First-time anglers often do well by fishing the reservoir from the dam area near the town of Fort Peck. Lake trout, chinook salmon, northern pike, and walleye all frequent this area and provide plenty of excitement. Many anglers begin fishing at the dam and, as they get more familiar with the water and fish, quickly spread out to other areas on the reservoir. The face of Fort Peck Dam is a very good place to find lake trout. During the warm summer months, lake trout tend to head deep to cooler water, so anglers should shift their depths accordingly.
Some anglers spincast with lures from shore, but trolling brings the greatest success.
Large spoons and lures such as a red and white or pearl-coated Daredevle are very popular. Fast retrieves and fairly fast trolling seem to attract the most fish. Lake trout populations show a slight upward trend, so they will continue to be a popular sport fish in the coming years. These fish average about 8 pounds, but there are some lunkers over 20 pounds in Fort Peck Reservoir. Lake trout and some other species have increased in average size in recent years due to the introduction of cisco and shiners as a food source.