Canyon Ferry Lake is a reservoir on the Missouri River 20 miles east of Helena, Montana near Townsend, Montana. It is Montana's third largest body of water, covers and has of shore. It was formed by the building of Canyon Ferry Dam, which was completed in 1954 and has been used for electricity, irrigation, and flood control since.
Recreation The lake is a popular outdoor destination providing boating, fishing, wildlife habitat, and is nestled against the Big Belt Mountains of the Rocky Mountains. It is considered one of the most popular lakes in the state, with 24 recreation sites around the reservoir. Canyon Ferry Lake has also become a leading ice boat venue for iceboat racing and iceboat world speed record attempts. The former town of Canton lies beneath the lake, having been submerged following construction of the dam.
Fishing The lake is regularly stocked with fish. Canyon Ferry Reservoir continues to be one of the most popular angling destinations in the state of Montana. +Fish species within the lakeSpeciesFamilyClassNative to MTBluegillSunfishWarmwaterIntroducedBrook TroutTroutColdwaterIntroducedBrown TroutTroutColdwaterIntroducedBurbotCodfishColdwaterNativeCommon CarpMinnowWarmwaterIntroducedFathead MinnowMinnowWarmwaterNativeFlathead ChubMinnowWarmwaterNativeLargemouth BassSunfishWarmwaterIntroducedLongnose DaceMinnowWarmwaterNativeLongnose SuckerSuckerWarmwaterNativeMottled SculpinSculpinNativeMountain WhitefishTroutColdwaterNativeNorthern PikePikeWarmwaterIntroducedPumpkinseedSunfishWarmwaterIntroducedRainbow TroutTroutColdwaterIntroducedSmallmouth BassSunfishWarmwaterIntroducedStonecatCatfishNativeUtah ChubMinnowIntroducedWalleyePerchWarmwaterIntroducedWhite SuckerSuckerWarmwaterNativeYellow PerchPerchWarmwaterIntroducedYellowstone Cutthroat TroutTroutColdwaterNative
See also List of lakes in Montana List of dams in the Missouri River watershed
References
External links Canyon Ferry Lake (Official website) , U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), Department of the Interior Current Reservoir Data, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Canyon Ferry Lake Information, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Canyon Ferry Recreation Map, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation