Montana
Fishing License 2026.

License required?

Yes

Where to apply?

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). Online via FWP Online Licenses (ols.fwp.mt.gov), FWP regional offices, and 400+ license agents statewide.

Cost

Resident season (Conservation $8 + Fishing $21 + AIS $2): $31. Non-resident season (Conservation $10 + Fishing $100 + AIS $7.50): $117.50. Non-resident 2-day: $31.50. Non-resident 10-day: $66.50. A Conservation License is mandatory before any fishing license is valid.

Validity

Season (Mar 1 – Feb 28 next year), 2-day, or 10-day non-resident

Available online?

Yes

Montana uses a stacked system — every angler first buys a Conservation License, then adds the actual fishing license plus a mandatory Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) prevention pass. Required for ages 12+. The state is the spiritual home of American fly fishing (A River Runs Through It was filmed on the Gallatin + Blackfoot), and walk-and-wade access is protected by the Montana Stream Access Law — any stream capable of recreational use is public up to the ordinary high-water mark, regardless of who owns the bank.

Closed seasons

Most rivers: open year-round but hoot-owl restrictions (afternoon closures, 2 PM – midnight) trigger when water hits 73°F in July–August on Madison, Big Hole, Jefferson, lower Gallatin. Yellowstone River inside Yellowstone National Park: park-specific season, opens Memorial Day weekend.

Catch limits

Trout (statewide standard): 5/day combined rainbow/brown/cutthroat, only 1 over 18". Madison River (Ennis Lake to Quake Lake): catch-and-release only for rainbows + browns. Bighorn River: 5/day but most anglers release everything. Walleye (Fort Peck): 10/day. Northern pike: 10/day.

Prohibited methods

Barbless hooks required on several blue-ribbon stretches (Madison, Missouri below Holter, Bighorn). No bait allowed on most trout streams — artificial lures and flies only. Lead weights under 1/2 oz banned in some lakes.

Catch & Release

Mandatory for rainbows and browns on the Madison (Quake Lake to Ennis). Strongly encouraged river-wide — Montana's trout fisheries are wild, not stocked, and depend on returning spawners.

Hoot-owl season (water-temperature closures) is announced by FWP by press release each summer — check fwp.mt.gov/news before every trip July–August. Whirling disease and invasive mussels have driven strict boat-cleaning rules; AIS inspection stations on every major highway entering the state.

Best season

Salmonfly hatch Madison + Big Hole: mid-June to mid-July. Terrestrial season (hoppers): August–September. Trico spinner falls: July–August mornings. Fall browns on Missouri tailwater: October–November. Winter midge fishing Bighorn: year-round.

Freshwater

450+ miles of blue-ribbon trout streams. Eastern MT prairie reservoirs (Fort Peck, Canyon Ferry) hold walleye and pike. Glacier National Park west-slope cutthroat + bull trout (catch-and-release only).

Saltwater

None (landlocked).

Equipment

Dan Bailey's Fly Shop (Livingston) — oldest fly shop in America. Blue Ribbon Flies (West Yellowstone). Kelly Galloup's Slide Inn (Madison). Simms Fishing Products HQ in Bozeman.

Fishing guides

$650–$850/day for two anglers in a drift boat (full-day float + lunch). Walk-wade trips: $450–$600/day. Multi-day ranch or lodge stays (Ruby Springs, Sweetwater): $800–$1,200/day all-in.

Transport

BZN (Bozeman-Yellowstone) is the fly-in hub for the Madison / Yellowstone / Gallatin triangle. BIL (Billings) for the Bighorn. MSO (Missoula) for Rock Creek / Bitterroot. Rental truck or SUV essential — many access points require gravel-road driving.

Safety

Grizzly bears on every river west of Billings — carry bear spray within reach. Summer thunderstorms roll in by 2 PM — get off exposed rivers. Winter wading hypothermia risk even with hoot-owl off — water stays 35–45°F most of the year. Rattlesnakes on sun-warmed prairie banks June–September.

License fees

$31 resident season; $31.50–$117.50 non-resident

Guide prices

$650–$850/day drift boat; $450–$600 walk-wade

Daily budget

Budget DIY fly angler: $120/day. Guided day: $700–$850. Lodge all-in: $800–$1,200/day.