Fishing in Flathead County, Montana
County seat: Kalispell. Census 2020 residents: 104,357.
- 44lake pages
- 13ramps
- 7river pages
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Hungry Horse Reservoir: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Fishing Flathead County in brief
Kalispell is where Flathead County keeps its offices; the county had 104,357 residents in 2020. Its Gazetteer footprint is 5,087 square miles of land and 168.8 square miles of water. By acreage or outline, Flathead Lake tops the 44 lakes and reservoirs with pages. Stream pages for the county: Flathead River, Swan River and Middle Fork Flathead River.
FWP and State Parks together place 13 ramps and 6 other fishing sites in the county. FWP's 2026 plant report lists 14 rows in the county, 52,948 fish across 10 waters. 20 waters here carry their own exception lines in the 2026 book.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 12, 2026. FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
A map of the boat ramps and banks of Flathead County
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026. Lake pins are the FWP reference point for each water.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Choosing among the Montana lakes of Flathead County
| Lake | Size | Access sites | Kind | MFISH lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead Lake | 122,885 acres | 5 | natural lake | bull trout, lake trout, lake whitefish |
| Hungry Horse Reservoir | 23,577 acres | 0 | reservoir | bull trout, mountain whitefish, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| McDonald Lake (Flathead County) | 6,867 acres | 0 | natural lake | bull trout, lake trout, lake whitefish |
| Whitefish Lake | 3,315 acres | 0 | natural lake | lake trout, lake whitefish, northern pike |
| Little Bitterroot Lake | 2,970 acres | 0 | natural lake | kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, yellow perch |
| Ashley Lake | 2,850 acres | 0 | natural lake | kokanee salmon, yellow perch |
| Bowman Lake | 1,722 acres | 0 | natural lake | lake trout, mountain whitefish, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Kintla Lake | 1,665 acres | 0 | natural lake | lake trout, mountain whitefish, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| McGregor Lake | 1,522 acres | 0 | natural lake | lake trout, mountain whitefish |
| Tally Lake | 1,211 acres | 0 | natural lake | lake trout, northern pike |
| Logging Lake | 1,113 acres | 0 | natural lake | lake trout, mountain whitefish |
| Big Salmon Lake | 972 acres | 0 | natural lake | bull trout, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Quartz Lake | 869 acres | 0 | natural lake | mountain whitefish, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Echo Lake (Flathead County) | 695 acres | 1 | natural lake | brook trout, kokanee salmon, lake whitefish |
| Upper Stillwater Lake | 592 acres | 0 | natural lake | northern pike, rainbow trout, yellow perch |
| Hubbart Reservoir | 480 acres | 0 | reservoir | kokanee salmon, rainbow trout |
| Upper Kintla Lake | 468 acres | 0 | natural lake | bull trout |
| Smith Lake | 453 acres | 1 | natural lake | northern pike, yellow perch |
| Harrison Lake | 391 acres | 0 | natural lake | brook trout, lake trout, mountain whitefish |
| Lake Blaine | 382 acres | 0 | natural lake | kokanee salmon, largemouth bass, northern pike |
| Hidden Lake (Flathead County) | 272 acres | 0 | natural lake | Yellowstone cutthroat trout |
| Lower Stillwater Lake | 250 acres | 0 | natural lake | lake trout, northern pike, yellow perch |
| Egan Slough | 249 acres | 0 | natural lake | northern pike |
| Foy Lake | 241 acres | 0 | natural lake | Arctic grayling, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout |
| Rogers Lake | 239 acres | 0 | natural lake | Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Trout Lake | 216 acres | 0 | natural lake | Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Fennon Slough | 215 acres | 0 | natural lake | largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch |
| Lake Five | 152 acres | 1 | natural lake | kokanee salmon, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout |
