Canyon Ferry Lake is a man-made lake that was formed by the building of Canyon Ferry Dam on the Missouri River. They finished the construction of the dam in 1954. Canyon Ferry is the third largest body of water in Montana covering 35,181 acres. Canyon Ferry Lake is basically the maintain lake for the entire Missouri River system downstream of Canyon Ferry Dam. It lies between Townsend and Helena, Montana. Canyon Ferry Lake is surrounded by beautiful scenery. To the east you’ll see the Big Belt Mountains, to the south the Elkhorn Mountains, and to the west the Spokane Hills.
Canyon Ferry Lake has many different species of fish to target. Canyon Ferry has always been a great trout and perch fishery. It wasn’t until 1997 that Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks realized that walleye had been illegally introduced and were thriving. At first FWP tried to remove the walleye. During the removal attempt FWP netted many large walleye. Some were world record size. Thanks to the work of many, FWP stopped the removal process and decided to manage the lake for multiple sport species. Canyon Ferry Lake is now famous for some of the best walleye fishing in the country. Many walleye over 10 pounds will be caught every year. The trout and perch are still readily available. Other species available are carp, pike, and small mouth bass.
Whatever your preferred method of fishing Canyon Ferry Lake has something to offer. With 76 miles of shoreline to work, the jig fisherman will have plenty of structure to cast to. The large mud flats on the south end of the lake offer some of the best trolling to be had anywhere. The spawning trout in the spring are a favorite for the fly fisherman as well as the bass and carp in the summer. We run fully guided trips for all the species the lake has to offer. All our guides are licensed captains with years of on the water experience ready to go after them however you prefer!
If you prefer to camp Canyon Ferry Lake has lots of campground options around the entire lake. If you prefer to stay in town, Helena is only 20 minutes from the lake.