Jefferson River fishing guide

Public access & launches

Public bank access at several points along the Jefferson River, computed from public land ownership and hydrography.

• Sappington Bridge
  Boat launch
• Hell's CanyonMontana FWP
  Boat launch
• Cardwell BridgeMontana FWP
  Boat launch
• Williams' BridgeMontana FWP
  Boat launch
• DrouillardMontana FWP
  Boat launch
• Mayflower BridgeMontana FWP
  Boat launch
• Kountz BridgeMontana FWP
  Boat launch
• Silver StarMontana FWP
  Boat launch

Regulations

• Mouth upstream to the bridge on Boulder Cut-Off Road (mile 14.4)

  Season

  Jan. 1 through Sept. 30

• Central Fishing District

  Entire river Northern pike: no limit. Combined trout: 3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 18 inches and only 1 may be a rainbow trout. Hells Canyon Creek and Willow Springs Creek Seasonal spawning closure at tributary mouths: Closed to fishing 100 yards upstream and downstream from the creek mouths from April 1 through April 30 and from Sept. 30 through Nov. 30. LAKE ELWELL aka Tiber Reservoir AIS Cisco and whitefish: all fish must be released immediately or killed and counted as part of your limit. It is unlawful to possess live cisco or whitefish for any reason. Hook and Line/Setlines: 6 lines with 2 hooks per line through the ice only. Spearing: open for non-game fish, northern pike, walleye, and burbot (ling) through the ice and by persons swimming or submerged.

• Combined trout

  Bag

  3 daily and in possession, only 1 over 18 inches and only 1 may be a rainbow trout

• Northern pike

  Bag

  no limit

• Northern pikeCentral Fishing District

  Northern pike: no limit. Toston Dam Reservoir (Toston Dam to approximately 1 mile upstream) Northern pike: no limit. Spearing allowed through the ice only. Toston Dam to Canyon Ferry Reservoir Localized spawning areas closed as posted from March 1 through June 15. Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession, any size. Walleye: 10 daily, only 1 over 15 inches. Possession limit is twice the daily limit. Northern pike: no limit. Canyon Ferry Reservoir Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession, any size. Yellow perch: 10 daily and in possession. Walleye: 10 daily, only 1 over 15 inches. Possession limit is twice the daily limit. Northern pike: no limit. Spearing allowed through the ice only. Hook and Line/Setlines: 6 lines with 2 hooks per line through the ice only. Canyon Ferry Dam to Hauser Dam (includes Hauser Reservoir, Lake Helena and Canyon Ferry Tailwaters) Catch-and-release for brown trout, except anglers 14 years of age or younger may take 1 brown trout daily and in possession, any size. Combined trout and kokanee salmon: 5 trout and kokanee salmon daily and in combination and 10 trout and kokanee salmon in possession in any combination. Yellow perch: 10 daily and in possession, July 1 through March 31; 1 daily and in possession, 14 inch minimum, April 1 through June 30. Walleye: 10 daily, only 1 over 15 inches. Possession limit is twice the daily limit. Northern pike: no limit. Hook and Line/Setlines: 6 lines with 2 hooks per line through the ice only. Hauser Dam to Holter Reservoir (Hauser Dam downstream to American Bar Gulch approximately 4.6 miles) Combined trout: standard river/stream limits apply, except catchand-release for brown trout. Walleye: 5 daily, only 1 over 25 inches. Possession limit is twice the daily limit. Northern pike: no limit. Holter Reservoir (American Bar Gulch downstream to H

• All species

  Once off the water, fish may be dressed, filleted, and skin removed for transport to permanent residence, unless size limits apply: all fish can be counted and identified; two fillets counted as one fish; frozen catch must be packaged so it can be counted. Salmonids (trout, salmon, arctic grayling, char and whitefish): entire skin must remain attached to the fillet for identification.

• All species

  Handling and Transporting Legally Taken Fish: While fishing or on the water/ice, all fish in possession must be visibly identifiable to species. Unless size limits apply, fish may be cleaned prior to transport so long as the entire skin remains attached to the fish or fillet for identification. Two fillets will be counted as one fish. If frozen prior to transport, each fish or fillet must be packaged so it can be counted. Consumption of fish on the ice or water is allowed but counts toward daily limit.

• All species

  Float Fishing: When a water is closed to Float Fishing, an angler may not fish from a boat or vessel, and may not wade fish in the river or stream, or from the bank or shoreline of the river or stream, when fishing access is gained by boat or vessel.

• All species

  Methods of Taking Fish: Spears and bows are counted as lines for determining line limits. When multiple lines are allowed, the number of lines shall not exceed the combination of attended lines, setlines, or spears. All unattended fishing devices (crayfish traps, minnow traps, fish traps, setlines, etc.) must have the angler's name and phone number or name and individual identifying number issued by the department attached.

• All species

  Fishing Methods: Fish may be taken only by hook and line or other approved methods. Regulations for the taking of fish are listed in the standard regulations for each fishing district (see pages 23, 50 & 79).

As of 2026-08-28.Guidance, not legal advice — always confirm current rules with the state.Official Montana regulations

What’s in it

Recorded in/near this water. Occurrence-based unless a higher-confidence source is shown — see it per-species in the app.

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Montana field notes

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Jefferson River fishing — FAQ