| Sunburst Lake | 148 acres | 0 | natural lake | Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Beaver Lake | 144 acres | 1 | natural lake | brook trout, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout |
| Blanchard Lake | 143 acres | 1 | natural lake | largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed |
| Peterson Lake | 97 acres | 0 | natural lake | lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike |
| Upper Whitefish Lake | 80 acres | 0 | natural lake | bull trout, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Evangeline Lake | 72 acres | 0 | natural lake | Yellowstone cutthroat trout |
| Handkerchief Lake | about 51 acres of mapped outline | 0 | natural lake | Arctic grayling, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| McWenneger Slough | 40 acres | 1 | natural lake | black bullhead, black crappie, largemouth bass |
| Lion Lake | about 39 acres of mapped outline | 0 | natural lake | largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed |
| Skyles Lake | 38 acres | 1 | natural lake | largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed |
| Bootjack Lake | 35 acres | 1 | natural lake | rainbow trout, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Spencer Lake | about 30 acres of mapped outline | 0 | natural lake | largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed |
| Camas Lake | about 18 acres of mapped outline | 0 | natural lake | Yellowstone cutthroat trout |
| Bailey Lake | about 16 acres of mapped outline | 0 | natural lake | brook trout, Westslope cutthroat trout, yellow perch |
| Dickey Lake (Flathead County) | about 14 acres of mapped outline | 0 | natural lake | kokanee salmon, largemouth bass, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Blue Lake | about 11 acres of mapped outline | 0 | natural lake | brook trout, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout |
Size as the FWP FishMT page for this water prints it (FishMT), read November 12, 2026. Waters with no FishMT size print their mapped outline instead. Montana FWP Lakes reference layer (ArcGIS service) and the MFISH fish distribution layers, read November 12, 2026.
Which fish MFISH lists across Flathead County waters
The count covers MFISH lists on lakes within 60 miles of Kalispell, with rainbow trout in front.
FWP MFISH presence layers, counted per lake page within 60 miles; presence in a layer, not a catch survey. FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Montana rivers and creeks running through Flathead County
- Flathead Riverexception rules, 7 access sites, 4 USGS gauges
- Swan Riverexception rules, 1 access site, 1 USGS gauge
- Middle Fork Flathead Riverexception rules, 1 USGS gauge
- North Fork Flathead Riverexception rules
- South Fork Flathead Riverexception rules
- Thompson Riverexception rules, 1 USGS gauge
- Whitefish Riverexception rules, 1 USGS gauge
How Flathead County rivers are running, by gauge
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| N F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt | 753 cfs, 1.89 ft gage height | Nov 14 2:45 pm |
| Middle Fork Flathead River At West Glacier, Mt | 5.25 ft gage height | Nov 14 2:00 pm |
| Mcdonald Creek At Apgar, Mt | 3.71 ft gage height | Nov 14 2:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 14, 2026 3:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Montana FWP MFISH stream layers (ArcGIS service) for this river, read November 12, 2026. USGS Water Data for the Nation, live through the site, retrieved on page view.
Montana boat launches inside Flathead County
- Beaver Lake Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 1 acres; Flathead County
- Bigfork Fishing Access Site on Flathead Lakefishing access site, dock, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 2 acres; Flathead County
- Blanchard Lake Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 10 acres; Flathead County
- Echo Lake Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, dock, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 5 acres; Flathead County
