Thanksgiving week means cold mornings, frozen fingers, and open rivers. With most hunters still chasing deer and elk, you’ll have your pick of spots. The Madison, Yellowstone, and Missouri are all fishing steady with small nymphs, midges, and streamers. Browns are finishing up their spawn, and rainbows are starting to feed heavy before winter sets in.
Fort Peck and Canyon Ferry anglers are chasing deep-water walleye with jigs and spoons, though the bite has slowed. Trout are active near shorelines on calmer days, and some smaller lakes are beginning to cap with ice in the mornings.
Bundle up, bring a thermos, and fish mid-day when temps rise a little. Late November fishing is quiet, cold, and surprisingly good if you don’t mind a little frost on your reel.