Fishing in Fergus County, Montana
County seat: Lewistown. Census 2020 residents: 11,446.
- 5lake pages
- 1ramp
- 3river pages
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Planning a first Montana trip in Fergus County
The 2020 count for Fergus County was 11,446 people, with Lewistown as the seat. On the Gazetteer, the county spans 4,339 square miles of land and 10.7 square miles of water. Fort Peck Lake leads the 5 lakes and reservoirs covered in Fergus County. Flowing water in the county starts with Missouri River, Big Spring Creek and Judith River.
Boat anglers get 1 ramp; bank anglers get 9 other fishing sites. Across 5 waters, FWP recorded 17,102,029 fish planted here in 2026 (83 rows). Montana's regulation book prints special lines for 4 waters of its waters in the county.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 12, 2026. FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
Big Sky fishing points marked inside Fergus County
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026. Lake pins are the FWP reference point for each water.
Lakes spread across Fergus County
| Lake | Size | Access sites | Kind | MFISH lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Peck Lake | 249,240 acres | 1 | natural lake | black crappie, burbot, channel catfish |
| Crystal Lake (Fergus County) | about 46 acres of mapped outline | 0 | natural lake | rainbow trout |
| Upper Carters Pond | 30 acres | 1 | pond | bluegill, rainbow trout |
| Carters Pond | 27 acres | 1 | pond | bluegill, rainbow trout |
| Big Casino Creek Reservoir | 16 acres | 1 | reservoir | rainbow trout, walleye, yellow perch |
Size as the FWP FishMT page for this water prints it (FishMT), read November 12, 2026. Waters with no FishMT size print their mapped outline instead. Montana FWP Lakes reference layer (ArcGIS service) and the MFISH fish distribution layers, read November 12, 2026.
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Around Lewistown, out to 60 miles, rainbow trout appears on the most lake lists.
FWP MFISH presence layers, counted per lake page within 60 miles; presence in a layer, not a catch survey. FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Montana stream pages for Fergus County
- Missouri Riverexception rules, 27 access sites, 4 USGS gauges
- Big Spring Creek6 access sites, 1 USGS gauge
- Judith Riverexception rules, 2 USGS gauges
Live creek and river gauges across Fergus County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Big Spring Cr At R&b Trading Post Nr Lewistown Mt | 137 cfs, 3.67 ft gage height | Nov 15 3:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 15, 2026 4:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Montana FWP MFISH stream layers (ArcGIS service) for this river, read November 12, 2026. USGS Water Data for the Nation, live through the site, retrieved on page view.
Montana put-ins listed for Fergus County
- Upper Carter Pond Fishing Access Site on Upper Carters Pondfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 5 acres; Fergus County
FWP access sites in Fergus County
- Big Casino Creek Reservoir Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, hand launch, 24 acres; Fergus County
- Brewery Flats Fishing Access Site on Big Spring Creekfishing access site, no boat facilities, 23 acres; Fergus County
- Hruska Fishing Access Site on Big Spring Creekfishing access site, no boat facilities, 52 acres; Fergus County
- Lazy KB Fishing Access Site on Big Spring Creekfishing access site, no boat facilities, 13 acres; Fergus County
- Lower Carter Pond Fishing Access Site on Carters Pondfishing access site, hand launch, 7 acres; Fergus County
- Carroll Trail Fishing Access Site on Big Spring Creekfishing access site, no boat facilities, 66 acres; Fergus County
- Hatchery Fishing Access Site on Big Spring Creekfishing access site, no boat facilities, 3 acres; Fergus County
- Reed & Bowles Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, no boat facilities, 50 acres; Fergus County