- Kokanee Bend Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 185 acres; Flathead County
- Paul's Memorial Fishing Access Site on Lake Fivefishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 10 acres; Flathead County
- Pressentine Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 11 acres; Flathead County
- Smith Lake Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, ramp (gravel), dock, gravel surface, 3 acres; Flathead County
- Somers Fishing Access Site on Flathead Lakefishing access site, ramp (concrete), dock, concrete surface, 2 acres; Flathead County
- Sportsmans Bridge Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 6 acres; Flathead County
- Teakettle Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 3 acres; Flathead County
- Wayfarers State Park Boat Rampstate park boat ramp; Flathead County
- Whitefish Lake State Park Boat Rampstate park boat ramp; Flathead County
Bank spots within Flathead County
- Bootjack Lake Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, hand launch, 3 acres; Flathead County
- McWenneger Slough Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, no boat facilities, 20 acres; Flathead County
- Pine Grove Pond Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, no boat facilities, 23 acres; Flathead County
- Shady Lane Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, no boat facilities, 5 acres; Flathead County
- Skyles Lake Fishing Access Sitefishing access site, hand launch, 1 acres; Flathead County
- Old Steel Bridge Fishing Access Site on Flathead Riverfishing access site, no boat facilities, 128 acres; Flathead County
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
The short list: minor lakes inside Flathead County
- Church Sloughabout 195 acres of mapped outline
- Lake Ellen Wilsonabout 171 acres of mapped outline
- Lower Quartz Lakeabout 167 acres of mapped outline
- Wiley Sloughabout 155 acres of mapped outline
- Flotilla Lakeabout 147 acres of mapped outline
- Mud Lakeabout 143 acres of mapped outline
- Cyclone Lakeabout 140 acres of mapped outline
- Lone Lakeabout 133 acres of mapped outline
- Dog Lakeabout 102 acres of mapped outline
- Black Lakeabout 49 acres of mapped outline
- Margaret Lakeabout 46 acres of mapped outline
- Tepee Lakeabout 44 acres of mapped outline
- Murray Lakeabout 43 acres of mapped outline
- Abbot Lakeabout 41 acres of mapped outline
- Wildcat Lakeabout 38 acres of mapped outline
- Half Moon Sloughabout 32 acres of mapped outline
- Pilgrim Lake 1about 30 acres of mapped outline
- Birch Lakeabout 29 acres of mapped outline
- Palisade Lakeabout 28 acres of mapped outline
- Big Hawk Lakeabout 27 acres of mapped outline
- Little Beaver Lakeabout 24 acres of mapped outline
- McCaffery Lakeabout 24 acres of mapped outline
- Cliff Lake (Flathead County)about 23 acres of mapped outline
- Sylvia Lakeabout 23 acres of mapped outline
- Woods Lakeabout 20 acres of mapped outline
- Moose Lakeabout 19 acres of mapped outline
- Cabin Lakeabout 17 acres of mapped outline
- No Tellum Reservoirabout 16 acres of mapped outline
- North Biglow Lakeabout 16 acres of mapped outline
- Upper Martin Lakeabout 12 acres of mapped outline
- Spotted Bear Lakeabout 12 acres of mapped outline
- Strawberry Lakeabout 12 acres of mapped outline
- Huntsberger Lakeabout 11 acres of mapped outline
- Upper Three Eagles Lakeabout 11 acres of mapped outline
- Oreomnos Lakeabout 10 acres of mapped outline
- Dahl Lakeabout 217 acres of mapped outline
- Middle Stillwater Lakeabout 104 acres of mapped outline
- Rogers Lakeabout 85 acres of mapped outline
- Pocket Lakeabout 82 acres of mapped outline
- Grace Lakeabout 82 acres of mapped outline
Outline area from the FWP Lakes reference layer (ArcGIS service; mapped polygon area, not an FWP surface-acre figure), read November 12, 2026. Names come from the FWP Lakes reference layer; no page and no fish list for these waters.
Exception lines printed for Flathead County lakes and streams
The rules here are from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, valid March 1, 2026 through the end of February 2027; FWP had published no 2027 booklet when this was checked.
