Lake Koocanusa fishing guide

Public access & launches

Limited public bank access along Lake Koocanusa, computed from public land ownership and hydrography.

• Koocanusa Area
  Boat launch
• Rocky Gorge Campground
  Boat launch
• Tobacco River Campground
  Boat launch
• Tobacco Area
  Boat launch
• Peck Gulch Campground
  Boat launch

Regulations

• Bull trout

  Bag

  Catch-and-release only (all bull trout must be released with no delay).

  A Lake Koocanusa bull trout Catch Card must be in possession when fishing for bull trout. See bull trout page 13. It is unlawful to possess a live bull trout for any reason.

• Bull Trout

  Open for a regulated and experimental bull trout angling season. Angler must have a valid bull trout Catch Card for the specific water fished. Anglers may select only one area: Lake Koocanusa OR Hungry Horse Reservoir/South Fork Flathead River. Catch Cards free, available at FWP Region 1 office in Kalispell and USFS Spotted Bear Ranger Station.

• Kokanee salmon

  Bag

  50 daily and 100 in possession.

• Rainbow TroutWestern Fishing District

  Rainbow Trout: Adipose clipped fish less than 22 inches must be released (see location of adipose fin on the Rainbow Trout colorplate at the back of this booklet). Bull Trout: Catch-and-release only (all Bull Trout must be released immediately). A Lake Koocanusa Bull Trout Catch Card must bein possession when fishing for Bull Trout. See Special Fishing Licenses requirements for application information. It is unlawful topossess a live Bull Trout for any reason. Kokanee Salmon: 50 daily and 100 in possession.

• 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).

• 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

  Fishing From Boats/Vessels: When a water is closed to Fishing From Boats/Vessels, an angler may not fish while on any boat or vessel. However, an angler may use a boat or vessel to access wade fishing opportunities; the angler must be completely out of the boat or vessel while wade fishing.

• All species

  Ice Fishing Shelters: Unlawful to use any ice fishing shelter not conforming to waste/rubbish disposal rules. Owners/occupants must keep shelters and surrounding area free from rubbish and trash and remove waste materials before leaving for the day. Daily removal of shelters required on some waterbodies (see district exceptions). Owner must remove shelter from ice before it becomes irretrievable at end of season, or within five days of notification from FWP.

• All species

  Float Outfitting: When a water is closed to Float Outfitting, the operation of any boat or vessel for the commercial purpose of float fishing by a fishing outfitter or fishing guide is prohibited.

• All species

  Ice Fishing - Size of Hole: In waters not open to spearing, the maximum size hole that may be used for ice fishing is 144 square inches or 12 inches in diameter. There is no size limit for a hole used for fishing with a spear.

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.

More Montana fishing

Montana field notes

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Bozeman Built a Trail System Out of Handshakes and Easements

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Missoula, MT

Missoula Hikes You Can Walk To From Downtown

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The Highline Trail's Hand Cable Is the Least Frightening Part

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Grinnell Glacier Before It's Gone: The Boat Shortcut, the Bears, and the Best Light

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Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park: Cutthroat in the Meadows, Wolves on the Ridge, and the Strangest Trout Stream on Earth

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West Glacier, MT

Fly Fishing Glacier National Park: Native Cutthroat, Wild Rivers, and Backcountry Water That Hasn't Changed in a Thousand Years

Glacier National Park holds 700 miles of streams and over 130 named lakes, most of them holding native westslope cutthroat trout that have never seen a hatchery. The fishing is wild, the setting is the most dramatic in North America, and the native fish are counting on you to handle them with care.

Lake Koocanusa fishing — FAQ