- Spring Creek Fishing Access Site on Big Spring Creekfishing access site, no boat facilities, 78 acres; Fergus County
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
Mapped but undocumented FWP-layer lakes in Fergus County
- Bear Creek Reservoirabout 162 acres of mapped outline
- East Fork Reservoirabout 90 acres of mapped outline
- Ford Damabout 61 acres of mapped outline
- Benes Pond 3about 42 acres of mapped outline
- Whisker Reservoirabout 36 acres of mapped outline
- Schulze Reservoirabout 29 acres of mapped outline
- Swindell Reservoirabout 28 acres of mapped outline
- Styer Reservoirabout 26 acres of mapped outline
- Stafford Reservoirabout 26 acres of mapped outline
- Buffalo Wallow Reservoirabout 24 acres of mapped outline
- Holland Reservoirabout 23 acres of mapped outline
- Cottonwood Reservoirabout 19 acres of mapped outline
- Jakes Reservoirabout 18 acres of mapped outline
- Styer Pondabout 17 acres of mapped outline
- Hopalong Reservoirabout 17 acres of mapped outline
- Catfish Reservoirabout 16 acres of mapped outline
- Hansen Reservoirabout 15 acres of mapped outline
- Benes Pondabout 15 acres of mapped outline
- Lincoln Reservoirabout 14 acres of mapped outline
- Peterson Reservoirabout 13 acres of mapped outline
- Sloan Reservoirabout 12 acres of mapped outline
- Haynie Pondabout 12 acres of mapped outline
- Normans Reservoir 1about 11 acres of mapped outline
- Siroky Pond 1about 10 acres of mapped outline
Outline area from the FWP Lakes reference layer (ArcGIS service; mapped polygon area, not an FWP surface-acre figure), read November 12, 2026. Names come from the FWP Lakes reference layer; no page and no fish list for these waters.
Waters in Fergus County with their own regulation lines
The rules here are from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, valid March 1, 2026 through the end of February 2027; FWP had published no 2027 booklet when this was checked.
- Crystal Lake (Fergus County)March 1 through Aug. 31 – Central District Standard Daily and Possession limits. (CRYSTAL LAKE (Fergus County))
- Fort Peck LakeDead cisco can be used as bait. Can only be collected from the Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Dam (in Montana) or in Fort Peck Reservoir. (FORT PECK RESERVOIR)
- Judith RiverSauger/walleye: 5 daily, only 2 may be sauger. Possession limit is 10, only 4 may be sauger. (JUDITH RIVER (from Hwy 81 downstream to mouth))
- Missouri RiverNorthern pike: no limit. (MISSOURI RIVER)
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
FWP plants logged for Fergus County in 2026
| Date | Water as FishMT prints it | Fish | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 28, 2026 | Big Casino Creek Reservoir | 5,000 | Largemouth bass |
| August 4, 2026 | Fort Peck Lake | 2,300 | Walleye |
| July 23, 2026 | Big Casino Creek Reservoir | 75 | Tiger muskellunge |
| July 8, 2026 | Fort Peck Lake | 18,800 | Walleye |
| July 1, 2026 | Fort Peck Lake | 25,300 | Walleye |
| July 1, 2026 | Fort Peck Lake | 51,400 | Walleye |
| June 30, 2026 | Fort Peck Lake | 103,500 | Walleye |
| June 30, 2026 | Fort Peck Lake | 13,250 | Walleye |
| June 30, 2026 | Fort Peck Lake | 64,800 | Walleye |
| June 30, 2026 | Fort Peck Lake | 13,250 | Walleye |
FWP FishMT stocking report for 2026, year to date (FishMT plant report), read November 12, 2026.
Montana record fish listed near Fergus County
| Species | Weight or length as listed | Water | Year | Marked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook salmon | 32.65 lbs. | Fort Peck Lake | 2024 | not marked native |
| Cisco | 2.08 lbs. | Missouri River | 2014 | not marked native |
| Freshwater drum | 21.59 lbs. | Fort Peck Lake | 2003 | native |
| Sauger | 8.805 lbs. | Fort Peck Lake | 1994 | native |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | 14.125 lbs. | Missouri River | 2010 | native |
| Smallmouth bass | 8.4 lbs. | Fort Peck Lake | 2024 | not marked native |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.
