Little Warm Reservoir in Phillips County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Phillips County, Montana, sits Little Warm Reservoir. It sits in mixed forest country. The water covers some 91 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. About 2.2 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It lies lower than most water we list in Montana. Nearest place of any size is Malta, 24 miles away. It is 158 miles to Billings, the nearest city. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Little Warm Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. County-wide records name black crappie, northern pike and rainbow trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Take Little Warm Reservoir a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 69°F and January near 17°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly late November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Little Warm Reservoir fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A phone call first saves an afternoon. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Parrot Lake, 6.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Little Warm Reservoir in what we hold.