Holter Lake is a reservoir in Montana, near Lewis and Clark County.
Stocking records show that the following fish or strains were stocked here. A historical stocking does not by itself prove that a self-sustaining population remains today.
Holter Lake is a reservoir in Lewis and Clark County, Montana.
A useful trip on Holter Lake starts by separating its main fishing areas instead of trying one lure around the whole shoreline.
Holter Lake is the lowest of the three large Missouri River reservoirs near Helena. Its clear water, steep canyon section, broad lower reaches, rainbow trout, walleye, perch, and burbot support several very different fishing plans.
Troll or cast for rainbows, jig channel edges for walleye, use small jigs for perch, and keep a bottom bait ready for burbot in cold low-light water.
The Gates of the Mountains canyon narrows the upper lake and changes wind and current. A bite in the canyon should not be copied automatically to the broad water near the dam.
Give rainbow trout, walleye, yellow perch and burbot separate passes at Holter Lake when they use different water. Along the outer drop of a sand-to-rock change, a lure set for one target should not be dragged through every point, weed edge, and stretch of open water.
Across the quiet end of a gravel shelf, after two bites, note the wind, water color, depth, and bottom. Use that short pattern on the next matching feature instead of starting over on the far side of Holter Lake.
Near the shallow corner of a shaded bank, before making a long move, change lure depth or speed once near the best spot. This quick test can show whether fish simply moved a few feet or that part of Holter Lake has gone quiet.
Fish listed for Holter Lake include Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Burbot, Common Carp, Cutbow Trout, Fathead Minnow, Kokanee Salmon, Lake Chub, Longnose Sucker, Mottled Sculpin, Mountain Whitefish, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Buffalo, Stonecat, Utah Chub, Walleye, Westslope Cutthroat Trout, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch.
Near the sheltered edge of a windblown shore, work a jig, minnow rig, or small crankbait along points and the old channel edge for walleye.
Across the rocky lip of a patch of green weeds, keep a small jig tipped with a worm or minnow close to bottom on a shelf for yellow perch.
Beside the first edge of a windblown shore, cover weeds, shallow points, and flat edges with a spoon or sturdy minnow lure for northern pike.
Near the calm side of an open-water break, cast a small spoon, inline spinner, light jig, or fly through cool water for rainbow trout.
Other targets listed here include Brown Trout, Burbot, Common Carp, and Smallmouth Buffalo; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig.
Across the shallow corner of a rocky point, make one shallow pass and one deeper pass on the same shoreline; that shows whether fish are tight to cover or using the first break.
Beside the first edge of a windblown shore, early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again.
Around the outside edge of a small bay, a medium spinning rod with 8- to 10-pound line handles most jigs and small casting baits; add a stronger outfit and a proper leader when northern pike are the target.
Along the clearer side of a firm-bottom flat, record the wind, water color, depth along the best drop, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce.
Beside the steep side of a creek mouth, keep the first hour simple: use one moving bait to find active fish, slow down with a jig or natural bait on the best edge, and repeat the same setup when two bites come from matching depth and bottom during that part of the trip.
The main difference is this: Holter Lake is the lowest of the three large Missouri River reservoirs near Helena.
A good first plan is simple: troll or cast for rainbows, jig channel edges for walleye, use small jigs for perch, and keep a bottom bait ready for burbot in cold low-light water.
Watch this closely: The Gates of the Mountains canyon narrows the upper lake and changes wind and current.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.
Source dates describe the evidence, not a live catch forecast. Check the managing authority before planning access or keeping fish.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.