The Tongue River flows over 260 miles from its headwaters in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming north through southeastern Montana to join the Yellowstone River near Miles City. This prairie river offers a distinctly different fishing experience than Montana's famous mountain streams, with populations of smallmouth bass, channel catfish, sauger, walleye, and northern pike. The Tongue River Reservoir south of the Montana border provides additional warmwater fishing opportunities. While not a trout destination, the river supports brown trout in some cooler upstream sections near the Wyoming border. Access is available through several FWP sites along its course through the ranch country of eastern Montana. Spring and fall offer the best conditions before summer heat raises water temperatures. The Tongue River played a significant role in the region's history, including the nearby Battle of the Little Bighorn.