Compare 2 documented access options before you commit to a shoreline or launch.
View access →Montana reservoir guide
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir Fishing
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir supports documented Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike fishing in Montana. Use this guide to compare access and depth before choosing where and how to fish.
LocationSanders County, Montana
Primary targetsWalleye, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass
Best seasonSpring through fall
Lake sizeabout 2,699 acres
Max depth167 feet
Access2 documented options
Guide reviewed
Start here
Plan Cabinet Gorge Reservoir in 60 seconds
Make the trip decisions first. Use the deeper lake science, surveys, stocking history, and source material below when you want more detail.
Start with the documented species list, then open a species guide for seasonal behavior and practical tactics.
Choose a fish →Use verified depth information to identify basins, breaks, points, channels, and other structure before you fish.
View depth information →Wind, rain, temperature, and changing access can alter the plan quickly. Check current conditions before leaving.
Check conditions →Lake details
Depth, size & key facts
Max depth167 feet
Elevationabout 2,240 feet
Public launches1
Summer cautionWind
Lake depth map
Depth contours may take a little time to load. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Contour line20 ft Visible depth label
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Historical survey data may not reflect current water levels or underwater hazards. Informational only; not for navigation.
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Trip conditions
Current conditions
Loading the local forecast. Check access and official notices before leaving.
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Four day outlook
Tools
Today's Lure Pick
Open Tools for species-specific lure guidance.
Fishery record
Documented fish species
These species come from the lake record. Open a species guide for identification, seasonal behavior, and practical tactics without confusing general species guidance with a lake-specific survey result.
Perch and pike
Walleye
Use bottom bouncers, slow death rigs, jigs, crankbaits, or blade baits.
View species guide
Bass and sunfish
Smallmouth Bass
Focus on rock, points, breaks, and transitions.
View species guide
Bass and sunfish
Largemouth Bass
Look for weeds, docks, wood, shade, and warmer pockets.
View species guide
Perch and pike
Northern Pike
Fish weeds, bays, ambush edges, and baitfish areas.
View species guide
Perch and pike
Yellow Perch
Use small jigs, bait, or dropper rigs near schools.
View species guide
Bass and sunfish
Pumpkinseed
See cover, seasonal movement, presentations, and practical gear tips.
View species guide
Bass and sunfish
Black Crappie
See cover, seasonal movement, presentations, and practical gear tips.
View species guide
Trout and salmon
Rainbow Trout
Use bait, small spinners, spoons, or slow trolling depending on access.
View species guide
Trout and salmon
Brown Trout
See seasonal habitat, presentations, identification, and regulation cautions.
View species guide
Trout and salmon
Westslope Cutthroat Trout
See seasonal habitat, presentations, identification, and regulation cautions.
View species guide
Trout and salmon
Bull Trout
See seasonal habitat, presentations, identification, and regulation cautions.
View species guide
Stocking information
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir Fish Stocking
Recent stocking information summarized from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Dates and quantities can change. Always verify current fishing rules with the official agency before fishing.
Most recent stockings
| Date | Species | Quantity | Size | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 1994 | Largemouth Bass | 25,000 | 1.4 in avg length | Miles City Fish Hatchery · Montana FWP Fish Stocking Records |
| Jul 16, 1992 | Largemouth Bass | 25,000 | 2.1 in avg length | Miles City Fish Hatchery · Montana FWP Fish Stocking Records |
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Last checked: Sep 5, 2026 9:52am
Fishery intelligence
Official fishery evidence
Agency survey records and measured fishery data, distilled for trip planning.
8
verified signals
Research & surveys
Official survey records available
Use the evidence
Turn records into a fishing plan
- Compare survey evidence with the seasonal guide.
- Use the map to connect depth, access, and structure.
- Confirm current rules and access before your trip.
Angler interpretation
How the fishery changes through the seasons
This is the practical layer: use it alongside the documented species, depth, stocking, survey, access, and regulation record above. The current season opens first.
Spring
trout, bass, walleye- Start here
- Cooler water, recent stocking, fish moving shallow, and protected shorelines or inlets that warm first.
- Watch for
- Cold fronts, changing water levels, muddy inflow, and early-season ramp conditions.
Summer
bass, panfish- Start here
- Fish early or late, then adjust toward deeper water, shade, vegetation, or comfortable temperature zones.
- Watch for
- Wind, weeds, algae, heat, and heavier boat traffic.
Fall
trout, bass, walleye, northern pike- Start here
- Cooling water, shoreline structure, points, weed edges, and simple presentations that let you cover water.
- Watch for
- Wind on open water, rapidly changing weather, and shorter daylight windows.
Winter
perch, trout, panfish- Start here
- Legal open-water or ice access, stable depth zones, and conservative cold-weather trip plans.
- Watch for
- Ice safety where relevant, ramps, road conditions, cold-water exposure, and current rules.
Quick answers
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir fishing questions
Answers to common fishing questions that go beyond the four trip-planning decisions above.
When is the best time to fish Cabinet Gorge Reservoir?
Summer reservoir elevation, Clark Fork inflow, wind, and recreation-site conditions can change launch usability; check Avista operating/recreation information before towing. Reservoir level, current, and Avista recreation-site status can change launch usability. Confirm the exact state boundary and current rules for where you plan to fish.
