Fishing near Bozeman, Montana
City, Gallatin County. Census 2020 residents: 53,293.
- 15 milesHyalite Reservoir
- 8ramps within 40 mi
- 5rivers within 45 mi
Pick for brook troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Montana lakes and streams handy to Bozeman
The Census Bureau listed 53,293 people living in Bozeman on April 1, 2020; it is a city in Gallatin County. The town hosts the Gallatin County seat as well. Lake-wise, Hyalite Reservoir wins on distance, at 15 miles to the south. Of the lakes close to town, Ennis Lake is the biggest at 3,692 acres, by FWP or outline measure.
The first mapped ramp out of town is Gallatin Forks Fishing Access Site, 19 miles off. The river page closest to town is East Gallatin River at 5 miles. The nearest FWP site without a ramp is Bozeman Pond Fishing Access Site, 1 mile off.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census counts (TIGERweb) and the 2023 Gazetteer, read November 12, 2026. Straight-line miles from the Census place point.
Montana ponds and big reservoirs near Bozeman
| Lake | From Bozeman | Size | Access sites | Kind | MFISH lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyalite Reservoir | 15 miles south | about 158 acres of mapped outline | 0 | reservoir | Arctic grayling, brook trout, Yellowstone cutthroat trout |
| Three Forks Pond | 27 miles northwest | 17 acres | 1 | pond | largemouth bass, rainbow trout |
| Cottonwood Reservoir | 30 miles northeast | 239 acres | 0 | reservoir | Yellowstone cutthroat trout |
| Dailey Lake | 31 miles south | 206 acres | 1 | natural lake | rainbow trout, walleye, yellow perch |
| Willow Creek Reservoir (Madison County) | 31 miles west | 713 acres | 1 | reservoir | rainbow trout, Westslope cutthroat trout |
| Ennis Lake | 35 miles southwest | 3,692 acres | 1 | natural lake | brown trout, mountain whitefish, rainbow trout |
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 Wadeable streams near Bozeman
- East Gallatin River5 miles, exception rules, 1 access site
- Gallatin River10 miles, exception rules, 7 access sites, 3 USGS gauges
- Madison River26 miles, exception rules, 12 access sites, 4 USGS gauges
- Shields River28 miles, exception rules, 1 access site, 2 USGS gauges
- Jefferson River34 miles, exception rules, 10 access sites, 3 USGS gauges
Montana stream gauges close to Bozeman
| 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 |
| Hyalite C At Hyalite R S Nr Bozeman Mt | 26 cfs, 2.31 ft gage height | Nov 15 3:30 pm |
| Gallatin River Near Gallatin Gateway, Mt | 340 cfs, 1.35 ft gage height | Nov 15 4:00 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.
Montana water near Bozeman on one map
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026. Census place point.
Launches within a tow of Bozeman
- Gallatin Forks Fishing Access Site19 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 270 acres
- Greycliff Fishing Access Site on Madison River22 miles, Madison River, fishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 547 acres
- Black's Ford Fishing Access Site on Madison River23 miles, Madison River, fishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 9 acres
- Damselfly Fishing Access Site on Madison River24 miles, Madison River, fishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 2 acres
- Carter's Bridge Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone River24 miles, Yellowstone River, fishing access site, ramp (gravel), gravel surface, 3 acres
- Mayor's Landing on Yellowstone River25 miles, Yellowstone River, fishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 3 acres
- Mallard's Rest Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone River25 miles, Yellowstone River, fishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 17 acres
- Pine Creek Fishing Access Site on Yellowstone River26 miles, Yellowstone River, fishing access site, ramp (concrete), concrete surface, 2 acres
Casting from the shore around Bozeman
- Bozeman Pond Fishing Access Site1 mile, Bozeman Pond, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 16 acres
- Cherry River Fishing Access Site on East Gallatin River3 miles, East Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 76 acres
- Shed's Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River8 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 8 acres
- Axtell Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River8 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, hand launch, 4 acres
- Cameron Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River9 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 152 acres
- Erwin Bridge Fishing Access Site on Gallatin River11 miles, Gallatin River, fishing access site, no boat facilities, 72 acres
FWP Fishing Access Sites layer (ArcGIS service) and the FishMT site pages, read November 12, 2026.
Stocked Montana water handy to Bozeman
| Lake | From Bozeman | Date | Species | Fish | Average length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dailey Lake | 31 miles | May 19, 2026 | Rainbow trout | 5,040 | 9 in. |
| Willow Creek Reservoir (Madison County) | 31 miles | April 29, 2026 | Kokanee salmon | 10,000 | 3.39 in. |
FWP FishMT stocking report for 2026, year to date (FishMT plant report), read November 12, 2026.
