2026 regulation year
Missouri River below Holter Dam 2026 — Montana Fishing Regulations
Montana statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Missouri River below Holter Dam carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of Montana's 2026 fishing rules — covering Rainbow trout, Brown trout. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Holter Dam to Cascade Bridge combined trout 3 / day, only 1 over 18 in and only 1 may be a brown trout; walleye 20 / day; northern pike no limit; FWP-managed wild brown + rainbow trout tailwater, one of country's densest catchable trout populations (~5,000 fish per mile)
Source: Montana special-water list
Per-species rules on Missouri River below Holter Dam
Holter Dam to Cascade Bridge 3 trout / day, only 1 over 18 in; ~5,000 fish per mile; FWP-managed wild brown + rainbow trout tailwater
Holter Dam to Cascade Bridge 3 trout / day, only 1 over 18 in and only 1 may be a brown; wild brown trout to 10+ lb; fall-spawning-run mid-September through November
Official source
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) publishes the authoritative 2026 Montana fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Montana fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks's emergency-order feed — check it before any Montana trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Montana
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Missouri River below Holter Dam?
- Missouri River below Holter Dam carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Montana's statewide 2026 rules, covering Rainbow trout and Brown trout. One of them reads: "Holter Dam to Cascade Bridge combined trout 3 / day, only 1 over 18 in and only 1 may be a brown trout; walleye 20 / day; northern pike no limit; FWP-managed wild brown + rainbow trout tailwater, one of country's densest catchable trout populations (~5,000 fish per mile)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Missouri River below Holter Dam?
- Yes. Missouri River below Holter Dam is in Montana, so a valid Montana fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Missouri River below Holter Dam; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Montana rules.
- Do Missouri River below Holter Dam's special rules replace Montana's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Montana's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Missouri River below Holter Dam by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Missouri River below Holter Dam?
- Rainbow trout and Brown trout have a water-body-specific rule on Missouri River below Holter Dam, each linking to its full Montana regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Montana limits.