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Fresno Reservoir Fishing Report

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

The Hi-Line's walleye pond: a Milk River prairie reservoir where Havre fills its freezers and the wind writes the fishing plan.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
78 / 78 F
Wind
W 12 mph

Sources: 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.

Fresno Reservoir offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. Today brings cloud cover, wind W around 12 mph, rising pressure near 1005 hPa and a high of 78. Water sits around 66 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

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Similar at 80 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.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp78 F
High / Low78 / 57 F
WindW 12-13 mph
Pressure1004.6 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 2%
Sunrise / Sunset06:41 / 19:55
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 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, 78/57 F, wind 16 mph, rain 2%

Fair or better. A 16 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Fresno 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
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 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 Fresno 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. Walleye led the card at good. High of 81 F, wind to 19 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 85 F, wind to 21 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

2/5 Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing. Walleye led the card at good. High of 86 F, wind to 14 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

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. Walleye standard limits: check FWP central district.

Access

Fresno SP ramps (Kremlin, River Run), bank access along the north shore.

About this water

5,757 acres on the Milk River, Hill County, MT. Havre's walleye water on the Hi-Line.

Fishing Fresno Reservoir: the full guide

Prairie water on the Hi-Line

Fresno pools the Milk River west of Havre: northern Montana's walleye staple, fished by a Hi-Line community that treats limits as groceries. The reservoir runs shallow and fertile: walleye on every point and flat, northern pike in the weedy bays, and perch schools that carry the ice season.

Walleye by the wind

The program is classic prairie: jig-and-minnow on the windward points at ice-out, bottom bouncers across the 10-20-ft flats through summer, cranks on the riprap at dusk. Wind positions everything: the Milk's stained water keeps fish shallow, and the chop is your friend until it is your problem: small-boat caution applies.

Pike and perch seasons

Spring pike flood the back bays (spoons and dead smelt under floats), and the winter perch village off Kremlin Bay jigs steady 9-11-inch fish. The reservoir's level swings with irrigation: low falls concentrate everything into the old river channel: locals adjust weekly.

Hi-Line logistics

Havre (ten minutes east) is the service hub; the state park ramps handle launches; and the fishery sees genuine pressure only on derby weekends. This is unpolished, productive prairie fishing: bring your own everything and enjoy having water to yourself.

Common questions

When is the Fresno walleye bite?

May's jig bite on the points and the June-July bouncer season on the flats: dusk cranking carries late summer. Ice season adds steady perch with walleye at the edges of light.

Is Fresno worth a trip from afar?

As a destination alone, no: as the fishing anchor of a Hi-Line route (with the Milk River and Beaver Creek country), yes. It is honest local water: that is its charm.

Is fishing good at Fresno 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

Holter Lake149 miMissouri River (Craig)150 miFort Peck Lake155 miCanyon Ferry Lake169 miFlathead River194 miFlathead Lake199 mi
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