Montana Cutthroat, Rainbow Trout Fishing & Other Species

Montana is renowned for fly fishing, and locals and visitors alike who fish Montana each year for trout should be able to distinguish fish species/features, while complying with regulations.

Trout fishing in Montana is a big deal, both for anglers and conservationists. Westlope, Yellowstone cutthroat, lake, rainbow, and bull trout are native species discovered by pioneers in Montana's waters. European settlers introduced other species of trout, including golden, brown and brook.

Trout Species of Special Concern

With development, trout like the Westslope, Yellowstone cutthroat, bull, as well as the Artic grayling have been jeopardized due to dam construction, a decline in traditional habitats, reduced distribution, the introduction of non-native fish, disease, and over fishing.

Research and management programs are addressing and reinvigorating those fish populations, and the cooperation of anglers in complying with special regulations is vital to species' survival, so fishermen need to know how to identify endangered trout.

Cutthroat Trout
Yellowstone Cutthroat trout found in the Bozeman area can often be mistaken for rainbow trout. Flip the fish over and looking under the jaw. If the trout has a red or orange stripe under the jaw, it is a cutthroat. Many Montana fishing areas require cutthroats be released immediately in rivers and streams.

Bull Trout
It is against Montana law to fish for bull trout except in specifically designated waterways in northwest Montana. A bull trout can easily be mistaken for brook trout or lake trout. Like a brook trout, a bull trout has white on the front or leading edge of the lower fins. Also, a bull trout’s fin is only slightly forked as compared to a lake trout. To identify a bull trout, check that the dorsal fin is a clear olive color with no black spots or dark wavy lines.

Artic Grayling
All graylings must be released immediately. They are identified by their large, colorful, sail-like dorsal fins, large scales, and dark spots on the front of their bodies

Brook Trout
The Brook trout’s tail is nearly square, and it has a white leading edge on its fins. Other prominent markings include red spots with blue halos on its body. Anglers can take and possess up to 20 brook trout a day in the Bozeman area.

Lake Trout
Lake trout have deeply forked tails with many light spots on their bodies (none of those spots are orange or red). This fish has been a predatory problem fish to other native, endangered trout in Montana waters and various suppression methods are in place including mass netting from lakes and anglers being allowed to use two poles.

Brown Trout
These golden brown fish have a relatively square tail with only a few or no spots on it. Other significant markings on its body include black or brown spots with light halos.

Rainbow Trout
Rainbows have a prominent pink or red stripe down the side of their bodies and a spotted, only slightly forked tail.

Golden Trout
These trout have black round spots on the upper third of their bodies and numerous spots on their dorsal and fin tails.

Brown, Rainbow, and Golden trout limits in the Bozeman area are 5 daily and 10 in possession on lakes and reservoirs, and 5 daily on rivers and streams (only 1 can be more than 18 inches long).