240 Lakes · 52 Rivers · 56 Counties · 69 TownsMontana state record fish
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Montana fish

Rainbow smelt in Montana

Montana rainbow smelt limits by district, exception lines, records and MFISH-listed waters.

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Photo of Rainbow smelt: USFWS, Public domain

Montana fish

Numbers behind Montana Rainbow smelt

No chart line in the 2026 regulations is headed rainbow smelt; the booklet's no-limit wording for unlisted species applies unless a water says otherwise. It turns up in the MFISH data for 4 waters with pages here; 0 carry the word common or abundant.

Montana keeps 1 record entry for it.

0district chart lines
4FWP-mapped waters here
0exception headings
1record rows

2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 23 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.

State record

Record-table rows for rainbow smelt here

FishWeightLength (inches)WaterYearNote
Rainbow smelt0.08 lbs.7.1Fort Peck Dredge Cuts2020

Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.

Where FWP maps it

Reservoirs and streams in the FWP lists for rainbow smelt

Read each label as FWP prints it in MFISH; stocked flags a FishMT planting this year.

  • Fort Peck Powerhouse TailraceMFISH: listed; Valley County
  • Fort Peck Dredge CutsMFISH: listed; Valley County
  • Yellowstone RiverMFISH: listed; Yellowstone 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.

Photos

Prairie reservoirs and Rockies lakes by Rainbow smelt through a lens

Missouri River, Montana
Missouri River
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Montana and Dakotas, Public domain
Lake Como, Montana
Lake Como
Photo: Forest Service Northern Region, CC BY 2.0
Beaverhead River, Montana
Beaverhead River
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Montana and Dakotas, Public domain
Big Hole River, Montana
Big Hole River
Photo: TravelingOtter, CC BY-SA 2.0
Answers

Open questions on Rainbow smelt from Montana waters

Which chart row governs rainbow smelt here?

No chart line in the 2026 regulations is headed rainbow smelt; 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 rainbow smelt rule?

None of the exception headings single it out.

How heavy is the certified rainbow smelt record?

0.08 lbs. out of Fort Peck Dredge Cuts in 2020, a certified record.

Which impoundments list rainbow smelt?

Fort Peck Powerhouse Tailrace, Fort Peck Dredge Cuts and Yellowstone River comes first among the 4 that name it.

Are rainbow smelt on the 2026 plant report?

It was not in this year's FishMT rows.

Which FWP license do rainbow smelt 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 rainbow smelt 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 rainbow smelt?

Seasons are set by district and by river or lake, and the exception pages can override them.