Walleye are members of the perch family and are cousins to sauger. They are named for their unique eye, which is covered by a reflective film of pigment. This reflective film provides the fish with excellent vision in off-color water. When water clarity decreases, large walleye head into shallow water where they ambush bait fish near weed beds and rocky structures. Walleye have a large mouth, filled with razor sharp teeth, making them an efficient predator. We hunt for Montana walleye in the late spring though early summer.
Unlike other states, Montana supports a uniquely dense population of large walleye. In Fort Peck Reservoir, a prevalent, high-fat containing small fish called cisco, helps support massive populations of numerous fish species including walleye, lake trout, carp, and small mouth bass. The sheer size of the reservoir, more or less precludes overfishing. Combined with the nutrition provided by the cisco, Fort Peck regularly produces walleye weighing in the double-digits.
You will generally fish for walleye with ultra light tackle on spin rods. However, we offer unique opportunities for you to land walleye on a fly rod. These rare fishing experiences are most common in the spring and throughout the summer on a jet boat. We always recommend you to fish a bit for walleye during your Montana fishing trip. In addition to being a great sport fish to target, walleye are a top-rated choice for the camp menu.
