Fishing near Belgrade, Montana
City, Gallatin County. Census 2020 residents: 10,460.
- 19 milesThree Forks Pond
- 8ramps within 40 mi
- 5rivers within 45 mi
Pick for brook troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Gallatin River: Aaron Logan, CC BY 2.0
What Belgrade, Montana offers anyone with a rod
Counted in 2020, Belgrade (city, Gallatin County) had 10,460 people. Three Forks Pond is the shortest trip to a lake page from here: 19 miles, northwest of the Census point. The table's largest lake is Ennis Lake, listed at 3,692 acres.
Boats go in at Gallatin Forks Fishing Access Site, roughly 11 miles from town. At 5 miles, East Gallatin River is the stretch of river nearest town. Without a boat, Erwin Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River is about 3 miles away.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 12, 2026. Straight-line miles from the Census place point.
Closest reservoirs to Belgrade
| Lake | From Belgrade | Size | Access sites | Kind | MFISH lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Forks Pond | 19 miles northwest | 17 acres | 1 | pond | largemouth bass, rainbow trout |
| Hyalite Reservoir | 23 miles southeast | about 158 acres of mapped outline | 0 | reservoir | Arctic grayling, brook trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout |
| Willow Creek Reservoir (Madison County) | 26 miles west | 713 acres | 1 | reservoir | rainbow trout, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Cottonwood Reservoir | 29 miles northeast | 239 acres | 0 | reservoir | Yellowstone cutthroat trout |
| Ennis Lake | 34 miles southwest | 3,692 acres | 1 | natural lake | brown trout, mountain whitefish, rainbow trout |
| Dailey Lake | 40 miles southeast | 206 acres | 1 | natural lake | rainbow trout, walleye, yellow perch |
Size as the FWP FishMT page for this water prints it (FishMT), read November 12, 2026. Waters with no FishMT size print their mapped outline instead. Montana FWP Lakes reference layer (ArcGIS service) and the MFISH fish distribution layers, read November 12, 2026.
For the brook trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Getting to a Montana stream from Belgrade
- East Gallatin River5 miles, exception rules, 1 access site
- Gallatin River13 miles, exception rules, 7 access sites, 3 USGS gauges
- Madison River23 miles, exception rules, 12 access sites, 4 USGS gauges
- Jefferson River27 miles, exception rules, 10 access sites, 3 USGS gauges
- Shields River34 miles, exception rules, 1 access site, 2 USGS gauges
Current USGS Montana flow by Belgrade
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| E Gallatin R Ab Water Reclamation Fa Nr Bozeman Mt | 47 cfs, 3.79 ft gage height | Nov 15 3:30 pm |
| Gallatin River At Logan Mt | 723 cfs, 5.13 ft gage height | Nov 15 4:00 pm |
| Hyalite C At Hyalite R S Nr Bozeman Mt | 26 cfs, 2.31 ft gage height | Nov 15 3:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 15, 2026 4:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Montana FWP MFISH stream layers (ArcGIS service) for this river, read November 12, 2026. USGS Water Data for the Nation, live through the site, retrieved on page view.
Big Sky fishing spots around Belgrade on a map
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026. Census place point.
Nearest Montana put-ins from Belgrade
- Gallatin Forks Fishing Access Site11 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 270 acres
- Greycliff Fishing Access Site on Madison River17 miles, Madison River, fishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 547 acres
- Milwaukee Fishing Access Site on Madison River19 miles, Madison River, fishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 7 acres
- Missouri Headwaters State Park Boat Ramp19 miles, water not named, state park boat ramp
- Black's Ford Fishing Access Site on Madison River19 miles, Madison River, fishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 9 acres
- Three Forks Ponds Fishing Access Site19 miles, Three Forks Pond, fishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface
- Fairweather Fishing Access Site on Missouri River21 miles, Missouri River, fishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 718 acres
- Damselfly Fishing Access Site on Madison River21 miles, Madison River, fishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 2 acres
FWP access sites for Belgrade anglers
- Erwin Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River3 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 72 acres
- Cameron Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River4 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 152 acres
- Cherry River Fishing Access Site on East Gallatin River7 miles, East Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 76 acres
- Shed's Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River7 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 8 acres
- Four Corners Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River8 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 9 acres
- Bozeman Pond Fishing Access Site9 miles, Bozeman Pond, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 16 acres
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
What FWP released near Belgrade lately
| Lake | From Belgrade | Date | Species | Fish | Average length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Creek Reservoir (Madison County) | 26 miles | April 29, 2026 | Kokanee salmon | 10,000 | 3.39 in. |
| Dailey Lake | 40 miles | May 19, 2026 | Rainbow trout | 5,040 | 9 in. |
FWP FishMT stocking report for 2026, year to date (FishMT plant report), read November 12, 2026.
The 2026 book as it applies near Belgrade
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. Around Belgrade, the district chart for the water governs unless the book prints exception lines for it. 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.
Western district chart Central district chart Eastern district chart
- Hyalite ReservoirCatch-and-release for arctic grayling. (HYALITE RESERVOIR)
2026 Montana Fishing Regulations (valid March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027; FWP PDF), read November 12, 2026. License prices as printed on the FWP fishing license page and in the 2026 Montana Fishing Regulations, p. 12 (the two agree), read November 12, 2026.
