Don Wilkins’ Weekly Fort Peck Fishing Report 5.1.25

Fox for dinner? With the right prep, it’s kind of like elk—and way more interesting than chicken.

The bugs are waking up and the trout are eating—Craig’s tailwater is heating up before runoff….

Oklahoma’s public lands just got a little less public for outsiders.

Fly fishing isn’t just about catching fish—it’s a lifelong journey of beauty, knowledge, connection, and soul-restoring peace. Read more from Montana Grant…

At 94 years old, with a heart full of grit and a camo golf cart for cover, Mr. Fox Haas reminded us all why legends never hang up their calls….

The Gallatin River is fishing great right now, with nymphs and worms leading the charge as runoff begins and fish are biting from the park to the valley…

Tucked between the St. Mary Canal and River, the Diversion Dam Project is quietly making big strides…

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff, in cooperation with Montana State University, have begun the second year of tagging trout in the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Ruby and Madison rivers.

Montana’s trout are in trouble — if we don’t protect their waters and rethink our fishing habits, future generations may only hear stories about the wild trout we once had…Read more from Montana Grant here.

The Sierra County Sheriff’s Office in California reports residents are under siege from wolves, posting graphic photos of a bloodied stoop where an elk was brought down just yards from a residence. There have been 18 wolf attacks confirmed in 28 days.

A female gray wolf, released in Colorado in January after being translocated from British Columbia, has made significant movements across the state, covering more than 1,230 miles since translocation — an extraordinary display of the species’ natural roaming behavior.

72% of wolf scat samples tested during the 2022 and 2023 summer seasons contained cattle DNA

IMPORTANT: The season dates for hound hunting season in the printed version of the 2025 Black Bear Regulations were incorrectly listed in the printed regulations.

A Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks warden stopped a driver pulling a mussel-fouled tugboat after he drove past an aquatic invasive species (AIS) inspection station near Anaconda last week. The driver was traveling from Lake Michigan to the Puget Sound in Washington. 

Flathead Lake anglers are smashing records at the 2025 Spring Mack Days, hooking tens of thousands of lake trout — and there’s still time to join the action…

Spring fishing is heating up across Canyon Ferry, Hauser, and Holter — from shoreline rainbows to deep-water walleye, there’s action for every angler!

In a situation like this, 95% of missing people who walked away are found within approximately a 2 mile radius of their last known location. However, this person was found well outside of the search area after he had traveled approximately 14 miles!

Read more on Montana natives from Montana Grant here…

A series of free, public meetings will be held in Montana communities in April and May to discuss the Wild and Domestic Sheep Comingling Project.

UDAP Industries, Inc. was founded by Mark Matheny after a life-altering experience in the Montana backcountry. In 1992, while hunting near Yellowstone National Park, Matheny survived a grizzly bear attack thanks to a canister of pepper spray used by his hunting partner.

The winners are announced!

Remember that wildlife is wild…

Tiny travelers are returning to Montana — get ready to welcome the amazing hummingbirds back to Big Sky Country!