel edges, are reporting good catches.

FALL. Fall is in full swing and smallmouth have followed schools of baitfish into coves and bays 6 to 18 feet deep. They thrive in the cold, clean water, which is an ideal environment for them. Locals use tube jigs, and drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics, in 10' water or deeper. Worms, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful, when bass are shallow to mid depth. Later in Fall, smallies move to slightly deeper water, around 15 to 25 feet deep. Fishing shallow for smallmouth is often good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

Current Report: Good

Big northern pike are starting to be caught with some regularity. Big spinners, flashy spoons and spinnerbaits are favorites of northern pike anglers, until the water warms into the mid-50's. Then noisy topwater baits like the Whopper Plopper and buzzbaits will get ferocious strikes when fished around shallow cover.

WINTER. Pike remain active in Winter, including through the ice fishing season. They often congregating in or near remaining weedbeds, especially along the edges. Other structure options include long points, reefs, ledge drop-offs, and rocky humps, ideally nearby deeper water. Ice fishing was good here in winter. At times, when oxygen is depleted in deeper water, northerns suspend directly under the ice, where maximum oxygen is available. Other times they hold on structure in 6 to 20 feet of water, sometimes deeper.

SPRING. After ice out, northern pike migrate to shallow, warmer pockets, bays and coves. Once water temperatures reach around 40 degrees, they move into even shallower areas with vegetation, to spawn. Ideal depths range from 2 to 8 feet. After spawning they linger in the shallow bays for a short period. Once water temperatures rise into the 50's, they move to deeper weedbeds and shallow structures adjacent to even deeper water. Bright colors, whites and flashy lures appeal to these predators. Noisy topwater lures can also produce some spectacular strikes. Alternate between baits until you identify which one triggers the most bites for the day.

SUMMER. Northern pike scatter all around the lake, rather than gather in groups. This makes them difficult to locate. During the day they are holding from 10 to 20 feet deep, on ledges, reefs, weedbeds, rock piles, islands and channel edges. Some of the larger specimens are suspending in open water, just outside feeding areas. Trolling or drift fishing produces some nice catches, using spoons, big spinners, cut bait, and deep diving crankbaits. Early and late in the day, they move shallow to feed and can be caught around most weedy shorelines, in 3 to 12 feet of water. Noisy topwater lures, spinnerbaits and Johnson spoons with curly-tail grubs, are great for catching nice pike when shallow.

FALL. As the weather starts turning cold, water temperatures cool fastest in the shallows. This brings baitfish into shallower waters, and northerns follow along with this food source. They hang around weedbed edges, main-lake points, reefs, and rocky shorelines to ambush prey in 5 to 15 feet of water. Later in Fall they drop into 20 to 25 feet of water. This is a prime feeding time as they prepare for winter. It is also a good time to catch a trophy pike.