Yellow perch in Montana
Everything FWP prints on yellow perch in Montana, dated and sourced line by line.
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For yellow perch the Montana booklet prints no row in the Western, Central or Eastern chart. FWP's MFISH layer places it on 122 water pages built here, rating it common or abundant on 70.
Its rules change on 9 waters printed under District Exceptions, Flathead Lake for one. 1 certified record row name it. Hatchery plants this year: 14 rows at 14 waters.
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 23 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
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| Water as printed | District | Rule lines | Booklet page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boxelder Reservoir aka Bolster Dam (Sheridan County) | Eastern | Yellow perch: 25 daily and 50 in possession. | page 80 |
| Canyon Ferry Reservoir | Central | Yellow perch: 10 daily and in possession. | page 55 |
| Flathead Lake | Western | Yellow perch: no limit, only 10 daily over 10 inches. No possession limit. | page 31 |
| Hauser Reservoir | Central | Yellow perch: 10 daily and in possession July 1 through March 31; 1 daily and in possession, 14 inch minimum, April 1 through June 30. | page 58 |
| Holter Reservoir | Central | Yellow perch: 25 daily and 50 in possession. | page 58 |
| Lake Helena | Central | Yellow perch: 10 daily and in possession July 1 through March 31; 1 daily and in possession, 14 inch minimum, April 1 through June 30. | page 59 |
| Lower Stillwater Lake | Western | Yellow perch: no limit, only 10 daily over 10 inches. No possession limit. | page 37 |
| Missouri River | Central | Yellow perch: 10 daily and in possession. Yellow perch: 10 daily and in possession, July 1 through March 31; 1 daily and in possession, 14 inch minimum, April 1 through June 30. Yellow perch: 25 daily and 50 in possession. | page 62 |
| Smith Lake (near Kalispell) | Western | Yellow perch: no limit, only 10 daily over 10 inches. No possession limit. | page 41 |
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 24-90 (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026.
FWP's record book for yellow perch
| Fish | Weight | Length (inches) | Water | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow perch | 2.39 lbs. | 14.375 | Lower Stillwater Lake | 2006 |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026.
Montana waters where FWP maps yellow perch
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: abundant; Valley County
- Flathead LakeMFISH: abundant; Lake County
- Canyon Ferry LakeMFISH: abundant; Broadwater County
- Noxon Rapids ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Sanders County
- Nelson Reservoir (Phillips County, about 4,114 acres)MFISH: abundant; Phillips County
- Holter ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Lewis and Clark County
- Lake FrancesMFISH: abundant; Pondera County
- Whitefish LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Hauser ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Lewis and Clark County
- Fresno ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Hill County
- Ashley LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Cabinet Gorge ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Sanders County
- Lake HelenaMFISH: abundant; Lewis and Clark County
- Pablo ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Lake County
- Pishkun ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Teton County
- Lake Mary RonanMFISH: abundant; Lake County
- Ninepipe ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Lake County
- Echo Lake (Flathead County)MFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Kicking Horse ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Lake County
- Upper Stillwater LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Lower Glaston LakeMFISH: abundant; Sweet Grass County
- Lake BlaineMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Nevada ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Powell County
- Upper Thompson LakeMFISH: abundant; Lincoln County
- Lower Stillwater LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Fennon SloughMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Dailey LakeMFISH: abundant; Park County
- Beaver Creek ReservoirMFISH: abundant; Hill County
- Lake FiveMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
- Blanchard LakeMFISH: abundant; Flathead County
FWP MFISH fish distribution layer (ArcGIS service), read November 12, 2026. Presence is mapping data, not a catch report.
Photo of Fort Peck Lake: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Prep notes ahead of a Yellow perch day on Montana water
Per-angler allowance for yellow perch in Montana?
For yellow perch 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 yellow perch stop applying?
Its rules change on 9 waters printed under District Exceptions, Flathead Lake for one.
What waters turned out the record yellow perch?
FWP lists 2.39 lbs. from Lower Stillwater Lake (2006).
Best first stops for yellow perch?
Fort Peck Lake, Flathead Lake and Canyon Ferry Lake tops a field of 122 pages that mention it.
Does FWP plant yellow perch?
Hatchery plants this year: 14 rows at 14 waters.
Must a visitor with no permit buy one for yellow perch?
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 yellow perch possible here?
Montana records need a certified scale, FWP biologist verification and the record form.
Does any Montana water close to yellow perch?
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.