Shortnose gar in Montana
Shortnose gar: Montana district limits as printed, exception waters, FWP record rows and the waters FWP maps it on.
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Shortnose gar across Big Sky country, at a glance
FWP prints 1 fishing-district chart line that cover shortnose gar, one for each district where a line applies. MFISH presence lists link it to 6 Montana pages on this site, 0 of them with a common or abundant rating.
Fort Peck Dredge Cuts (west of Park Grove Bridge and Nelson Dredge) is one of 1 exception headings whose rule lines name it. FWP certifies 1 record for it.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 79 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
How the FWP charts treat shortnose gar
| District | Chart row as printed | Limit as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern | Shortnose Gar | 3 per season and in possession. When bowfishing for shortnose gar each angler must have in possession a valid shortnose gar Catch Card. Catch Cards are available at the FWP Region 6 Office in Glasgow. |
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.
The standard chart gives way to any exception printed for the water you fish.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 79 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
The shortnose gar lines under District Exceptions
| Water as printed | District | Rule lines | Booklet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Peck Dredge Cuts (west of Park Grove Bridge and Nelson Dredge) | Eastern | Shortnose gar: Legal take allowed year-round. Limit 3 per season (license year) and in possession. Release of gar shot while bowfishing prohibited. A shortnose gar Catch Card is required to harvest gar. | page 80 |
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 24-90 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Heaviest shortnose gar in the Montana book
| Fish | Weight | Length (inches) | Water | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shortnose gar | 7.41 lbs. | 35 | Fort Peck Dredge Cuts | 2013 | Montana native |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.
Finding shortnose gar in the MFISH layer
Ratings are the MFISH words as FWP assigns them, with stocked added for waters in the 2026 plant report.
- Fort Peck Powerhouse TailraceMFISH: rare; Valley County
- Spotted Eagle LakeMFISH: rare; Custer County
- Fort Peck Dredge CutsMFISH: listed; Valley County
- Yellowstone RiverMFISH: listed; Yellowstone County
- Missouri RiverMFISH: listed; Chouteau County
- Milk RiverMFISH: listed; Valley County
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Big Sky shorelines and trout-stream riffles around Shortnose gar, photographed
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Schott, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Montana and Dakotas, Public domain
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What do the 2026 charts allow me to take of shortnose gar?
Eastern district reads 3 per season and in possession. When bowfishing for shortnose gar each angler must have in possession a valid shortnose gar Catch Card. Catch Cards are available at the FWP Region 6 Office in Glasgow. Each limit comes from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations.
Any named-water exceptions for shortnose gar?
Fort Peck Dredge Cuts (west of Park Grove Bridge and Nelson Dredge) is one of 1 exception headings whose rule lines name it.
Record-book entry for shortnose gar?
The record is 7.41 lbs., Fort Peck Dredge Cuts, 2013.
Where is shortnose gar rated common by FWP?
Of 6 pages, Fort Peck Powerhouse Tailrace, Spotted Eagle Lake and Fort Peck Dredge Cuts heads the list.
Did FWP stock shortnose gar in 2026?
FishMT shows no plant for it in 2026.
Which permit lets me fish for shortnose gar?
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.
What proof backs a shortnose gar record claim?
FWP's Fisheries Division certifies records by certified scale weight, biologist identification and a record form.
When may I target shortnose gar in Montana?
Each district has a general season for rivers and another for lakes; exceptions may close or shift them for a named water.