The Montana Department of Commerce is spotlighting bass and northern pike fishing across the state, linking seasonal recreation with destination marketing and angler events.
The Montana Department of Commerce is promoting Montana’s warm-water fishing opportunities, directing attention to smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and northern pike as summer temperatures rise. In a July 16, 2026 release, the department said anglers can target those species while giving the state’s cold-water trout fisheries a break. The announcement places fishing within Montana’s broader travel offering, with a focus on specific lakes, records and scheduled tournaments.
The release identifies several fisheries across the state, including Seeley Lake in northwest Montana, the Thompson Chain of Lakes, Noxon Reservoir, Tongue River Reservoir and Fort Peck Lake. It describes Seeley Lake as a destination for largemouth bass and northern pike, while the Thompson Chain of Lakes offers different bass habitats across its connected waters. Noxon Reservoir is presented as a large bass and pike fishery, and Tongue River Reservoir adds crappie to the mix.
The department also highlighted Montana’s existing record-fishing credentials. Bass weighing nearly 10 pounds have been caught at Lake Elmo near Billings, Noxon Reservoir and Fort Peck Lake, according to the release, while the current northern pike state-record fish weighed 37.5 pounds and came from Tongue River Reservoir. The release said August and September are strong months to pursue trophy bass and pike, attributing the opportunity to warmer water and more aggressive bass feeding behaviour.
The campaign combines destination information with practical guidance, naming large swimbaits, football jigs, worms and minnow imitations among the popular spin-fishing choices. For fly anglers, it lists large articulated streamers and topwater poppers as options intended to provoke aggressive strikes. The announcement also points to two August bass tournaments on Noxon Reservoir, while the Montana Student Anglers tournament is scheduled for the Thompson Chain of Lakes on August 1, 2026.
That mix of species, locations and organised events gives the promotion a narrow but clear role: it frames Montana’s fishing landscape as more varied than a trout-only destination. The department’s message ranges from trophy pursuits to family participation, including encouragement from director Marta Bertoglio to help children catch their first bass. Before travelling, the release advises anglers to check the weather, review Montana’s 2026 fishing regulations and obtain the appropriate licences.
