Fresno Reservoir Fishing
A Montana reservoir of 3,185 acres in Hill County.
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Fresno Reservoir at a Big Sky glance
A FishMT size of 3,185 acres goes with Fresno Reservoir in Hill County. FWP mapping shows about 3,186 acres of mapped outline. Census lists Havre as the closest place, near 17 miles off.
The FishMT page lists FWP’s Eastern fishing district, with FWP Region 6 for it. No launch of any kind shows in the FWP site data.
Size as the FWP FishMT page for Fresno Reservoir prints it (FishMT), read November 12, 2026.
Outline area from the FWP Lakes reference layer (ArcGIS service; mapped polygon area, not an FWP surface-acre figure), read November 12, 2026.
Montana FWP FishMT waterbody page for Fresno Reservoir, read November 12, 2026.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 12, 2026.
How Montana FWP describes Fresno Reservoir
FWP puts Fresno Reservoir at 2,580 feet above sea level. FWP names Milk River as where it flows out. FWP's statewide angling pressure estimate for Fresno Reservoir is 11,829 angler days in 2021 (give or take 3,211).
FWP flags a fish consumption advisory on its FishMT page for Fresno Reservoir; read FWP's current guidance before you keep fish to eat.
Montana FWP FishMT waterbody page for Fresno Reservoir, read November 12, 2026.
Species FWP rates at Fresno Reservoir
These Fresno Reservoir ratings are lifted from the FWP layer as published.
| Species | MFISH rating |
|---|---|
| Black crappie | abundant |
| Brown trout | listed |
| Burbot | rare |
| Kokanee salmon | rare |
| Lake whitefish | abundant |
| Northern pike | abundant |
| Pumpkinseed | listed |
| Rainbow trout | rare |
| Sauger | rare |
| Saugeye | listed |
| Smallmouth bass | listed |
| Walleye | abundant |
| Yellow perch | abundant |
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service) (FWP rating dates 2018), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
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Newest 2026 releases at Fresno Reservoir, copied from the FWP plant report.
| Date | Species | Number | Average length |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 8, 2026 | Yellow perch | 27,585 | 1.55 in. |
| June 30, 2026 | Walleye | 10,950 | 1.36 in. |
| June 30, 2026 | Walleye | 10,950 | 1.36 in. |
| June 26, 2026 | Walleye | 26,500 | 1.57 in. |
| June 24, 2026 | Walleye | 27,900 | 1.29 in. |
FWP FishMT stocking report for 2026, year to date (FishMT plant report), read November 12, 2026.
Towing a boat across Montana to Fresno Reservoir
Nothing in the data marks a trailer ramp at Fresno Reservoir.
Other Montana launch points close to Fresno Reservoir
- Fresno Tailwater Fishing Access Site on Milk RiverMilk River, 5 miles southeast
Big Sky places to cast from land around Fresno Reservoir
- Bailey Reservoir Fishing Access SiteBailey Reservoir, 15 miles
- Bearpaw Lake Fishing Access SiteBearpaw Lake, 29 miles
For Fresno Reservoir, the site data name facilities and surface only, with no lane counts or hours.
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
Montana size and limit rules for Fresno Reservoir
The booklet carries no water-specific heading for Fresno Reservoir; the Eastern fishing district rows below are the working limits.
| Chart label as printed | Limit as printed |
|---|---|
| Brook Trout | 10 daily and in possession. |
| Combined Trout includes brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, golden trout, and arctic grayling | Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession. Rivers/Streams: 5 daily and in possession. |
| Lake Trout | 3 daily and 6 in possession. |
| Bass | 5 daily and in possession. |
| Burbot (Ling) | 5 daily and in possession. |
| Crappie | 15 daily and 30 in possession. |
| Northern Pike | 10 daily and in possession. |
| Salmon (Kokanee & Chinook) | 5 daily and 10 in possession. |
| Sauger/Walleye | 5 daily and 10 in possession. |
| Whitefish | 20 daily and 40 in possession. |
The district season for still water says: Open all year.
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.
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.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
License prices as printed on the FWP fishing license page and in the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 12 (the two agree), read November 12, 2026.
Tournament dates and printed results for Fresno Reservoir
Upcoming dates and posted weights for Fresno Reservoir contests, each sourced, are on a linked page.
How Fresno Reservoir compares with other Montana water
FishMT acreage puts Tiber Reservoir first among these at 14,842 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | County | Ramps | Fish on FWP list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno Reservoir | 3,185 acres | Hill County | 0 | 13 | |
| Bailey Reservoir | 14 miles southwest | 85 acres | Hill County | 0 | 6 |
| Beaver Creek Reservoir | 22 miles southeast | about 179 acres of mapped outline | Hill County | 0 | 9 |
| Bearpaw Lake | 28 miles southeast | 48 acres | Hill County | 0 | 5 |
| Faber Reservoir | 48 miles southeast | 17 acres | Blaine County | 0 | 2 |
| Tiber Reservoir | 59 miles west | 14,842 acres | Liberty County | 0 | 12 |
FWP FishMT pages, the Fishing Access Sites layer and the FWP Lakes layer; outline sizes are GIS figures. Read November 12, 2026.
Montana places mapped beside Fresno Reservoir
Big Sky reservoirs worth a detour from Fresno Reservoir
- Bailey Reservoir14 miles southwest
- Beaver Creek Reservoir22 miles southeast
- Bearpaw Lake28 miles southeast
- Faber Reservoir48 miles southeast
- Tiber Reservoir59 miles west
Montana towns with motels near Fresno Reservoir
- Havre17 miles
- Chinook35 miles
Montana counties touching Fresno Reservoir
- Hill Countyseat: Havre
A Piscifun bundle sized for Big Sky fishing at Fresno Reservoir
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Montana identification photos for fish at Fresno Reservoir
Photo: Rex Hammock, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: State of New York Forest, Fish, and Game Commission, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Fresno Reservoir, answered in a handful of questions
What part of the Treasure State is Fresno Reservoir in?
FishMT files it under Hill County; the nearest Census town, Havre, is about 17 miles away.
Is Fresno Reservoir a large Montana water?
FWP's figure is 3,185 acres; the mapped outline is about 3,186 acres of mapped outline.
Will a trailer rig fit at Fresno Reservoir?
FWP records no put-in here; the access band names ramps close by.
What does the FWP layer say swims in Fresno Reservoir?
FWP's layer names black crappie, lake whitefish, northern pike, walleye and yellow perch.
What is the daily bag at Fresno Reservoir?
With nothing water-specific in the booklet, the Eastern district rows rule.
What does a Montana license cost for Fresno Reservoir?
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. No license is asked of a twelve-year-old or less.
Which spots let me cast from the bank at Fresno Reservoir?
No bank site appears in the FWP data.
Is a bait store close to Fresno Reservoir?
All listed shops lie past the 60-mile mark.
What fish does FWP plant in Fresno Reservoir?
The grid carries 5 stocking rows, newest 2026-07-08 (yellow perch).
When is the next contest at Fresno Reservoir?
Contest dates and posted weights share a page apart from this one.
Pick a weekday for Fresno Reservoir
Prices and limit tables share one Montana page.