- Ashley LakeSalmon: 35 daily and 70 in possession. (ASHLEY LAKE)
- Big Salmon LakeClosed to all angling within a 300-yard radius around the inlet (where the creek enters the lake) of Big Salmon Lake. (BIG SALMON LAKE)
- Blanchard LakeLargemouth Bass: 1 daily and in possession, must be over 22 inches. (BLANCHARD LAKE (near Whitefish))
- Bootjack LakeCombined trout: 1 daily and in possession, 22 inch minimum. (BOOTJACK LAKE (near Whitefish))
- Flathead LakeCatch-and-release for cutthroat trout. (FLATHEAD LAKE)
- Flathead RiverHooks/lures must have single points, no double or treble hooks. (FLATHEAD RIVER)
- Handkerchief LakeCatch-and-release for arctic grayling. (HANDKERCHIEF LAKE)
- Harrison LakeOpen third Saturday in May through the end of February. (HARRISON LAKE AND TRIBUTARIES)
- Hungry Horse ReservoirBull trout: 1 fish per license year from the third Saturday in May through Aug. 15, Catch-and-release the rest of the year with a Hungry Horse/ South Fork Flathead permit validation on Fishing License. A Hungry Horse/South Fork Flathead Bull Trout Catch Card must be in possession when fishing for bull trout. See bull trout page 13. Bull trout must be released with no delay or be killed and counted as your limit when harvest is allowed. It is unlawful to possess a live bull trout for any reason. (HUNGRY HORSE RESERVOIR)
- Little Bitterroot LakeClosed entire year. (HERRIG CREEK (tributary to Little Bitterroot Lake))
- Lower Stillwater LakeYellow perch: no limit, only 10 daily over 10 inches. No possession limit. (LOWER STILLWATER LAKE)
- McGregor LakeCrayfish: 20 daily and in possession; females with egg clusters or attached juveniles must be released. (McGREGOR LAKE)
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Hatchery fish released in Flathead County this year
| Date | Water as FishMT prints it | Fish | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 23, 2026 | Foy Lake | 14,060 | Rainbow trout |
| September 2, 2026 | Foy Lake | 6,306 | Rainbow trout |
| June 15, 2026 | Beaver Lake | 5,481 | Rainbow trout |
| June 15, 2026 | Little Beaver Lake | 992 | Rainbow trout |
| June 10, 2026 | Murray Lake | 2,268 | Rainbow trout |
| June 4, 2026 | Lion Lake | 1,500 | Westslope cutthroat trout |
| May 20, 2026 | Woods Lake | 549 | Rainbow trout |
| May 19, 2026 | Mcgregor Lake | 6,750 | Rainbow trout |
| May 19, 2026 | Mcgregor Lake | 6,750 | Rainbow trout |
| May 8, 2026 | Blue Lake | 1,000 | Brook trout |
FWP FishMT stocking report for 2026, year to date (FishMT plant report), read November 12, 2026.
Record-book entries from Flathead County
| Species | Weight or length as listed | Water | Year | Marked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake trout | 42.69 lbs. | Flathead Lake | 2004 | not marked native |
| Lake whitefish | 10.46 lbs. | Flathead Lake | 2006 | not marked native |
| Pygmy whitefish | 0.36 lbs. | Little Bitterroot Lake | 2010 | not marked native |
| Yellow perch | 2.39 lbs. | Lower Stillwater Lake | 2006 | not marked native |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.
Derby and club days around Flathead County
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 19, 2026 | Perch Assault Smith Lake | Smith Lake | Chancy's Fish Camp |
| Jan. 9, 2027 | Sunriser Lions Family Ice Fishing Derby | Smith Lake | Sunriser Lions Club |
| Feb. 27, 2027 | Canyon Kids Christmas Lion Lake Fishing Derby | Lion Lake | Canyon kids Christmas |
| Feb. 27, 2027 | Lodge at McGregor Lake Fishing Derby | Mcgregor Lake | The Lodge at McGregor Lake |
| Oct. 17, 2026 | MT Student Angler 2026 Season Point Event | Echo Lake | Montana Student Anglers |
| Oct. 12, 2026 | Chancy's Fish Camp Fall Whitefish Festival | Flathead River | Chancy's Fish Camp |
| Sept. 26, 2026 | MT Student Anglers 2026 Season Points Event | Flathead River Slough, and north end of Flathead Lake | Montana Student Anglers |
| Sept. 10, 2026 | Fall Mack Days (2026) (result) | Flathead Lake | Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) |
| April 25, 2026 | Big Sky Bass Bash/TBF/ABA Buddy Series Qualifier | Echo, Abbot, Peterson Lakes | TBF of Montana/C hancy's Fish Camp |
| March 12, 2026 | 2026 Spring/Fall Mack Days Fishing Events | Flathead Lake | CSKT |
Event as listed by the organizer (source), read November 12, 2026.
