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United States / Montana / Channel catfish

Channel catfish bite in Montana

Channel catfish lives in Montana. Today's bite forecast, a day-by-day and hour-by-hour activity calendar, best time and baits.

Channel catfish bite forecast in Montana today

Best fishing days for the next week

  1. ThursdaySeptember 3weather-based forecast
    63/100high activity

    Cloudy: 37–54 °F

    Best fishing time: 00:00–03:00

  2. SaturdaySeptember 5weather-based forecast
    62/100high activity

    Cloudy: 32–68 °F

    Best fishing time: 00:00–03:00

  3. MondaySeptember 7weather-based forecast
    57/100medium activity

    Cloudy: 43–61 °F

    Best fishing time: 01:00–04:00

Other fish in Montana

  • Walleye5 catches
  • Rainbow trout5 catches
  • Cutthroat trout5 catches
  • Brown trout4 catches
  • Yellow perch3 catches

Channel catfish bite calendar

Wednesday, September 2

Aug 31 – Sep 6
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Bite activity:highmediumlowslow
Based on:weatherseasonal
What is a bite calendar?

Hourly activity

0:006:0012:0018:0023:00
Bite activity:highmediumlow

The bite is moderate — fish feed in short bursts. Pressure is dropping — this usually boosts the bite.

Peak bite hours

Best time — 00:00–05:00 and 23:00–23:00 (nighttime activity).

Tactics

Work the cover — snags, weed edges, hole entrances; retrieve the lure with pauses.

Lures

In clear water, natural colors work best: cut-bait bottom rig or stink bait.

Gear

Pack transitional-season clothing — mornings and evenings are chilly.

Summary

An average day — best chances during peak windows.

Why this forecast

The computed water temperature is around 51 °F — colder than the 68–86 °F comfort range for Channel catfish: the fish conserves energy and takes more cautiously.

Computed water temperature by month; the green band is the 68–86 °F comfort rangecomfort 68–86 °F51 °F
JFMAMJJASOND

Channel catfish feeds at night: the peak falls in the dark hours, between sunset and sunrise.

The day: daylight hours and when Channel catfish feeds0:0012:0024:00

Pressure is dropping 0.09 inHg over the day — fish are usually more active ahead of a weather change.

Pressure through the day, 0.09 inHg change
00:00 · 29.7923:00 · 29.70 inHg

September is an average month for Channel catfish here.

JFMAMJJASOND

These are the same values the bite curve above was computed from. How the forecast works

2 SepWednesday, September 2
+50°

Cloudy · feels like +43°

Low / high
+43°…+54°
Precipitation
0.00 in
Wind
12 mph WSW
Cloud cover
100%
Humidity
76%
Pressure
29.70 inHg
00:00+46°—6 mphsouth wind, 6 mph74%100%
01:00+45°—5 mphsoutheast wind, 5 mph78%100%
02:00+44°—5 mphsoutheast wind, 5 mph76%73%
03:00+44°—5 mphsouth wind, 5 mph78%100%
04:00+43°—6 mphsouth wind, 6 mph76%100%
05:00+43°—8 mphsoutheast wind, 8 mph75%98%
06:00+43°—7 mphsoutheast wind, 7 mph74%94%
07:00+43°—7 mphsoutheast wind, 7 mph73%100%
08:00+45°—6 mphsoutheast wind, 6 mph73%100%
09:00+49°—9 mphsoutheast wind, 9 mph69%100%
10:00+50°—11 mphsouth wind, 11 mph71%99%
11:00+50°—12 mphsouth wind, 12 mph73%100%
12:00+50°—12 mphsouthwest wind, 12 mph76%100%
13:00+49°—11 mphwest wind, 11 mph77%39%
14:00+51°—16 mphsouthwest wind, 16 mph55%27%
15:00+53°—13 mphsouthwest wind, 13 mph48%13%
16:00+54°—17 mphsouthwest wind, 17 mph28%33%
17:00+54°—15 mphsouthwest wind, 15 mph29%100%
18:00+53°—17 mphsouthwest wind, 17 mph29%96%
19:00+51°—15 mphsouthwest wind, 15 mph33%73%
20:00+47°—12 mphsouthwest wind, 12 mph38%100%
21:00+46°—13 mphsouthwest wind, 13 mph38%100%
22:00+45°—13 mphsouthwest wind, 13 mph43%100%
23:00+44°—10 mphsouthwest wind, 10 mph48%100%
+54°+48°+43°
Weather throughout the day
0:006:0012:0018:0023:00

Sun and moon

Wednesday, September 2
The day: daylight and the hours the moon is above the horizon. Local time0:0012:0024:00
DaylightMoon above the horizon
Sunrise
06:56
Sunset
20:10
Day length
13 h 14 min
Sunshine hours
9 h 9 min
UV index
2
low
Moon
Waning gibbous
Moonrise
22:22
Moonset
13:34

The day is 3 min shorter than yesterday.

Sunshine hours count direct sun only — cloud cover cuts it, so it is shorter than daylight.

Solunar feeding periods

+11% in the windowWednesday, September 2
Feeding windows on the day scale, local time0:0012:0024:00
Major periodsMinor periods
  • Major04:34–06:34Moon overhead
  • Minor13:04–14:04Moonset
  • Major17:02–19:02Moon underfoot
  • Minor21:52–22:52Moonrise

The windows are set by the moon's transit and rise, and the forecast above already accounts for them: within these hours the bite score sits higher than across the rest of the day, while the day's overall level still comes from the catch-calibrated model.

What are solunar periods?
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