Record catches close to Belgrade
| Species | Weight or length as listed | Water | Year | Marked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah chub | 2.39 lbs. | Canyon Ferry Lake | 2022 | not marked native |
| Kokanee salmon | 7.85 lbs. | Hauser Reservoir | 2003 | not marked native |
| Longnose sucker | 4.78 lbs. | Hauser Reservoir | 2022 | native |
| Mountain whitefish | 5.11 lbs. | Hauser Reservoir | 2007 | native |
| Walleye | 18.02 lbs. | Holter Reservoir | 2021 | not marked native |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026. Record waters within 120 miles.
Organized fishing near Belgrade
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 23, 2027 | West Yellowstone Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament | Hebgen Lake – Kirkwood Marina | West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce |
| Feb. 6, 2027 | Broadwater County Lions Club | Canyon Ferry Reservoir | Broadwater County Lions Club |
| Feb. 13, 2027 | Montana Ducks Unlimited Ice Fishing Tournament | Canyon Ferry Reservoir | Montana Ducks Unlimited |
| Sept. 14, 2026 | FIPS 45th World Fly Fishing Championship | Hebgen Reservoir | United State Angling Confed. |
| July 18, 2026 | Broadwater Rod & Gun Walleye Derby | Canyon Ferry | Broadwater Rod & Gun Club |
| June 26, 2026 | Canyon Fery Walleye Festival | Canyon Ferry | Townsend Area Chamber of Commerce |
| June 26, 2026 | Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival (2026) (result) | Canyon Ferry Lake | Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival (Townsend) |
| June 27, 2025 | Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival (2025) (result) | Canyon Ferry Lake | Canyon Ferry Walleye Festival (Townsend) |
Event as listed by the organizer (source), read November 12, 2026.
Montana bait counters close to Belgrade
Bait and fly shops worth a detour before Belgrade
- Bob Wards Sporting Goods Incbait and tackle shop, Bozeman, 7 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse, 2214 Tschache Lnbait and tackle shop, Bozeman, 8 miles
- Bozeman Family Fly Shopfly shop, Bozeman, 9 miles
- The Bozeman Anglerbait and tackle shop, Bozeman, 12 miles
- Yellowstone Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Livingston, 30 miles
- Hatch Finders Fly Shopfly shop, Livingston, 31 miles
- Yellowstone Anglerbait and tackle shop, Livingston, 31 miles
- Nelson's Guides and Fliesbait and tackle shop, Livingston, 33 miles
Hiring a Montana guide for Belgrade
- Patagonia River Guidesfishing guide, Belgrade, (406) 835-3122
Yellow Pages, State Parks and operator listings; miles only where the listing has an exact address point, read November 12, 2026. No guide is called licensed.
Along the same valley as Belgrade
Neighboring Montana towns to Belgrade
- Four Corners8 miles, 2020 count 5,901
- Bozeman9 miles, 2020 count 53,293
- Manhattan9 miles, 2020 count 2,086
- Three Forks20 miles, 2020 count 1,989
- Livingston31 miles, 2020 count 8,040
Other Montana still water near Belgrade
- Three Forks Pond19 miles
- Hyalite Reservoir23 miles
- Willow Creek Reservoir (Madison County)26 miles
- Cottonwood Reservoir29 miles
- Gallatin Countycounty page
Piscifun tackle chosen for a Montana day at Belgrade
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Prairie reservoirs and Rockies lakes by Belgrade through a lens
Photo: Jon Parise, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Forest Service Northern Region, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bureau of Land Management, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Tracy Hunter, CC BY 2.0
Queries from Montana visitors booked into Belgrade
Which Montana lake is a short drive from Belgrade?
Three Forks Pond, about 19 miles northwest.
Where can I launch a boat near Belgrade, Montana?
Gallatin Forks Fishing Access Site, 11 miles away, on Gallatin River.
Is there a walk-in fishing access site near Belgrade?
Erwin Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River, 3 miles away (fishing access site, no boat facilities, 72 acres).
Which Montana stores near Belgrade sell fishing gear?
Bob Wards Sporting Goods Inc, one of 8 listings nearby.
In which Montana county is Belgrade?
Gallatin County.
What do visitors to Belgrade need to 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 Montana towns are a short drive from Belgrade?
Four Corners (8 miles), Bozeman (9 miles) and Manhattan (9 miles).
What is the daily limit near Belgrade?
Limits depend on the FWP fishing district and on any exception heading printed for the water; the Western, Central and Eastern district pages on this site give the charts. 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.
Which Montana river is closest to Belgrade?
The closest river page is East Gallatin River, 5 miles from the town point.
What did FWP stock near Belgrade?
FishMT lists kokanee salmon at Willow Creek Reservoir (Madison County) on April 29, 2026, 26 miles from town.
When is the next Montana weigh-in near Belgrade?
West Yellowstone Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament on Hebgen Lake – Kirkwood Marina, Jan. 23, 2027.
Plan a Big Sky trip from Belgrade
Ramp pages repeat FWP notes with directions.