When is kokanee season in Montana?

Montana keeps kokanee open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Montana bag limit for kokanee?

The Montana daily bag limit for kokanee is District-based — Western Fishing District 20 / day (40 in possession); Central 10 / day; Eastern 5 / day. Water-specific: Lake Mary Ronan 10 / day (20 in possession); Little Bitterroot Lake 20 / day with no more than 2 / day (4 in possession) over 12 in.. The possession limit is Western 40; Central 10; Eastern 10; Lake Mary Ronan 20. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size kokanee can you keep in Montana?

The Montana size rule for kokanee is No statewide minimum; Little Bitterroot Lake no more than 2 / day over 12 in (brood-source protection). Trophy rule: Lake Mary Ronan is the historic flagship MT kokanee water + long-time FWP statewide egg-take brood source (now shifting to Little Bitterroot Lake as warming autumns degrade Mary Ronan egg quality); Flathead Lake once carried one of the West's great kokanee runs — the McDonald Creek fall run that drew hundreds of bald eagles — before the 1980s Mysis shrimp introduction collapsed the kokanee food web and triggered the lake trout explosion; kokanee are the landlocked, non-anadromous form of Pacific sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), FWP-stocked as a put-grow-take fishery across the Western District lakes.

Do you need a license to fish for kokanee in Montana?

Yes. Montana requires a valid fishing license to fish for kokanee, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Montana license — compare resident and non-resident Montana fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for kokanee in Montana?

Yes. In Montana, kokanee fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling with downriggers + dodger / squid rigs is the standard open-water method; Snagging permitted only where specifically authorized by FWP during the fall spawning run; Conservation License + Fishing License required (AIS Prevention Pass required for anglers 16+): $8 res Conservation + $21 res season fishing + $2 res AIS / $10 NR Conservation + $100 NR season fishing + $7.50 NR AIS; Confirm current-year FWP Fishing Regulations for water-specific kokanee limits + district boundaries.

Do specific Montana waters have different kokanee rules?

Yes. 4 named Montana waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee regulation, including Lake Mary Ronan, Little Bitterroot Lake, Flathead Lake, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Montana Kokanee salmon 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Oncorhynchus nerka

Last updated June 8, 2026

Montana kokanee salmon fishery is centered in the Western Fishing District (west of the Continental Divide). Lake Mary Ronan (~1,500-acre natural lake in Lake County NW MT near Flathead Lake) is the historic flagship MT kokanee water and long served as FWP's statewide kokanee egg-take brood source — though rising autumn water temperatures + declining egg quality have pushed FWP to shift its brood-source operation to Little Bitterroot Lake (Flathead County). Flathead Lake (200 sq mi natural lake — country's largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River) once carried one of the West's great kokanee runs — the legendary McDonald Creek fall-spawning run that drew bald eagles by the hundreds — until the 1980s introduction of Mysis shrimp collapsed the kokanee food web and fueled the lake trout explosion; the Flathead kokanee fishery is now a fraction of its historic peak but persists under the Western District standard limit. Other Western District kokanee waters include Georgetown Lake, Ashley Lake, Foys Lake, Whitefish Lake + Little Bitterroot Lake. Kokanee are the landlocked, non-anadromous form of Pacific sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) — they live their entire lives in fresh water, never reaching the ocean, and the males turn brilliant red with a hooked-jaw kype during the September – November fall spawn. FWP sets kokanee limits by district: Western 20 / day (40 in possession), Central 10 / day, Eastern 5 / day — with water-specific exceptions (Lake Mary Ronan 10 / day, Little Bitterroot Lake 20 / day with no more than 2 over 12 in to protect brood-source egg-take). Open year-round on most kokanee waters.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; densest September – November fall spawning run; district-based limits (Western 20 / Central 10 / Eastern 5 per day) with Lake Mary Ronan 10 / day + Little Bitterroot Lake brood-source slot (no more than 2 over 12 in).

