Tongue River Reservoir still holds the Montana record for biggest black crappie. Could that fall this year? Well, according to Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks fisheries manager Mike Backes, surveys of crappie in the popular south-central Montana reservoir last fall showed some fat fish. So even if the state record doesn’t fall, anglers have a good chance to catch crappie that will measure 13 to 14 inches. That’s pretty huge compared to their average size of about 4 to 8 inches. Backes said surveys of the Yellowstone River in Eastern Montana also show anglers should find lots of sauger, plenty of bass and some beefy channel catfish and walleyes. So pick your pleasure and target one of these great fisheries this year for a variety of angling opportunities. To read more about the fisheries, log on to: http://bit.ly/1hwNF14

(Written by Brett French-Outdoors Editor for The Billings Gazette)