Anglers in Northwest Montana who want to have a say in proposed fishing regulation changes will have a few chances in advance of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings later this year.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks uses a two-year fishing regulation cycle, with the fishing regulations booklet printed in odd-numbered years and interim changes posted online and shared through other outreach. 

Regulations are set by the Fish and Wildlife Commission, which is a seven-member board appointed by Gov. Greg Gianforte and independent from FWP. The commissioners will review public comments and feedback and, prior to the final meeting in the fall, propose any amendments they feel are necessary. Commissioners may also make changes to the regulation proposals during the final meeting.

According to an April 21 release from Montana FWP, the agency will host a public meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14 at the Region 1 office, 490 North Meridian Road in Kalispell.

Staff members will present fishing regulation proposals, answer questions and collect input.

The other opportunity to comment is online via Zoom during a statewide virtual meeting Tuesday, May 26. Meeting times are noon and 6 p.m.

For those who prefer to submit comments online or in writing, they can go to https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/fishing-regulations?, scroll down and click on the buttons to comment  or propose a regulation change.

Written comments may be emailed to [email protected], or mailed to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Attention: 2027/28 Fishing Regulation Scoping, PO Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620

Comments will be collected through May 31.

Staff will use this initial input to refine a regulation proposal package that will be released for a second public comment period in August before going to the Fish and Wildlife Commission for final consideration at its fall 2026 meeting. 

It’s important to remember that if the angling community doesn’t share their comments there could be more restrictive regulations reminiscent  of the considerable changes that were made this winter for Region 1 elk hunting.

FWP is scoping 41 department proposals for the 2027–2028 regulation cycle. Each proposal includes information on biological rationale, regulation type and references to the Statewide Fisheries Management Plan. 

The full set of preliminary proposals are available online, just look at the downloadable PDF. Thirteen of the proposals include changes to regulations in FWP Region 1’s portion of the western fishing district. These include:

Proposal 9: Flathead Lake Northern Pike Limits, page 31

Proposal 10: Flathead Lake Rainbow Trout Limits, page 32

Proposal 11: Flathead Lake Smallmouth Bass Limits, page 34

Proposal 12: Fishtrap Creek and Tributaries Bait Restriction, page 36

Proposal 13: Hungry Horse Reservoir Bull Trout Length Restriction and Season Change, page 38

Proposal 14: Little Bitterroot Lake Kokanee Harvest Limit, page 41

Proposal 15: Little Bitterroot Lake Rainbow Trout Length Restriction, page 42

Proposal 16: Graves Creek Gear Restriction, page 43

Proposal 17: Graves Creek Bait Restriction, page 45

Proposal 18: Vermillion River Bait Restriction, page 47

Proposal 19: Vermillion River Gear Restriction, page 49

Proposal 21: West Fork Thompson River and Tributaries Bait and Gear Restrictions, page 53

Proposal 22: McGregor Lake Crayfish Harvest Restriction, page 55

FWP will consider bait restrictions for Fishtrap Creek and its tributaries.

It will also consider bait and gear restrictions for the Vermillion River, Graves Creek as well as the West Fork Thompson River and its tributaries.

The Little Bitterroot Lake near Marion could also see changes in the kokanee salmon harvest limit because FWP intends to shift its kokanee brood source from Lake Mary Ronan to Little Bitterroot Lake. According to the agency, warm fall temperatures have resulted in poor egg quality from Lake Mary Ronan. Little Bitterroot Lake maintains a wild population of kokanee that would likely be impacted by harvesting large numbers of eggs each fall. This regulation is intended to minimize impacts to the existing population by reducing angler harvest, assuring eggs and male semen are available for harvest annually. 

Another proposed change for Little Bitterroot Lake, includes limiting the harvest of rainbow trout.

FWP says the trophy rainbow trout fishery in Little Bitterroot Lake has been sustained by wild fish and the stocking of Gerrard strain rainbow trout. Stocking ceased in 2024 and the abundance of large fish is expected to decline. 

Limiting harvest of rainbow trout in Little Bitterroot Lake would help assure the wild population persists and angler catch rates do not decline. 

A review of the Flathead Lake proposals indicates a desire to align state regulations with those of the Confederated, Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT).

The Tribe and FWP share fisheries management authority on Flathead Lake. The CSKT has jurisdiction over the south half of the lake and FWP manages the north half. Many anglers have expressed confusion and displeasure with inconsistent Flathead Lake regulations and their desire to have lake wide regulations. 

Tribal managers at CSKT have also expressed interest in consistent lake-wide regulations and have changed some of their regulations to match FWP regulations. Although adding exceptions, this change would simplify regulations on Flathead Lake.