Fishing in
Montana
14,047 named waters · 0 stocked in the last 30 days
Montana's blue-ribbon trout rivers — the Madison, the Missouri, the Yellowstone, the Bighorn — set the standard most Western trout fisheries are measured against, built on decades of fly-fishing tradition. The upper Big Hole River holds the last native, river-dwelling population of Arctic grayling in the Lower 48, a fish that's disappeared from nearly everywhere else it used to live.
Montana holds 14,047 fishable waters on the books. Montana FWP has logged 233 stockings in the last year, led by rainbow trout. The biggest water in the state is Fort Peck Lake at 233,440 acres.
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When does Montana stock?
Stocking peaks in May, going by every record on the books.
What you'll catch here
- Rainbow Trout39 waters
- Brook Trout7 waters
- Kokanee4 waters
- Brown Trout2 waters
- Westslope Cutthroat Trout1 waters
- Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout1 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Lake SutherlinRainbow TroutJun 30, 2026
- Lower Thompson LakeRainbow TroutJun 23, 2026
- Spar LakeRainbow TroutJun 23, 2026
- Georgetown LakeBrook TroutJun 23, 2026
- Ruby River ReservoirRainbow TroutJun 22, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Harpers Lake7× stocked
- Lake Elmo6× stocked
- Frenchtown Pond5× stocked
- Lake Como4× stocked
- Lake Sutherlin4× stocked
- Van Lake3× stocked
- Pishkun Reservoir3× stocked
- Wild Bill Lake3× stocked
- Little McGregor Lake2× stocked
- Greenough Lake2× stocked
Biggest waters
- Fort Peck Lake233,440 ac
- Flathead Lake122,251 ac
- Canyon Ferry Lake32,810 ac
- Lake Koocanusa28,875 ac
- Hungry Horse Reservoir23,596 ac
- Lake Elwell13,072 ac
- Hebgen Lake12,407 ac
- Medicine Lake9,017 ac
Major rivers
- Coal Bank Sloughorder 10 · ~2 cfs
- Bighorn Riverorder 9 · ~12,528 cfs
- Powder Riverorder 9 · ~913 cfs
- Jefferson Riverorder 8 · ~3,663 cfs
- Milk Riverorder 8 · ~954 cfs
- Musselshell Riverorder 8 · ~909 cfs
- Jefferson Sloughorder 8 · ~333 cfs
- Little Powder Riverorder 8 · ~83 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Flathead (885) · Beaverhead (820) · Madison (677) · Lincoln (669) · Park (566) · Powder River (553) · Ravalli (486) · Missoula (479) · Lewis and Clark (472) · Carbon (447) · Gallatin (429) · Valley (400) · Sanders (389) · Powell (358) · Big Horn (350) · Custer (334) · Meagher (325) · Rosebud (323) · Lake (300) · Sweet Grass (271) · Granite (260) · Phillips (256) · Stillwater (251) · Mineral (245) · Glacier (226) · Carter (219) · Jefferson (197) · Garfield (187) · Cascade (183) · Teton (176)
Seasons, limits, and rules are Montana's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
Montana fishing — FAQ
Where does Montana stock fish?+
Montana FWP logged 233 stockings across Montana in the last year, led by rainbow trout, brook trout, kokanee and brown trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
When does Montana stock fish?+
Stocking in Montana peaks in May, going by every record on the books. See each water's page for its own seasonality.
Do I need a license to fish in Montana?+
Yes — Montana requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in Montana?+
Montana has 14,047 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.