Westslope cutthroat trout in Montana
Westslope cutthroat trout: Montana district limits as printed, exception waters, FWP record rows and the waters FWP maps it on.
Pick for cutthroat troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Westslope cutthroat trout: GlacierNPS, Public domain
Westslope cutthroat trout across Big Sky country, at a glance
FWP prints 3 fishing-district chart lines that cover Westslope cutthroat trout, one for each district where a line applies. MFISH presence lists link it to 126 Montana pages on this site, 54 of them with a common or abundant rating.
Alice Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) is one of 63 exception headings whose rule lines name it. FishMT records 52 2026 plants at 43 waters.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 23 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
For the cutthroat trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Where Westslope cutthroat trout stands on the FWP list
FWP's species status list marks it as species of concern. 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.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 90 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
How the FWP charts treat Westslope cutthroat trout
| District | Chart row as printed | Limit as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Western | Cutthroat Trout | Lakes/Reservoirs: 3 daily and in possession, no size limit. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, none over 12 inches. |
| Central | Combined Trout includes brown trout, rainbow trout, golden trout, cutthroat trout, and arctic grayling | Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession, includes cutthroat trout. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 18 inches, only 1 can be a cutthroat trout. All arctic grayling must be released immediately. |
| Eastern | Combined Trout includes brown trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, golden trout, and arctic grayling | Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession. Rivers/Streams: 5 daily and 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.
The standard chart gives way to any exception printed for the water you fish.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 23 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
The Westslope cutthroat trout lines under District Exceptions
| Water as printed | District | Rule lines | Booklet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alice Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 24 |
| Beaver Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 24 |
| Belmont Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 24 |
| Big Sheep Creek (Beaverhead River drainage) | Central | Combined trout: all may be cutthroat trout. | page 55 |
| Bitterroot River (note: river flows south to north) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 24 |
| Blackfoot River And Tributaries | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 28 |
| Blacktail Deer Creek (Beaverhead River drainage) | Central | Combined trout: all may be cutthroat trout. | page 55 |
| Bull River | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 28 |
| Chamberlain Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 28 |
| Clark Fork River | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 29 |
| Copper Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 30 |
| Cottonwood Creek (10 miles Sw of Martinsdale) | Central | Combined trout: limit includes 2 cutthroat trout daily and in possession. | page 56 |
| Cottonwood Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 30 |
| Daly Creek (tributary to Skalkaho Creek) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 31 |
| Dunham Creek (tributary to Monture Creek, Blackfoot drainage) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 31 |
| East Fork Bitterroot River Downstream From Star Falls | Western | Catch-and-release for rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. | page 31 |
| East Fork Reservoir | Western | Cutthroat trout: 2 daily and in possession, only 1 over 14 inches. | page 31 |
| Fish Creek And Tributaries (Clark Fork River drainage) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 31 |
| Fishtrap Creek And Tributaries (Thompson River drainage) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 31 |
| Flathead Lake | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 31 |
| Flathead River | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 32 |
| Flathead River Sloughs | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 33 |
| German Gulch | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout | page 34 |
| Gold Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 34 |
| Haymaker Creek | Central | Cutthroat trout: 2 daily and in possession. | page 58 |
| Heironymous Pond | Western | Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, includes cutthroat trout and brook trout. | page 34 |
| Hellroaring Creek (Yellowstone River drainage) | Central | Cutthroat trout: 3 daily and in possession, only one over 14 inches. | page 58 |
| Hyalite Creek And Tributaries | Central | Combined trout: all may be cutthroat trout. | page 59 |
| Landers Fork (tributary to Blackfoot River) | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 37 |
| Little Blackfoot River And Tributaries | Western | Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. Catch-and-release for cutthroat trout. | page 37 |
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 24-90 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
Finding Westslope cutthroat trout in the MFISH layer
Ratings are the MFISH words as FWP assigns them, with stocked added for waters in the 2026 plant report.
- Hungry Horse ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Bowman LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Kintla LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Big Salmon LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Quartz LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- East Fork ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Granite County
- Nevada ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Powell County
- Mission ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Lake County
- St Marys LakeMFISH: abundant; Lake County
- Trout LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Sunburst LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Tetrault LakeMFISH: abundant; Lincoln County
- Upper Whitefish LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Woodward LakeMFISH: abundant; Missoula County
- Handkerchief LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Skyles LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Spencer LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Leon LakeMFISH: abundant; Lincoln County
- Bailey LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Fran LakeMFISH: abundant; Missoula County
- Flathead LakeMFISH: common; Lake County
- McDonald Lake (Flathead County)MFISH: common; Flathead County
- Whitefish LakeMFISH: common; Flathead County
- Swan Lake (Lake County)MFISH: common; Lake County
- Cabinet Gorge ReservoirMFISH: common; Sanders County
- Placid LakeMFISH: common; Missoula County
- Martinsdale ReservoirMFISH: common; Wheatland County
- Lindbergh LakeMFISH: common; Missoula County
- Willow Creek Reservoir (Madison County)MFISH: common; Madison County
- Whitetail Reservoir (Jefferson County)MFISH: common; Jefferson County
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Photo of Hungry Horse Reservoir: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
What gives Montana anglers pause with Westslope cutthroat trout
What do the 2026 charts allow me to take of Westslope cutthroat trout?
Western district reads Lakes/Reservoirs: 3 daily and in possession, no size limit. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, none over 12 inches.; Central district reads Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession, includes cutthroat trout. Rivers/Streams: 3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 18 inches, only 1 can be a cutthroat trout. All arctic grayling must be released immediately.; Eastern district reads Lakes/Reservoirs: 5 daily and 10 in possession. Rivers/Streams: 5 daily and in possession. Each limit comes from the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations.
Any named-water exceptions for Westslope cutthroat trout?
Alice Creek (tributary to Blackfoot River) is one of 63 exception headings whose rule lines name it.
Record-book entry for Westslope cutthroat trout?
FWP lists no record for it.
Where is Westslope cutthroat trout rated common by FWP?
Of 126 pages, Hungry Horse Reservoir, Bowman Lake and Kintla Lake heads the list.
Did FWP stock Westslope cutthroat trout in 2026?
FishMT records 52 2026 plants at 43 waters.
Which permit lets me fish for Westslope cutthroat trout?
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 Westslope cutthroat trout record claim?
FWP's Fisheries Division certifies records by certified scale weight, biologist identification and a record form.
When may I target Westslope cutthroat trout in Montana?
Each district has a general season for rivers and another for lakes; exceptions may close or shift them for a named water.