See seasonal guidance →Is a depth map or bathymetry available for Cabinet Gorge Reservoir?
Montana FWP authoritative contour candidate; runtime geometry verification required. FishyNW only labels bathymetry as available when a source-backed map, chart, or contour resource is documented.
View map and bathymetry →Are there special fishing regulations for Cabinet Gorge Reservoir?
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir spans a Montana–Idaho border setting. Confirm the rules for the water and shoreline jurisdiction being fished, plus any Avista site restrictions.
Review regulations →Know before you go
Rules and restrictions
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir spans a Montana–Idaho border setting. Confirm the rules for the water and shoreline jurisdiction being fished, plus any Avista site restrictions.
Getting on the water
Access and launches
Reservoir access and operating conditions vary by Avista recreation site and reservoir level. Confirm the exact launch, boundary, and current Montana or Idaho fishing rules before travel.
Sorry, there are no mapped boat ramps for this lake yet. Check the access information below for other ways to reach the water.
More launch links
Official field updates Recent surveys and fishing pressure
Official surveys and pressure information can help with trip planning. Conditions change, and these updates do not guarantee current fishing.
Walleye
Montana FishMT lists Cabinet Gorge Reservoir with a fish consumption advisory for walleye size classes and waterbody report sections. Use as a caution/context signal, not catch success.
Walleye
FishMT includes waterbody, survey, pressure, stocking, and fish consumption advisory sections for Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. Use as caution and context only.
Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Trout
Montana FWP lower Clark Fork creel work covers Cabinet Gorge Reservoir along with Noxon and Thompson Falls reservoirs. Use as regional creel context, not live catch data.
Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Trout
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks source check includes fishery survey, sampling, or population context for Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. This supports species planning for Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Trout, not guaranteed success.
Walleye
Montana FishMT source check includes fishery survey, sampling, or population context for Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. This supports species planning for Walleye, not guaranteed success.
Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks source check includes fishery survey, sampling, or population context for Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. This supports species planning for Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Trout, not guaranteed success.
Explore by region or target
More ways to explore this fishery
Use FishyNW fishing hubs to compare this water with other relevant lakes and rivers without starting another search.
Local angler stops
Nearby bait & tackle
Independent and locally owned shops near this water. Call ahead if you need a specific bait or item.
Fishers of Men Bait and Tackle
Local bait and tackle shopSagle, Idaho · Live and frozen bait, tackle, rods, lures, and locally focused fishing supplies.
Shoo Fly Fishing Co.
Independent fishing and fly shopTroy, Montana · Fly, trolling, kokanee, bass, pike, perch and walleye tackle plus bait and custom rod work.
Superfly Tackle
Family-owned tackle shopSandpoint, Idaho · Full tackle shop with local-lake knowledge, rods, reels, lures, trolling gear, and fly-fishing supplies.
Local-business listings can change. FishyNW does not rank shops by payment or sponsorship. Verify current hours and inventory before driving.
Keep exploring
Nearby waters
The four closest FishyNW lake guides by straight-line distance.
Bull Lake
9.8 miles away · Lake
Targets include Bull Trout, Westslope Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout.
Noxon Reservoir 21.5 miles away · LakeTargets include Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike.
Upper Thompson Lake 42.8 miles away · LakeTargets include Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike.
Thompson Chain of Lakes 46.5 miles away · LakeTargets include Kokanee, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout.
Did you know?
What makes Cabinet Gorge Reservoir distinctive
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir reaches about 167 feet at its deepest documented point.
Cabinet Gorge Reservoir covers roughly 2,699 surface acres, making it one of the larger waters represented in FishyNW.
FishyNW documents 11 fish species here, giving Cabinet Gorge Reservoir an unusually broad mix of fishing opportunities.
Research & monitoring
Water science & monitoring
Loading available public monitoring and fishery science. Use this as supporting research, not as a live fishing report.
Pass 3 · depth + water column
Seasonal Fish Habitat
Surface · 0 ft
How to read this data
Temperature, dissolved oxygen, clarity, nutrients, chlorophyll-a, pH, and conductivity are observations from public monitoring records and may be historical. Thermocline depth is shown only when FishyNW can derive a strong vertical temperature gradient from a measured profile. It is not treated as a permanent lake characteristic.
Trophic indication uses the Carlson Trophic State Index only when FishyNW can normalize a measured chlorophyll-a, Secchi, or total-phosphorus value. It is a derived ecological indicator, not an agency impairment determination.
Seasonal Fish Habitat is shown only when verified bathymetry overlaps a same-day, same-station temperature and dissolved-oxygen profile. It is a historical screening snapshot, not a live prediction of where fish are located.
For lake trout, FishyNW uses the broader USGS-tested screening combination of water at or below 15°C (59°F) and dissolved oxygen at or above 4 mg/L. For other coldwater species, FishyNW does not invent a preferred-temperature threshold; it shows only the observed thermocline-to-oxygenated-depth refuge when the evidence supports it.
Harmful-algae status is never inferred from missing data. Always check the linked state source for current advisories before contact recreation.
Open matched Water Quality Portal recordsSources & feedback
Verified resources
Official links for this lake
Open the source that matches what you are planning.
Community feedback
See something that needs an update?
Send the correction and, when possible, the source. FishyNW reviews submissions before changing the guide.