Cottonwood Reservoir Fishing Guide, Valley County, Montana

• Overview

  Cottonwood Reservoir is a Valley County water, Montana side. The ground round it is pine and birch. It lies lower than most water we list in Montana. Nearest town is Glasgow, 24 miles off. The big place round here is Billings, 165 miles distant. Others close at hand: Collins Reservoir some 1.2 miles off, Short Creek Reservoir lies 1.6 miles on, Beast Reservoir some 1.6 miles off, Forrest Reservoir lies 2.1 miles on and Eighteen Reservoir some 2.6 miles off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Cottonwood Reservoir

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Reported across Valley County: Chinook salmon, northern pike, cisco and walleye. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Read Cottonwood Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 72°F and January about 15°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Time your trip to Cottonwood Reservoir by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapped as intermittent, it fills after rain and shrinks between. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Collins Reservoir, 1.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat access at Cottonwood Reservoir as something to verify.