Bighorn River Fish Stocking
Montana · 1966–1992 on record
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Bighorn River was last stocked August 4, 1992 with Smallmouth Bass. Bighorn River has 85 stocking records on file, spanning 1966–1992, with about 1,572,494 fish stocked over that period.
When Bighorn River is stocked
Bighorn River is typically stocked in summer, most often in July — 28 stocking events in that peak month.
Angler's Field Guide
Fishing Tips & Stocking Guide for Bighorn River
Practical advice on fish behavior, recommended tackle, and state regulations for anglers fishing in Montana.
Post-Plant Behavior & Timing
Hatchery-raised fish are conditioned to pelleted feed and open raceways. Following a release into Bighorn River, they typically congregate in schools near public access points, boat ramps, or inlets for the first 24 to 48 hours while adjusting to natural water conditions.
Since Bighorn River was last stocked August 4, 1992, anglers visiting within 1 to 2 weeks of a reported event generally experience the highest activity before fish disperse into deeper cover.
State Regulations & Licensing
- •Fishing License: A valid Montana freshwater fishing license is required for anglers age 16 and older.Purchase Montana license online →
- •Official Rules & Limits: Bag limits, bait restrictions, and seasonal boundaries are set by Montana fish & wildlife agency.Official Montana regulations guidebook →
- •Ethical Conservation: Use barbless hooks and keep fish submerged in water during unhooking.Trout Thermal Advisory: When water temperatures rise above 68°F (20°C), released trout face severe mortality from thermal exhaustion. Target warmwater species or fish early in the morning when lakes and streams warm up.
Recommended Tackle & Presentations
Techniques tailored to the species stocked in Bighorn River:
Stocked Trout Tactics
Use light 4–6 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon line. Float scented dough bait (PowerBait) 12–18" off bottom using a sliding slip-sinker rig with a size 14–16 treble hook. For active casting, throw 1/16 to 1/8 oz inline spinners (Panther Martin, Rooster Tail) or small spoons (Kastmaster) along drop-offs.
Bass & Panfish Approach
Target visible structure such as docks, weed lines, and fallen trees. Small 1/32 to 1/16 oz jig heads with soft plastic grubs or live worms under a float work well for crappie and bluegill; soft plastic worms or spinnerbaits work well for bass.
Smallmouth Bass Profile Tips
Prized for its aerial fight; often targeted with crayfish-imitating jigs and tubes along rocky structure.
Rainbow Trout Profile Tips
The most commonly targeted stocked trout in the country, taken on bait, spinners, and flies alike; a common first fish for new anglers.
Recommended Tackle for Bighorn River
Field-tested tackle and presentations matched to the species stocked here.
Berkley PowerBait Floating Trout Dough
Hatchery-raised trout are conditioned to pelleted scents; scented dough floated 12–18 inches off bottom consistently triggers strikes.
Panther Martin Classic Teardrop Inline Spinner
The heavy convex blade spins instantly upon retrieval, sending vibration through the water that triggers aggressive reaction bites along drop-offs.
Sliding Sinker & Treble Hook Rigging Kit
Sliding egg sinkers allow cautious trout to run with bait without feeling line drag, while size 14–16 treble hooks keep dough bait securely pinned.
Gary Yamamoto 5-inch Custom Senko Stickbaits
The heavy salt-impregnated plastic produces a unique horizontal shimmy on the fall around weed beds, docks, and submerged timber.
As an Amazon Associate, StockedWaters earns from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Recommendations are chosen for hatchery-conditioned fish behavior and ethical rigging. We may receive a referral commission if you buy through these links. Read our editorial policy & standards.
Nearby stocked waters
Other stocked waters near Bighorn River, freshest activity first.
Arapooish Pond
29 mi3 species · 24 records
Last stocked September 2023
Harlin Steiger Reservoir
22 mi2 species · 7 records
Last stocked August 2023
Fjelstad Pond
17 mi1 species · 2 records
Last stocked August 2017
Hofer Reservoir
29 mi2 species · 23 records
Last stocked April 2013
Indian Creek Reservoir
21 mi4 species · 26 records
Last stocked May 1995
Kicker, Robert #1
21 mi1 species · 2 records
Last stocked July 1993
Stocking history
Most recent stockings first. Dates shown at the precision the agency reported.
