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Clark Canyon Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Big trout in the sagebrush: Clark Canyon grows heavy rainbows and browns above the Beaverhead tailwater.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
105 cfs
Air / High
67 / 69 F
Wind
SW 15 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 06016000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Clark Canyon Reservoir is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 105 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings cloud cover, wind SW around 15 mph, rising pressure near 1007 hPa and a high of 69. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 76 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Beaverhead River at Barretts (below dam).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 06016000.

177312446105 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp67 F
High / Low69 / 50 F
WindSW 15-26 mph
Pressure1007.2 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 5%
Sunrise / Sunset06:57 / 20:03
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 69/50 F, wind 17 mph, rain 5%

Fair or better. A 17 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Clark Canyon Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Clark Canyon Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Clark Canyon Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 68 F, wind to 20 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 28 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 70 F, wind to 28 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 79 F, wind to 22 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Montana requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Montana license. Trout limits per current FWP regulations; the Beaverhead tailwater has its own special rules.

Access

Bureau of Reclamation ramps and campgrounds around the reservoir; Beaverhead River access below the dam.

About this water

A 5,000-acre reservoir on the Beaverhead River south of Dillon, Beaverhead County, Montana.

Fishing Clark Canyon Reservoir: the full guide

A high desert trout lake

Clark Canyon Reservoir covers 5,000 acres on the Beaverhead River south of Dillon, surrounded by sage flats and low mountains. The setting is stark but the water is rich, growing rainbow and brown trout to substantial size on a strong forage base. Below the dam, the Beaverhead River becomes one of Montana’s premier tailwaters, which means anglers can fish stillwater and river within minutes of each other.

Stillwater tactics

Ice-out through June is prime: trout cruise the shallows and drop-offs, taking leeches, buggers and balanced nymphs under indicators, plus trolled spoons for gear anglers. Summer sends fish deeper: fish 15-30 feet or focus on early mornings. Fall brings browns shallow ahead of the spawn, and the last weeks before ice can produce the year’s biggest fish.

The Beaverhead below

The tailwater below Clark Canyon is famous: cold releases, dense insect life and big brown trout in a narrow, brushy river that fishes technically. It is a different discipline from the lake: tight casts, heavy tippet for the size of fish, and careful wading. Many anglers split days between the two, which is the sensible plan for a Dillon-based trip.

Dillon-area logistics

The reservoir has ramps and campgrounds managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, with basic facilities. Dillon, twenty minutes north, provides fly shops, guides and lodging. Wind sweeps the open basin most afternoons, and the elevation keeps mornings cold well into summer. Ice fishing draws a small dedicated following in winter.

Common questions

How big do the trout get?

Rainbows and browns of several pounds are realistic: the rich water and forage base grow heavy fish for a high desert lake.

Should I fish the lake or the river?

Both: the Beaverhead tailwater below the dam is a famous brown trout fishery, and the two make an ideal one-two for a Dillon trip.

When is the best window?

May and June after ice-out, and September through October when browns move shallow before spawning.

Is fishing good at Clark Canyon Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Beaverhead River27 miBig Hole River44 miMadison River61 miEnnis Lake65 miHenrys Lake76 miHebgen Lake79 mi
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