Freshwater drum in Montana
Montana freshwater drum limits by district, exception lines, records and MFISH-listed waters.
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Numbers behind Montana Freshwater drum
No chart line in the 2026 regulations is headed freshwater drum; the booklet's no-limit wording for unlisted species applies unless a water says otherwise. It turns up in the MFISH data for 12 waters with pages here; 0 carry the word common or abundant.
Montana keeps 1 record entry for it.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 23 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Record-table rows for freshwater drum here
| Fish | Weight | Length (inches) | Water | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater drum | 21.59 lbs. | 29.5 | Fort Peck- Ghost Coulee | 2003 | Montana native |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.
Reservoirs and streams in the FWP lists for freshwater drum
Read each label as FWP prints it in MFISH; stocked flags a FishMT planting this year.
- Fort Peck LakeMFISH: listed; Valley County
- Fort Peck Dredge CutsMFISH: listed; Valley County
- Yellowstone RiverMFISH: listed; Yellowstone County
- Missouri RiverMFISH: listed; Chouteau County
- Bighorn RiverMFISH: listed; Big Horn County
- Spotted Eagle LakeMFISH: listed; Custer County
- Milk RiverMFISH: listed; Valley County
- Musselshell RiverMFISH: listed; Musselshell County
- Marias RiverMFISH: listed; Liberty County
- Tongue RiverMFISH: listed; Custer County
- Powder RiverMFISH: listed; Custer County
- Judith RiverMFISH: listed; Fergus County
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Prairie reservoirs and Rockies lakes by Freshwater drum through a lens
Photo: Forest Service Northern Region, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Alkula's, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Open questions on Freshwater drum from Montana waters
Which chart row governs freshwater drum here?
No chart line in the 2026 regulations is headed freshwater drum; the booklet's no-limit wording for unlisted species applies unless a water says otherwise. Each limit comes from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations.
Does any exception heading rewrite the freshwater drum rule?
None of the exception headings single it out.
How heavy is the certified freshwater drum record?
21.59 lbs. out of Fort Peck- Ghost Coulee in 2003, a certified record.
Which impoundments list freshwater drum?
Fort Peck Lake, Fort Peck Dredge Cuts and Yellowstone River comes first among the 12 that name it.
Are freshwater drum on the 2026 plant report?
It was not in this year's FishMT rows.
Which FWP license do freshwater drum anglers buy?
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 office maintains the freshwater drum record list?
A claim needs a certified-scale weight, identification by an FWP biologist and the Fish Record Form.
Does a Montana season limit when I can fish for freshwater drum?
Seasons are set by district and by river or lake, and the exception pages can override them.