Fishing in Montana public spots, conditions & reports
5 of 13worth the trip today
Mostly rainbow trout and lake trout today. Each spot is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
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Every Montana spot
13 public spots, best first. Each is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
The state report
Montana FWP hasn’t published one we can date.
Licenses and rules
Rules for what people fish for here
- Rainbow trout3 a dayCentral District rivers and streams: 3 trout a day and in possession, only 1 over 18" and only 1 a cutthroat; grayling must be released. Open all year unless an exception says otherwise.Open · Montana Central District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Brown trout3 a dayCentral District rivers and streams: 3 trout a day and in possession, only 1 over 18" and only 1 a cutthroat; grayling must be released. Open all year unless an exception says otherwise.Open · Montana Central District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Yellow perchno daily limitWestern District: yellow perch are not on the standard limit chart, so there is no daily or possession limit.Open · Montana Western District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Lake trout20 a dayWestern District: 20 lake trout a day, 40 in possession.Open · Montana Western District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Brook trout20 a dayWestern District lakes and reservoirs: 20 brook trout a day and in possession. Open all year.Open · Montana Western District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Common carpno daily limitMontana Central District: species not listed in the district limits table, carp included, have no limit on the number taken or possessed.Open · Montana Central District · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Walleye5 a dayCentral District: 5 walleye and sauger a day, only 2 sauger; 10 in possession, only 4 sauger.Open · Montana Central District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Cutthroat trout12" maximum · 3 a dayWestern District rivers and streams: 3 cutthroat a day and in possession, none over 12". Many tributaries are catch-and-release for cutthroat. Western District rivers and streams are open the third Saturday in May (May 16 in 2026) through Nov 30 unless an exception says otherwise.Catch and release · Montana Western District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Channel catfish10 a dayEastern District: 10 channel catfish a day, 20 in possession.Open · Montana Eastern District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Smallmouth bass5 a dayEastern District: 5 bass a day and in possession.Open · Montana Eastern District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Northern pike10 a dayEastern District: 10 northern pike a day and in possession.Open · Montana Eastern District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Chinook salmon5 a dayEastern District: 5 salmon (chinook and kokanee combined) a day, 10 in possession.Open · Montana Eastern District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Kokanee salmon20 a dayWestern District: 20 kokanee a day, 40 in possession.Open · Montana Western District · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
Limits differ by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water.
What’s biting in Montana
Species people fish for at Montana spots, and how many of those spots are worth the trip for them today.
Rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss4 of 11 spots worth the trip in Montana
Best now at Bighorn River, MT100
Bites in 45–68° water
Brown troutSalmo trutta4 of 9 spots worth the trip in Montana
Best now at Bighorn River, MT98
Bites in 45–68° water
Yellow perchPerca flavescens1 of 2 spots worth the trip in Montana
Best now at Flathead Lake, MT82
Bites in 45–70° water
Lake troutSalvelinus namaycush1 of 2 spots worth the trip in Montana
Best now at Flathead Lake, MT82
Bites in 40–52° water
Cutthroat troutOncorhynchus clarkii1 of 1 spot worth the trip in Montana
Best now at Bitterroot River, MT78
Bites in 39–62° water
Brook troutSalvelinus fontinalis0 of 2 spots worth the trip in Montana
Best now at Georgetown Lake, MT65
Bites in 40–65° water
Common carpCyprinus carpio0 of 2 spots worth the trip in Montana
Best now at Canyon Ferry Lake, MT57
Bites in 52–86° water
WalleyeSander vitreus0 of 2 spots worth the trip in Montana
Best now at Canyon Ferry Lake, MT57
Bites in 50–72° water
About fishing in Montana
Montana's 13 public access points span rivers and streams, lakes, and reservoirs, across 12 counties. Across them, the species anglers most often target are Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, and Yellow Perch. Each is scored live on water temperature, river flow, moon phase, barometric pressure, and weather. Always confirm current size, creel, and season limits with the Montana state fishery agency before keeping fish — we flag any species whose regulations we haven't yet verified.
13 public access points across 0 water bodies. Data from NOAA, NWS, USGS, and Montana FWP.