Saugeye in Montana
Everything FWP prints on saugeye in Montana, dated and sourced line by line.
Angler pickPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Clark Fork: Luke Detwiler, CC BY 2.0
Boiling down Saugeye for Big Sky anglers
For saugeye the Montana booklet prints no row in the Western, Central or Eastern chart. FWP's MFISH layer places it on 8 water pages built here, rating it common or abundant on 0.
1 certified record row name it.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 23 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
FWP's record book for saugeye
| Fish | Weight | Length (inches) | Water | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saugeye | 15.66 lbs. | – | Fort Peck Reservoir Squaw Creek | 1995 |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.
Montana waters where FWP maps saugeye
Labels come from FWP's distribution layer, plus stocked where FishMT shows a plant this year; none promises fish on the line.
- Fort Peck LakeMFISH: listed; Valley County
- Fresno ReservoirMFISH: listed; Hill County
- Yellowstone RiverMFISH: listed; Yellowstone County
- Missouri RiverMFISH: listed; Chouteau County
- Milk RiverMFISH: listed; Valley County
- Marias RiverMFISH: listed; Liberty County
- Tongue RiverMFISH: listed; Custer County
- Powder RiverMFISH: listed; Custer County
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Divide-country water near Saugeye, on camera
Photo: Alkula's, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Aaron Logan, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Prep notes ahead of a Saugeye day on Montana water
Per-angler allowance for saugeye in Montana?
For saugeye the Montana booklet prints no row in the Western, Central or Eastern chart. Each limit comes from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations.
Where does the chart number for saugeye stop applying?
No exception heading names it, so the district chart applies.
What waters turned out the record saugeye?
FWP lists 15.66 lbs. from Fort Peck Reservoir Squaw Creek (1995).
Best first stops for saugeye?
Fort Peck Lake, Fresno Reservoir and Yellowstone River tops a field of 8 pages that mention it.
Does FWP plant saugeye?
The 2026 FishMT plant report has no row for it.
Must a visitor with no permit buy one for saugeye?
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 saugeye possible here?
Montana records need a certified scale, FWP biologist verification and the record form.
Does any Montana water close to saugeye?
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.