FWP-approved contests fishing Fergus County
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6, 2027 | 29th Annual Chamber Ice Derby | Fort Peck | Glasgow Area Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture, INC. |
| Sept. 26, 2026 | EMBA Open- BassCat Rally | Fort Peck | N/A |
| Sept. 19, 2026 | NBAA Qualifier 3/4 | Fort Peck, Hell Creek Marina SP | National Bass Anglers Association |
| Sept. 12, 2026 | MT Bass Nation Team Open | Fort Peck Reservoir | MT Bass Nation |
| Aug. 8, 2026 | Fishin' for the Cure | Fort Peck Reservoir | Fishin' for the cure |
| July 31, 2026 | Fort Peck Salmon Tournament of Kings | Fort Peck | Glasgow Chamber of Commerce |
| July 31, 2026 | Tournament of Kings (2026, inaugural), Chinook salmon (result) | Fort Peck Lake | Tournament of Kings |
| July 25, 2026 | Hell Creek Walleye Tournament | Fort Peck Lake | Walleyes Unlimited Jordan Chapter |
| July 25, 2026 | Hell Creek Walleye Tournament (2026) (result) | Fort Peck Lake | Hell Creek Walleye Tournament |
| July 18, 2026 | 26th Annual Glasgow Womens Fishing Tournament | Fort Peck Reservoir | Walleyes Unlimited- Glasgow/ Fort Peck |
Event as listed by the organizer (source), read November 12, 2026.
Montana bait counters around Fergus County
Bait and fly shops worth a detour before Fergus County
- Bighorn Fly & Tackle Shop, 1 Main Stfly shop, Lavina, 58 miles
Hiring a Montana guide for Fergus County
- 1889 Outfittersfishing guide, Lewistown
Yellow Pages, State Parks and operator listings (city of business), read November 12, 2026. Guides are listed as businesses; no licence status is implied.
Along the same valley as Fergus County
Montana cities and towns of Fergus County
- Lewistown2020 count 5,952
Adjoining Fergus County
- Petroleum County48 miles east
- Judith Basin County52 miles west
- Wheatland County58 miles southwest
- Golden Valley County58 miles south
Piscifun tackle chosen for a Montana day at Fergus County
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Prairie reservoirs and Rockies lakes by Fergus County through a lens
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Montana and Dakotas, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Clearing up Montana myths about fishing Fergus County
Which Montana ramps serve Fergus County?
1 ramp show up in the access data for the county.
Which lake in Fergus County has the most acreage here?
Fort Peck Lake (249,240 acres).
What species does FWP map around Fergus County?
MFISH names rainbow trout on the most lake pages within 60 miles, then brown trout, tiger muskellunge and common carp; the layer shows presence, not a catch.
Which Montana stores in Fergus County sell fishing gear?
Each nearby listing is past the county line.
Which town holds the Fergus County offices?
That is Lewistown.
What do I buy before fishing in Fergus County?
Anglers 12 and older buy a Conservation License, an aquatic invasive species pass and a fishing license; the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations prints $8, $2 and $21 for a resident full season and $10, $7.50 and $100 for a nonresident.
Which Montana counties should I check near Fergus County?
The closest county pages are Petroleum County, Judith Basin County and Wheatland County.
What is the trout limit in Fergus County?
Limits depend on the FWP fishing district and on any exception heading printed for the water; the Western, Central and Eastern district pages on this site give the charts. The rules here are from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, valid March 1, 2026 through the end of February 2027; FWP had published no 2027 booklet when this was checked.
Which lakes in Montana's Fergus County have special limits?
4 waters with a page here carry their own exception lines, beginning with Crystal Lake (Fergus County).
How many fish did FWP stock in Fergus County in 2026?
The 2026 plant report lists 17,102,029 fish in 83 rows across 5 waters in the county.
Which events fish Fergus County lakes?
21 entries on file; the next is 29th Annual Chamber Ice Derby on Fort Peck, Feb. 6, 2027.
Which FWP records tie to Fergus County?
Chinook salmon, 32.65 lbs., from Fort Peck Reservoir (2024).
Plan a Big Sky fishing day in Fergus County
Access pages repeat FWP details with directions.