Gartside Reservoir in Richland County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Gartside Reservoir stands in Richland County, Montana. The water sits 1,982 feet up. Roughly 40 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 0.9 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Montana listings. Sidney lies 11 miles from the water. It is 199 miles to Regina, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Gartside Reservoir

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Species logged across Richland County include northern pike, bluegill and largemouth bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Gartside Reservoir where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 14°F in January and 73°F in July. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. The water is typically free of ice between early April and late November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Expect Gartside Reservoir to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Factory Lake at 11 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Gartside Reservoir as something to verify.