Camp Reservoir in Valley County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Montana holds Camp Reservoir, in Valley County. Height above sea level is 2,457 feet. Small at around 3 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is low-lying compared with other Montana water we list. Head to Glasgow, 31 miles away, for anything you forgot. Malta follows at 49 miles, then Wolf Point at 69 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Camp Reservoir

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Fish documented in Valley County include Chinook salmon, northern pike, cisco, walleye and yellow perch. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Camp Reservoir the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 16°F to 71°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. At Camp Reservoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Halfpint Reservoir, 0.9 miles away. Where Camp Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.