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 4, 1992 | Smallmouth Bass | 36,865 | 1.3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 4, 1992 | Smallmouth Bass | 36,865 | 1.3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 28, 1992 | Smallmouth Bass | 49,570 | 1.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 22, 1991 | Smallmouth Bass | 40,000 | 1.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 22, 1991 | Smallmouth Bass | 40,000 | 1.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 20, 1991 | Smallmouth Bass | 60,300 | 1.2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 24, 1990 | Smallmouth Bass | 31,920 | 1.6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 24, 1990 | Smallmouth Bass | 31,920 | 1.6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Show 42 more stocking records →
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 24, 1990 | Smallmouth Bass | 5,648 | 1.6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 24, 1990 | Smallmouth Bass | 13,167 | 1.6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 25, 1989 | Smallmouth Bass | 35,840 | 1.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 21, 1989 | Smallmouth Bass | 64,300 | 1.3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 21, 1989 | Smallmouth Bass | 64,300 | 1.3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 2, 1989 | Rainbow Trout | 25,080 | 4.4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 2, 1989 | Rainbow Trout | 25,080 | 4.4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 13, 1987 | Rainbow Trout | 25,100 | 3.9" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 13, 1987 | Rainbow Trout | 25,100 | 3.9" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 15, 1986 | Smallmouth Bass | 14,770 | 1" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 15, 1986 | Smallmouth Bass | 47,415 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 15, 1986 | Smallmouth Bass | 14,770 | 1" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 22, 1985 | Rainbow Trout | 14,924 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 22, 1985 | Rainbow Trout | 14,924 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 22, 1985 | Rainbow Trout | 14,924 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 22, 1985 | Rainbow Trout | 14,924 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 29, 1984 | Rainbow Trout | 15,000 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 29, 1984 | Rainbow Trout | 15,000 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 25, 1984 | Rainbow Trout | 25,200 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 25, 1984 | Rainbow Trout | 25,200 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 24, 1983 | Rainbow Trout | 22,491 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 24, 1983 | Rainbow Trout | 23,100 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 24, 1983 | Rainbow Trout | 22,491 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 24, 1983 | Rainbow Trout | 23,100 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 8, 1983 | Rainbow Trout | 16,932 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 6, 1983 | Rainbow Trout | 22,950 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 6, 1983 | Rainbow Trout | 22,950 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 21, 1982 | Rainbow Trout | 21,000 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 21, 1982 | Rainbow Trout | 21,000 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 5, 1982 | Rainbow Trout | 1,325 | 7" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 5, 1982 | Rainbow Trout | 1,325 | 7" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 28, 1981 | Rainbow Trout | 10,771 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 28, 1981 | Rainbow Trout | 10,771 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 27, 1981 | Rainbow Trout | 11,750 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 27, 1981 | Rainbow Trout | 11,750 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 24, 1981 | Rainbow Trout | 17,993 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 24, 1981 | Rainbow Trout | 17,993 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 20, 1981 | Rainbow Trout | 24,480 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| November 22, 1980 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| November 22, 1980 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 19, 1980 | Rainbow Trout | 12,000 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 19, 1980 | Rainbow Trout | 12,000 | 6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Showing 50 of 85 stocking records.
Frequently asked
When was Bighorn River last stocked?
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Bighorn River was last stocked August 4, 1992 with Smallmouth Bass.
What fish species are stocked in Bighorn River?
Bighorn River is stocked with Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, and Cutthroat Trout.
What time of year is Bighorn River stocked?
Bighorn River is typically stocked in summer, most often in July.
How often is Bighorn River stocked?
Bighorn River has been stocked about 3 times a year — 85 recorded stockings between 1966 and 1992.
How many fish have been stocked in Bighorn River?
About 1,572,494 fish have been stocked in Bighorn River across 85 recorded events since 1966, per Montana fish & wildlife agency.
What size are the fish stocked in Bighorn River?
Fish stocked in Bighorn River average about 4.6 inches, based on the sizes the agency reported.
Do you need a fishing license to fish Bighorn River?
Yes, all anglers age 16 and older generally need a valid Montana freshwater fishing license. Always review current regulations from Montana fish & wildlife agency for site-specific rules, bag limits, or stamps.
How do you catch stocked trout in Bighorn River?
Freshly stocked trout in Bighorn River typically respond well to floating dough bait (such as PowerBait) floated 12–18 inches off bottom on light 4–6 lb leader, live nightcrawlers under a bobber, and small inline spinners or spoons retrieved along shorelines and drop-offs.