Bag & possession

Daily bag: District-based — Western Fishing District 20 / day (40 in possession); Central 10 / day; Eastern 5 / day. Water-specific: Lake Mary Ronan 10 / day (20 in possession); Little Bitterroot Lake 20 / day with no more than 2 / day (4 in possession) over 12 in.
Possession: Western 40; Central 10; Eastern 10; Lake Mary Ronan 20

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum; Little Bitterroot Lake no more than 2 / day over 12 in (brood-source protection)
Trophy rule: Lake Mary Ronan is the historic flagship MT kokanee water + long-time FWP statewide egg-take brood source (now shifting to Little Bitterroot Lake as warming autumns degrade Mary Ronan egg quality); Flathead Lake once carried one of the West's great kokanee runs — the McDonald Creek fall run that drew hundreds of bald eagles — before the 1980s Mysis shrimp introduction collapsed the kokanee food web and triggered the lake trout explosion; kokanee are the landlocked, non-anadromous form of Pacific sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), FWP-stocked as a put-grow-take fishery across the Western District lakes

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling with downriggers + dodger / squid rigs is the standard open-water method
Snagging permitted only where specifically authorized by FWP during the fall spawning run
Conservation License + Fishing License required (AIS Prevention Pass required for anglers 16+): $8 res Conservation + $21 res season fishing + $2 res AIS / $10 NR Conservation + $100 NR season fishing + $7.50 NR AIS
Confirm current-year FWP Fishing Regulations for water-specific kokanee limits + district boundaries

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Montana waters:

Lake Mary Ronan
10 / day (20 in possession); historic flagship MT kokanee water + long-time FWP statewide egg-take brood source (now shifting to Little Bitterroot Lake)
Little Bitterroot Lake
20 / day (40 in possession) with no more than 2 / day (4 in possession) over 12 in — slot protects the new FWP kokanee brood-source egg-take
Flathead Lake
Western District standard 20 / day (40 in possession); a fraction of its historic McDonald Creek run after the 1980s Mysis shrimp collapse + lake trout explosion
Georgetown Lake
Western District standard 20 / day (40 in possession); popular SW MT kokanee + rainbow + brook trout fishery

Official source

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) publishes the authoritative 2026 Montanafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official Montana fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Kokanee closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks's emergency-order feed — check it before any Montana trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is kokanee season in Montana?: Montana keeps kokanee open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Montana bag limit for kokanee?: The Montana daily bag limit for kokanee is District-based — Western Fishing District 20 / day (40 in possession); Central 10 / day; Eastern 5 / day. Water-specific: Lake Mary Ronan 10 / day (20 in possession); Little Bitterroot Lake 20 / day with no more than 2 / day (4 in possession) over 12 in.. The possession limit is Western 40; Central 10; Eastern 10; Lake Mary Ronan 20. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size kokanee can you keep in Montana?: The Montana size rule for kokanee is No statewide minimum; Little Bitterroot Lake no more than 2 / day over 12 in (brood-source protection). Trophy rule: Lake Mary Ronan is the historic flagship MT kokanee water + long-time FWP statewide egg-take brood source (now shifting to Little Bitterroot Lake as warming autumns degrade Mary Ronan egg quality); Flathead Lake once carried one of the West's great kokanee runs — the McDonald Creek fall run that drew hundreds of bald eagles — before the 1980s Mysis shrimp introduction collapsed the kokanee food web and triggered the lake trout explosion; kokanee are the landlocked, non-anadromous form of Pacific sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), FWP-stocked as a put-grow-take fishery across the Western District lakes.
Do you need a license to fish for kokanee in Montana?: Yes. Montana requires a valid fishing license to fish for kokanee, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Montana license — compare resident and non-resident Montana fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for kokanee in Montana?: Yes. In Montana, kokanee fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling with downriggers + dodger / squid rigs is the standard open-water method; Snagging permitted only where specifically authorized by FWP during the fall spawning run; Conservation License + Fishing License required (AIS Prevention Pass required for anglers 16+): $8 res Conservation + $21 res season fishing + $2 res AIS / $10 NR Conservation + $100 NR season fishing + $7.50 NR AIS; Confirm current-year FWP Fishing Regulations for water-specific kokanee limits + district boundaries.
Do specific Montana waters have different kokanee rules?: Yes. 4 named Montana waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee regulation, including Lake Mary Ronan, Little Bitterroot Lake, Flathead Lake, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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