Fishing at Seventeen Reservoir, Valley County, Montana

• Overview

  Seventeen Reservoir lies in Valley County, Montana. The ground around here is mixed forest. Ground here is low by Montana standards. Glasgow at 21 miles is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Billings is 167 miles off. In the same area: Eighteen Reservoir a shade over 0.7 miles, Lush Reservoir at 2.1 miles, Collins Reservoir a shade over 2.6 miles, Lower Lone Tree Reservoir at 2.8 miles and Cottonwood Reservoir a shade over 3.2 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Seventeen Reservoir

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Survey and observation records for 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 Seventeen Reservoir the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 72°F, with January the cold end at about 14°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Seventeen Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Eighteen Reservoir sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. For Seventeen Reservoir in particular, ask before you travel.