Wild Trout: Why Montana is Unique

Montana TU works hard to ensure wild trout management continues to be the priority of fishery management in Montana’s rivers and streams. Trout management in Montana is unique from other states because state policy emphasizes wild trout management in virtually all rivers and streams. Wild trout populations are self-sustaining and reproduction occurs in the wild. Supplementation from hatcheries to enhance recreational angling is not part of wild trout management. All other states use some, and in some cases heavily depend on, hatchery supplementation in rivers and streams. But in Montana, nature instead of hatchery managers produces trout in our rivers and streams. Montana does have hatcheries that produce trout. But fish from these facilities are used almost exclusively for supplementing recreational put-and-take fisheries in lakes and reservoirs where natural spawning sites are limited. Hatcheries are also used in a limited and judicious way for reintroduction efforts aimed at restoring native fish to historical range.

Wild trout in Montana include both native and introduced species. Native species are those that were present in Montana before humans interfered with aquatic systems. Species of the trout family native to Montana include westslope cutthroat trout (Columbia and upper Missouri River basins); Yellowstone cutthroat trout (upper Yellowstone River basin); bull trout (Columbia River basin and Hudson’s Bay drainage in Glacier Park); interior redband trout (Kootenai River basin); arctic grayling (upper Missouri River basin); lake trout (Hudson’s Bay drainage and two isolated lake in the upper Missouri drainage); mountain whitefish (Columbia, upper Missouri and upper Yellowstone River basins); and pygmy whitefish (lakes in Northwest Montana).

All populations of rainbow, brown and brook trout in Montana result from past introductions by humans. All populations of lake trout, except those found in two isolated lakes in southwest Montana and a few that might occur in the extreme northeast of Glacier National Park, also result from human introductions. In addition, westslope or Yellowstone cutthroat trout found outside their native ranges result from introductions by fishery managers or anglers.