2026 regulation year
Yellowstone River 2026 — Montana Fishing Regulations
Montana statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Yellowstone River carries 4 special-regulation overlays on top of Montana's 2026 fishing rules — covering Cutthroat trout (native westslope + Yellowstone), Smallmouth bass, Walleye. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Cutthroat trout 0 / day catch-and-release-only on YNP + Paradise Valley + upper river reaches (FWP native Yellowstone cutthroat protection); trout 5 / day combined below Big Timber; smallmouth bass 5 / day no minimum on lower river (Forsyth downstream); sauger + walleye 5 / day combined; paddlefish FWP Paddlefish Tag + snag-fishing season May 15 – June 30 from Intake Diversion Dam downstream
Source: Montana special-water list
Per-species rules on Yellowstone River
Cutthroat trout (native westslope + Yellowstone) regulations →
0 / day CATCH-AND-RELEASE-ONLY on YNP + Paradise Valley + upper river wild Yellowstone cutthroat reaches; FWP native Yellowstone cutthroat protection
Eastern District 5 / day, no size limit; country's most under-the-radar wild smallmouth + walleye + sauger + paddlefish river
5 / day combined walleye + sauger; naturally-reproducing wild walleye + sauger fishery; Yellowstone + Missouri sauger ecotype one of country's premier inland sauger waters
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 Yellowstone River?
- Yellowstone River carries 4 special-regulation overlays that override Montana's statewide 2026 rules, covering Cutthroat trout (native westslope + Yellowstone), Smallmouth bass, and Walleye. One of them reads: "Cutthroat trout 0 / day catch-and-release-only on YNP + Paradise Valley + upper river reaches (FWP native Yellowstone cutthroat protection); trout 5 / day combined below Big Timber; smallmouth bass 5 / day no minimum on lower river (Forsyth downstream); sauger + walleye 5 / day combined; paddlefish FWP Paddlefish Tag + snag-fishing season May 15 – June 30 from Intake Diversion Dam downstream." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Yellowstone River?
- Yes. Yellowstone River 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 Yellowstone River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Montana rules.
- Do Yellowstone River's special rules replace Montana's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Montana's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Yellowstone River 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 Yellowstone River?
- Cutthroat trout (native westslope + Yellowstone), Smallmouth bass, and Walleye have a water-body-specific rule on Yellowstone River, each linking to its full Montana regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Montana limits.