Chinook salmon in Montana
Where chinook salmon sit in the Montana booklet, the record table and the FWP distribution layer.
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Chinook salmon: the Treasure State summary
Montana's district charts hold 2 lines naming chinook salmon: Central and Eastern. 3 built Montana waters list it in FWP's fish distribution layer, 1 rated common or abundant.
Read Fort Peck Reservoir and 1 other exception headings before keeping it. The record table has 1 row for it. FWP's 2026 plant report shows 29 stocking rows at 1 water.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 49 (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Central | Salmon (Kokanee & Chinook) | 10 daily and in possession. |
| Eastern | Salmon (Kokanee & Chinook) | 5 daily and 10 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.
A water listed under District Exceptions replaces the chart line for the fish its rules name.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 49 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Where the chinook salmon rule changes in Montana
| Water as printed | District | Rule lines | Booklet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Peck Reservoir | Eastern | Spearing: chinook salmon and lake trout may be taken by spear or gig through the ice Dec. 1 through March 31. Snagging: allowed only for chinook salmon from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30. Bow and Arrow: allowed for chinook salmon from Oct. 1 through Oct. 15. | page 80 |
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 24-90 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Montana waters that produced record chinook salmon
| Fish | Weight | Length (inches) | Water | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook salmon | 32.65 lbs. | 38 | Fort Peck Reservoir | 2024 |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.
Where FWP's fish layer places chinook salmon
Abundant, common and rare are FWP words from the distribution layer; stocked flags a 2026 plant row.
- Fort Peck LakeMFISH: common; Valley County
- Fort Peck Dredge CutsMFISH: listed; Valley County
- Missouri RiverMFISH: listed; Chouteau County
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Photo of Fort Peck Lake: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Chasing Chinook salmon across Big Sky country, answered
Keeper count for chinook salmon under the Montana chart?
Central district reads 10 daily and in possession.; Eastern district reads 5 daily and 10 in possession. Each limit comes from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations.
Do Montana streams or lakes deviate from the chart for chinook salmon?
Read Fort Peck Reservoir and 1 other exception headings before keeping it.
Which Montana water gave up the top chinook salmon?
It stands at 32.65 lbs., taken at Fort Peck Reservoir in 2024.
Where does the distribution layer put chinook salmon?
The 3 FWP-listed pages open with Fort Peck Lake, Fort Peck Dredge Cuts and Missouri River.
Which Montana waters got chinook salmon this year?
FWP's 2026 plant report shows 29 stocking rows at 1 water.
What does FWP charge before I cast for chinook salmon?
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.
Steps for filing a chinook salmon as a state record?
Records go through FWP Fisheries: certified scale, biologist ID, and the record form.
When is chinook salmon season open in Montana?
See the district season table; a water's exception lines can open or close a season on their own.