Chessman Reservoir Fishing Guide, Lewis and Clark County, Montana

• Overview

  Chessman Reservoir falls in Lewis and Clark County, part of Montana. Elevation runs to 6,194 feet. At about 101 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Bank access stretches around 1.4 miles in total. Helena West Side lies 9.4 miles from the water. For a city, Billings is 183 miles off. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Chessman Reservoir

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Species logged across Lewis and Clark County include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, brown trout and yellow perch. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Chessman Reservoir fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 58°F, the coldest about 20°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Chessman Reservoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Park Lake is 1.8 miles off. Nothing on Chessman Reservoir should be assumed from this page alone.