Buying flies inside Flathead County
Restocking leaders and line for Flathead County
- Arends Fly Shopfly shop, Columbia Falls
- Bass Pro Shops, 125 Treeline Rdbait and tackle shop, Kalispell
- Chancy and Dave's Fish Campbait and tackle shop, Flathead County
- Lakestream Fly Fishing Shopfly shop, Whitefish
- Montana Fly Cofly shop, Columbia Falls
- Pete's Tacklebait and tackle shop, Kalispell
- Salmon Forks Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Columbia Falls
- Sportsman & Ski Hausbait and tackle shop, Kalispell
- Thads Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Olney
- Triple Divide Sports Warehousebait and tackle shop, Kalispell
- True Water Fly Shopfly shop, Kalispell
- Two River Gearbait and tackle shop, Bigfork
Montana outfitters who run trips to Flathead County
- A Able Fishing Charters & Tourscharter, Bigfork, (406) 257-5214
- Bagley Guide Servicefishing guide, Bigfork, (406) 837-3618
- Big Fork Anglers Fly Shopfly fishing guide, Bigfork, (406) 837-3675
- Captain Norm's Fish-N-Funfishing guide, Kalispell, (406) 250-6246
- Diamond R of Spotted Bearfishing guide, Kalispell
- Fish On Chartersfishing guide, Lakeside
- Glacier Fishing Charterscharter, Columbia Falls, (406) 892-2377
- Glacier Guides and Montana Raftfishing guide, West Glacier, (406) 387-5555
Yellow Pages, State Parks and operator listings (city of business), read November 12, 2026. Guides are listed as businesses; no licence status is implied.
Grouped near Flathead County on the Montana map
Montana lodging towns across Flathead County
- Kalispell2020 count 24,558
- Evergreen2020 count 8,149
- Whitefish2020 count 7,751
- Columbia Falls2020 count 5,308
- Bigfork2020 count 5,118
- Lakeside2020 count 2,705
Montana counties next to Flathead County
- Lake County45 miles south
- Glacier County56 miles northeast
- Sanders County64 miles southwest
- Lincoln County67 miles west
Piscifun kit to stow in the truck for Montana time at Flathead County
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Big Sky shorelines and trout-stream riffles around Flathead County, photographed
Photo: GlacierNPS, Public domain
Photo: Scott Shawcroft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
The questions Flathead County anglers trade over coffee
How many boat ramps does Flathead County have in the FWP data?
The access layers list 13 ramps.
Which water in Flathead County has the biggest size figure?
That is Flathead Lake, listed at 122,885 acres.
Which fish lead the MFISH lists near Flathead County?
MFISH names rainbow trout on the most lake pages within 60 miles, then yellow perch, Westslope cutthroat trout and northern pike; the layer shows presence, not a catch.
Does Flathead County have a marina or bait counter?
There are 17; Arends Fly Shop comes first.
From which town does Flathead County govern?
Kalispell.
Which licenses should Flathead County anglers carry?
Anglers 12 and older buy a Conservation License, an aquatic invasive species pass and a fishing license; the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations prints $8, $2 and $21 for a resident full season and $10, $7.50 and $100 for a nonresident.
Which counties lie closest to Flathead County?
Lake County, Glacier County and Sanders County sit nearest.
How many fish may I keep in Flathead County?
Limits depend on the FWP fishing district and on any exception heading printed for the water; the Western, Central and Eastern district pages on this site give the charts. The rules here are from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, valid March 1, 2026 through the end of February 2027; FWP had published no 2027 booklet when this was checked.
Where do the Montana limits change in Flathead County?
20 waters with a page here carry their own exception lines, beginning with Ashley Lake.
Which Montana waters in Flathead County get hatchery fish?
The 2026 plant report lists 52,948 fish in 14 rows across 10 waters in the county.
Is a Montana tournament coming to Flathead County?
10 entries on file; the next is Perch Assault Smith Lake on Smith Lake, Dec. 19, 2026.
Has a Montana state record fish come from Flathead County?
Lake trout, 42.69 lbs., from Flathead Lake (2004).
Hitch the boat for Treasure State water in Flathead County
Check a water's exception heading before keeping fish.