6 Reasons Montana Has the Best Fishing in the Country

The northwestern state of Montana is one of the most scenic states in the country. As such a beautiful state, it offers a lot of natural resources such as mountains, lakes, and rivers. This has made the state incredibly popular with people who love to be outdoors — especially anglers. Fishing isn’t just a hobby here, it’s a whole lifestyle. Not only do residents fish regularly, but people from near and far travel to Montana in order to take advantage of the great fishing opportunities. So are you curious to find out why Montana has the best fishing in the country?

Discover the six reasons why Montana offers anglers some of the best fishing opportunities! You’ll learn all about what makes this state so unique in regard to fishing. You may even pack up your fishing gear and head out to Montana for a weekend fishing trip after you learn all about what makes it so great!

1. Breathtaking Views

The state of Montana has often been described as “the last best place.” The saying makes absolute sense when you take into account how beautiful it is in this expansive state. What makes Montana so unique is how diverse the topography is here. The state has gorgeous mountain ranges, freshwater lakes, rivers, forests, hot springs, and more! This means that when you go out fishing in Montana, you can bet that you’ll be greeted with out-of-this-world views. Anglers from all over head to Montana for the picture-perfect scenery. 

Some of the best places to fish in the state include Whitefish, Missoula, and Kalispell. The town of Whitefish is close to the blue-ribbon Flathead River system as well as Whitefish Lake and Flathead Lake. At Whitefish Lake, you’ll experience a beautifully secluded freshwater lake with gorgeous mountains to enjoy and beautiful forests all around. At Bitterroot River in Missoula, you’ll be surrounded by the Sapphire Mountains that stand to the east and the Bitterroot Mountains to the west. Overall, you can expect some fantastic views wherever you decide to go fishing in this state making it an angler’s paradise.

2. The Rivers and Lakes Are Far Less Crowded Than Other States

If you’re the kind of person that appreciates a lot of peace and quiet when you’re fishing, then you’re going to love Montana. Since Montana is such an expansive state with such a small population, you can bet that you won’t have to share the waters with a lot of other people. The fact that Montana still has more cattle than people is a point of pride for many locals. In fact, Montana is considered one of the ten least populous states in the country. So even though a lot of people travel to Montana to fish, it still doesn’t make a huge dent in the number of people at the lakes and rivers. As a result, you won’t have to worry about sharing your space or dealing with noisy fishing neighbors. 

Additionally, anglers and tourists in general are incredibly helpful to the economy of the state. So you’ll often find that locals are quite friendly and accommodating. So outside of the pristine rivers with epic scenery, you can enjoy the quiet solitude of being out in nature in this marvelous state!

3. The State Has World-Class Blue-Ribbon Trout Streams

Educated anglers know that blue-ribbon streams are where you can catch the highest quality fish. Those of you interested in checking out the waters in Montana will be happy to hear that the state has world-class blue-ribbon trout streams.  In fact, Montana has had world-class blue-ribbon trout fisheries since the 1930s. This is why so many anglers from across the world travel here for amazing fishing opportunities. You can expect clean and fresh bodies of water filled with lots of trout. While being a blue-ribbon fishery doesn’t guarantee that you’ll catch fish, it does help increase your chances.

There are a few fisheries that you should definitely check out when heading out to Montana! Rock Creek is a blue-ribbon fishery that has around 2,000 fish per mile. Another fantastic spot to check out is Big Hole River where you can catch lots of different trout — specifically brown trout. Finally, if you’re looking for a lot of diverse fish options, then look no further than Madison River. This river ranks as one of the top trout fly fishing destinations in the state.

4. The Waters Are Abundant With Fish

If you couldn’t tell before, by now you can definitely see why so many anglers consider Montana a fishing paradise! Another major factor that contributes to this is the wide variety of fish that you can catch here. The state offers both cold and warm fisheries that each have their own unique diversity of fish. The fish species that you can find in the warm water fisheries include walleye, bass, catfish, northern pike, and panfish. Some of the most popular lakes and reservoirs where you can catch these fish include Canyon Ferry Lake and Fort Peck Reservoir. While fishing in these warm waters you can feel alive battling it out with a largemouth bass!

On the other hand, the cold water fishers, which include the rivers and streams, will offer anglers a wide variety of trout. Trout is what Montana is most famous for and you can bet that you’ll find lots of different ones. Keep an eye out for brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and cutthroat trout. As we mentioned above, Madison River is a fantastic option for fishing, but it’s not the only one. You can also check out Yellowstone River and Gallatin River for some excellent fly fishing opportunities.

5. Getting a Montana Fishing License Is Easy

Both residents and visitors need a fishing license before they can head out and fish in the state of Montana. Luckily, however, it isn’t difficult to obtain your fishing license in the state. In fact, if you plan on visiting the state you can even purchase the license online before you arrive. You can purchase it through the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Fish Montana website. 

Depending on how long you plan on staying and fishing, there are two different licenses you can get. There is a full-season license, which is valid from March 1st to the end of February the following year. However, you can also get a short-term license. There is one that is valid for two consecutive days and one that is valid for 10 consecutive days.

6. You Can Fish in the Wintertime

Even when the leaves begin to fall and the snow starts to fall, the fishing doesn’t seem to stop in Montana. In fact, ice fishing season is incredibly popular throughout the state. Since there are so many beautiful state parks and lakes to see, many people still enjoy going out in the dead of winter and fishing. Some lakes that are known to freeze over for the perfect ice fishing conditions include Flathead Lake, Fort Peck Lake, and Georgetown Lake. So come prepared with your winter gear and you can catch yourself some amazing fish even in the wintertime!

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