Stretching from the shortgrass prairie south of the Canadian border to the fertile cropland along the Milk and Missouri rivers, Region 6 offers recreational opportunities as limitless as the eastern Montana horizon.
Antelope and mule deer inhabit the open and rougher terrain. White-tailed deer abound along rivers and streams, and world-class elk and bighorn sheep herds inhabit the Missouri River Breaks along sprawling Fort Peck Reservoir. The productive Prairie Pothole region produces thousands of ducks and geese. Pheasants are found in agricultural areas, and native sharp-tailed and sage grouse are plentiful in grassy and prairie habitat.
Anglers target walleye, northern pike, Chinook salmon, lake trout and smallmouth bass in Fort Peck Reservoir, and the Missouri River both above and below the lake offers great fishing for a variety of native and introduced species. Smaller reservoirs, such as Nelson near Malta and Fresno and Beaver Creek near Havre, provide more good fishing.
Hunters and anglers rarely experience crowding in this least populous region of the state, but the communities along Montana's Hi-Line offer plenty of accommodations and amenities for visitors and residents alike.
Kids to Fish
Fort Peck Reservoir Fisheries Management Plan updated Oct. 2023
The 10-year fisheries management plan for Fort Peck Reservoir expired in 2022 prompting FWP to update the next 10-year plan. This is the fourth, 10-year management plan for the popular reservoir fishery. Each plan has been developed with regional and state-wide public input that works to establish clear management direction for the Fort Peck fishery.