What the regulation book says near Bozeman
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. Near Bozeman, most waters follow their district chart; exception headings replace the chart lines they list. 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 fish listed near Bozeman
| 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 |
| Tiger muskellunge | 38.75 lbs. | Deadmans Basin Reservoir | 2011 | not marked native |
Montana state record fish as FWP lists them (records page), read November 12, 2026. Record waters within 120 miles.
Derby dates close to Bozeman
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 23, 2027 | West Yellowstone Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament | Hebgen Lake – Kirkwood Marina | West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce |
| Sept. 14, 2026 | FIPS 45th World Fly Fishing Championship | Hebgen Reservoir | United State Angling Confed. |
Event as listed by the organizer (source), read November 12, 2026.
Montana tackle stores around Bozeman
Shops the Bozeman regulars swear by
- Sportsman's Warehouse, 2214 Tschache Lnbait and tackle shop, Bozeman, 1 mile
- Bozeman Family Fly Shopfly shop, Bozeman, 1 mile
- Bob Wards Sporting Goods Incbait and tackle shop, Bozeman, 2 miles
- The Bozeman Anglerbait and tackle shop, Bozeman, 3 miles
- Hatch Finders Fly Shopfly shop, Livingston, 23 miles
- Yellowstone Anglerbait and tackle shop, Livingston, 23 miles
- Yellowstone Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Livingston, 23 miles
- Nelson's Guides and Fliesbait and tackle shop, Livingston, 25 miles
Montana guides listed near Bozeman
- Cache Creek Outfitters Incfishing guide, Bozeman, (406) 995-3888
- Campbell's Guided Fishing Tripsfishing guide, Bozeman, (406) 581-5134
- Duenas Ranch and Outfit, LLC dba Montana Llama Guides, dba Pioneer Outfittersfishing guide, Bozeman
- Fins & Feathers Guide Servicefishing guide, Bozeman, (406) 468-5019
- First Cast Outfitters, LLCfishing guide, Bozeman, (503) 348-6309
- Fly Fishing Montana Cofly fishing guide, Bozeman, (406) 585-9066
- Montana Angler Fly Fishingfly fishing guide, Bozeman, (406) 522-9854
- Montana Angling Companyfishing guide, Bozeman, (406) 579-9553
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.
In Montana close to Bozeman
Other bases near Bozeman
- Four Corners6 miles, 2020 count 5,901
- Belgrade9 miles, 2020 count 10,460
- Manhattan18 miles, 2020 count 2,086
- Livingston24 miles, 2020 count 8,040
- Three Forks28 miles, 2020 count 1,989
Montana lakes and ponds around Bozeman
- Hyalite Reservoir15 miles
- Three Forks Pond27 miles
- Cottonwood Reservoir30 miles
- Dailey Lake31 miles
- Gallatin Countycounty page
Piscifun reels and line to pack for a Montana trip to Bozeman
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Blue-ribbon creeks, canyon lakes and wide rivers around Bozeman, pictured
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
What a stay in Bozeman raises for fishermen
What Montana lake is nearest Bozeman?
Hyalite Reservoir, about 15 miles south.
Is there a public Montana boat ramp near Bozeman?
Gallatin Forks Fishing Access Site, 19 miles away, on Gallatin River.
Which FWP sites are near Bozeman?
Bozeman Pond Fishing Access Site, 1 mile away (fishing access site, no boat facilities, 16 acres).
Is a Montana bait store listed in Bozeman?
Sportsman's Warehouse, 2214 Tschache Ln, one of 8 listings nearby.
Which Montana county is Bozeman part of?
Gallatin County. It is the Montana county seat as well.
Do I need a Montana fishing license near Bozeman?
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 Montana towns sit close to Bozeman?
Four Corners (6 miles), Belgrade (9 miles) and Manhattan (18 miles).
What limits apply around Bozeman?
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.
What Montana stream runs near Bozeman?
The closest river page is East Gallatin River, 5 miles from the town point.
Where did FWP stock fish near Bozeman?
FishMT lists rainbow trout at Dailey Lake on May 19, 2026, 31 miles from town.
Which Montana events fish water near Bozeman?
West Yellowstone Hebgen Lake Ice Fishing Tournament on Hebgen Lake – Kirkwood Marina, Jan. 23, 2027.
A prairie or Rockies morning from Bozeman
River pages show access sites and USGS flow.