Reservoir · Flathead, Montana
Hungry Horse Reservoir near Hungry Horse
Current Lake Rating
Unavailable
Current lake conditions cannot be rated because key water observations are missing.
Rating confidence: Low
Should I Go?
Not Enough Data
Fishing guidance for this destination based on available lake conditions, weather, and seasonal context. It is not a boating, swimming, ice, or access-safety rating.
Why
- Lake elevation is available, but current water-temperature information is unavailable.
- Without enough current observations, StrikeTracks cannot identify a reliable fishing window.
Current Readings
- Water level
- 3,549.01 ft
- Change over 24 hours
- -0.25 ft
- Trend
- Falling
- Last updated
- 39 min ago
Source: USGS · Hungry Horse Reservoir nr Hungry Horse MT · 12362000 · Elevation, lake/res, NGVD29
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Weather Near Lake
Current Weather
Overcast
Temperature
53°F
Feels like
50°F
Wind
2 mph E
Wind gust
3 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Sep 4, 2026, 11:30 PM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this lake
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.01 in
Little recent rainfall near this lake.
Next 24 Hours
Sat 3 AM
Overcast
Temp 49°F
Chance 3%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 2 mph
Sat 7 AM
Overcast
Temp 50°F
Chance 22%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Sat 11 AM
Overcast
Temp 51°F
Chance 7%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Sat 3 PM
Clear
Temp 68°F
Chance 4%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Sat 7 PM
Overcast
Temp 72°F
Chance 9%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Sat 11 PM
Heavy rain
Temp 58°F
Chance 35%
Precip 0.43 in
Wind 3 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Sat, Sep 5
Heavy rain
High 74°F / Low 48°F
Chance 35%
Precip 0.89 in
Max gust 14 mph
Sun, Sep 6
Drizzle
High 73°F / Low 55°F
Chance 55%
Precip 0.04 in
Max gust 15 mph
Mon, Sep 7
Showers
High 73°F / Low 52°F
Chance 92%
Precip 0.31 in
Max gust 12 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this lake's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence lake level and access, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, and reservoir operations where applicable.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Reservoir Elevation History
Elevation is reported relative to the datum used by this USGS monitoring site. Elevations from different lakes or datums should not be directly compared.
Loading historical elevation…
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Hungry Horse Reservoir.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Hungry Horse Reservoir is an FWP Western District bull trout catch-card stillwater and native cutthroat fishery. StrikeTracks keeps this existing public ID on PATH B static fishery value. Current same-lake evidence is elevation only, so the public condition class remains honest Unavailable / runtime abstention. Bull trout and westslope cutthroat are not StrikeTracks species-selector IDs; lake trout is the verified catalog coldwater ID used here without claiming it is FWP’s featured native target. This repair does not promote Monitoring-Backed or remap to Flathead River gauges. Hatch Match remains unpublished for this identity after Option-B local-expert seasonal research. No Hungry Horse Reservoir–named independent seasonal insect pair.
Target species
Lake Trout
Salvelinus namaycush
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Unknown
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- Medium confidence
Verified StrikeTracks coldwater species ID for this large Columbia basin reservoir. FWP’s featured Hungry Horse fishery is bull trout (special catch-card water) and westslope cutthroat, which are not StrikeTracks species-selector IDs and are described in overview and regulation caution rather than invented selectors.
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Wild
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Mixed flow regime
Large South Fork Flathead storage reservoir above Hungry Horse Dam. Elevation-only USGS is not a thermal substitute. Bull trout and lake trout in this reservoir are piscivorous; StrikeTracks does not encode baitfish as Hatch Match insect events (FORAGE_DATA_AVAILABLE__HATCH_SCHEMA_NOT_APPROPRIATE).
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Trolling
Access and Public Fishing Rights
Public reservoir fishing is documented by FWP and USFS Hungry Horse access. Confirm current launch, dam-area, and wilderness-adjacent rules. Catalog coordinates are the USGS point, not a verified launch pin.
Stocking information
Confirm current official FWP stocking. Do not invent a Hungry Horse stocking schedule.
Official sources
FWP 2026 bull trout regulations: Hungry Horse Reservoir is one of three Western District waters where bull trout angling is permitted, and anglers may select only one bull trout area. Verify the current bull trout catch-card rules. Native westslope cutthroat are FWP-managed. This ID is not the Flathead River forks.
Hatch Match
General fly suggestions
- Midge larvaGeneral stillwater midge-style family — not a live Chironomidae Hatch claim.
- Woolly-bugger-style streamerGeneral stillwater streamer family. Not a baitfish or kokanee Hatch event.
- Ant or beetleGeneral shoreline terrestrial family — not a local Hatch calendar.
These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.
Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Flathead, Montana
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
County
Flathead
Management Category
Native trout / bull trout reservoir
Regulation Scope
Hungry Horse Reservoir near Hungry Horse
Regulation Summary
Hungry Horse Reservoir: FWP Western District lakes/reservoirs plus bull trout catch-card rules. Confirm current regulations.
Target Species
Lake Trout
Public Access
Public
Description
Hungry Horse Reservoir at USGS 12362000 near Hungry Horse. Current continuous values are lake/reservoir elevation only (62614). That is not live in-app discharge, gage height, or water temperature, so this existing public ID stays on PATH B static fishery value. Coordinates are the USGS monitoring-location point. Not South Fork Flathead above Twin Creeks (12359800) and not Flathead River at Columbia Falls (12363000).
