Brown trout in Montana
Everything FWP prints on brown trout in Montana, dated and sourced line by line.
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Boiling down Brown trout for Big Sky anglers
Each Montana fishing district that sets a standard for brown trout gets its own line: 3 in all, Central, Eastern and Western. FWP's MFISH layer places it on 94 water pages built here, rating it common or abundant on 28.
Its rules change on 31 waters printed under District Exceptions, Alice Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) for one. 1 certified record row name it. Hatchery plants this year: 7 rows at 6 waters.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 23 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
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| District | Chart row as printed | Limit as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Western | Combined Trout includes brown trout, rainbow trout, golden trout, and arctic grayling | Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession, only 1 over 22 inches daily and in possession. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 14 inches. |
| Central | Combined Trout includes brown trout, rainbow trout, golden trout, cutthroat trout, and arctic grayling | Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession, includes cutthroat trout. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 18 inches, only 1 can be a cutthroat trout. All arctic grayling must be released immediately. |
| Eastern | Combined Trout includes brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, golden trout, and arctic grayling | Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession. Rivers/Streams: 5 daily and in possession. |
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.
Check the exception headings before using a chart number on a named water.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 23 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Rule oddities for brown trout around Montana
| Water as printed | District | Rule lines | Booklet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alice Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 24 |
| Beaver Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 24 |
| Beaverhead River | Central | Catch-and-release for brown trout. Brown trout: Catch-and-release only. Brown trout: 5 fish daily and in possession. All fish must be less than 18”. | page 51 |
| Belmont Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 24 |
| Bitterroot River (note: river flows south to north) | Western | Brown trout: 3 daily and in possession. Combined trout: 3 rainbow or brown trout daily and in possession, Rainbow or brown trout only 1 over 14 inches. Combined trout: 3 rainbow or brown trout daily and in possession, Rainbow or brown trout only 1 over 14 inches. | page 24 |
| Blackfoot River And Tributaries | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches long, any size brown trout. (See Clearwater River Drainage for exception.) | page 28 |
| Canyon Ferry Reservoir | Central | Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession any size. | page 55 |
| Chamberlain Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 28 |
| Copper Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 30 |
| Cottonwood Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 30 |
| Dunham Creek (tributary to Monture Creek, Blackfoot drainage) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 31 |
| East Fork Bitterroot River Downstream From Star Falls | Western | Brown trout: 3 daily and in possession. | page 31 |
| Fish Creek And Tributaries (Clark Fork River drainage) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 31 |
| Gold Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 34 |
| Hauser Reservoir | Central | Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession, any size. | page 58 |
| Holter Reservoir | Central | Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession, any size. | page 58 |
| Kootenai River | Western | Brown trout: No limit. All brown trout caught between Libby Dam and Kootenai Falls must be killed immediately, kept, and the entire fish presented to FWP. Anglers who catch brown trout upstream of Kootenai Falls are required to report the catch to FWP within 24 hours (406-752-5501). Anglers may be asked to provide their full name, ALS num | page 35 |
| Lake Creek (near Troy) | Western | Brown trout: no limit. | page 35 |
| Lake Helena | Central | Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession, any size. | page 59 |
| Landers Fork (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 37 |
| Missouri River | Central | Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession, any size. Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession, any size. Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or y | page 62 |
| Monture Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 38 |
| Nevada Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 38 |
| North Fork Blackfoot River (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 38 |
| Petty Creek (tributary to Clark Fork River) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 39 |
| Rattlesnake Creek And Tributaries (near Missoula) | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 40 |
| Rock Creek (near Missoula) | Western | Combined trout: 3 brown trout daily and in possession. Catch-and- release for rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. | page 40 |
| Ruby River | Central | Catch-and-release for brown trout. Brown trout: 1 daily and in possession, must be less than 18”. | page 65 |
| St Regis River | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, Only 1 rainbow trout over 14 inches, any size brown trout. | page 41 |
| Thompson River | Western | Brown trout: 3 daily and in possession, any size. | page 42 |
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 24-90 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
FWP's record book for brown trout
| Fish | Weight | Length (inches) | Water | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown trout | 32.42 lbs. | 37 | Marias River | 2021 |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.
Montana waters where FWP maps brown trout
Labels come from FWP's distribution layer, plus stocked where FishMT shows a plant this year; none promises fish on the line.
- Hebgen LakeMFISH: abundant; Gallatin County
- Ennis LakeMFISH: abundant; Madison County
- Upper Holter LakeMFISH: abundant; Lewis and Clark County
- Lodge Grass Storage ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Big Horn County
- Canyon Ferry LakeMFISH: common; Broadwater County
- Noxon Rapids ReservoirMFISH: common; Sanders County
- Bighorn Lake (Big Horn County)MFISH: common; Big Horn County
- Clark Canyon ReservoirMFISH: common; Beaverhead County
- Holter ReservoirMFISH: common; Lewis and Clark County
- Hauser ReservoirMFISH: common; Lewis and Clark County
- Cabinet Gorge ReservoirMFISH: common; Sanders County
- Lake HelenaMFISH: common; Lewis and Clark County
- Deadmans Basin ReservoirMFISH: common; Wheatland County
- Duck LakeMFISH: common; Glacier County
- Placid LakeMFISH: common; Missoula County
- Seeley LakeMFISH: common; Missoula County
- Martinsdale ReservoirMFISH: common; Wheatland County
- Mission LakeMFISH: common; Glacier County
- Cooney ReservoirMFISH: common; Carbon County
- Salmon LakeMFISH: common; Missoula County
- Amc Settling Pond #2MFISH: common; Deer Lodge County
- Lower Glaston LakeMFISH: common; Sweet Grass County
- Upper Glaston LakeMFISH: common; Sweet Grass County
- Kipp LakeMFISH: common; Glacier County
- Amc Settling Pond #1MFISH: common; Deer Lodge County
- Wade LakeMFISH: common; Madison County
- Hidden Lake (Madison County)MFISH: common; Madison County
- East Rosebud LakeMFISH: common; Carbon County
- Fort Peck LakeMFISH: rare; Valley County
- Tongue River ReservoirMFISH: rare; Big Horn County
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Photo of Hebgen Lake: Forest Service Northern Region, CC BY 2.0
Prep notes ahead of a Brown trout day on Montana water
Per-angler allowance for brown trout in Montana?
Western district reads Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession, only 1 over 22 inches daily and in possession. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 14 inches.; Central district reads Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession, includes cutthroat trout. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 18 inches, only 1 can be a cutthroat trout. All arctic grayling must be released immediately.; Eastern district reads Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession. Rivers/Streams: 5 daily and in possession. Each limit comes from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations.
Where does the chart number for brown trout stop applying?
Its rules change on 31 waters printed under District Exceptions, Alice Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) for one.
What waters turned out the record brown trout?
FWP lists 32.42 lbs. from Marias River (2021).
Best first stops for brown trout?
Hebgen Lake, Ennis Lake and Upper Holter Lake tops a field of 94 pages that mention it.
Does FWP plant brown trout?
Hatchery plants this year: 7 rows at 6 waters.
Must a visitor with no permit buy one for brown trout?
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.
Is a new record brown trout possible here?
Montana records need a certified scale, FWP biologist verification and the record form.
Does any Montana water close to brown trout?
General seasons differ by district and water type; the general season table on the regulations page shows each one, and exception headings can add closures.