Sit it outno walleye window clears the bar in 36 hours
Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.
Right now
Walleye range 50–72°
From the north
Sunrise 7:59 am
No rain expected
NWS hourly forecast
Measured, last 3 hours
Full
Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Montana Central District regulations for these waters.
No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.
Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 10–40 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Central District: 5 walleye and sauger a day, only 2 sauger; 10 in possession, only 4 sauger.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Central District
Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye
No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.
Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–20 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Central District lakes and reservoirs: 5 trout a day including cutthroat, 10 in possession. Open all year.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Central District
Season here: Apr–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on rainbow trout
No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.
Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 5–30 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Central District: yellow perch are not on the standard limit chart, so there is no daily or possession limit.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Central District
Season here: Mar–Jun, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on yellow perch
No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.
Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 1–15 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Montana Central District: species not listed in the district limits table, carp included, have no limit on the number taken or possessed.
Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Montana Central District
Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Jun–Sep, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp
Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works
We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Montana FWP has the state’s fishing pages.
Licenses and rules: Montana FWP · fish-consumption advisories
A 35,000-acre Missouri River reservoir east of Helena and Montana’s third-largest body of water. The state’s flagship walleye fishery — fished hard from boats and shore — along with abundant rainbow trout and yellow perch, and a renowned spring shoreline bite.
Walleye 10 a day, only 1 over 15"; yellow perch 10; northern pike unlimited; brown trout catch-and-release. Magpie Bay is closed March 1 through June 14.
Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Canyon Ferry Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
Canyon Ferry Lake is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common Carp. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Canyon Ferry Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.
Canyon Ferry Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Walleye 10 a day, only 1 over 15"; yellow perch 10; northern pike unlimited; brown trout catch-and-release. Magpie Bay is closed March 1 through June 14.
state agency regulations apply at Canyon Ferry Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.
No. Canyon Ferry Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.
Press / anywhere to search. Towns list the closest spots.
