Montana Fish Report

Jan. 8, 2025

Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming, wildlife viewing, hunting

Start something new in 2025

If your New Year's resolution is to spend more time outside in 2025, why not add hunting, fishing or wildlife watching to your outdoor pursuits? We've pulled together all the how-to and where-to information you'll need to get started in our Start… series of articles.

Report your big game hunt

Report your hunt by Jan. 31. If you bought a tag to hunt in 2024, you must report your hunt by Jan. 31, 2025 – even if you didn't hunt or harvest an animal. Here's information on who needs to report and how to do it.

Best bets for winter fishing

January is a great month for winter steelhead and winter trout fishing. And after recent high flows, several rivers could be dropping back in shape by the weekend.

• Anglers are catching winter steelhead in rivers up and down the Oregon Coast. Here are 10 tips to catch more.
• Dedicated trout anglers don't stop fishing in the winter, instead they adjust their tactics. Here's how.

Late season duck hunting tips

Frigid temperatures, frozen water, wary birds – the last weeks of the duck hunting season can be tough. Here are some tips for closing the season strong.

View the report