Mcgregor Lake Fish Stocking
Montana · 1924–2026 on record
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Mcgregor Lake was last stocked May 19, 2026 with Rainbow Trout. Mcgregor Lake has 334 stocking records on file, spanning 1924–2026, with about 13,655,448 fish stocked over that period.
When Mcgregor Lake is stocked
Mcgregor Lake is typically stocked in summer, most often in June — 115 stocking events in that peak month.
By species
Angler's Field Guide
Fishing Tips & Stocking Guide for Mcgregor Lake
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 Mcgregor Lake, 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 Mcgregor Lake was last stocked May 19, 2026, 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 Mcgregor Lake:
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.
Kokanee & Salmon Tactics
Troll small dodgers followed by micro-hoochies or wedding ring spinners tipped with shoepeg corn. Use downriggers or lead-core line to reach cooler thermocline depths (typically 20–50 ft in summer).
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.
Kokanee Profile Tips
Usually caught by trolling small lures or bait behind flashers at depth; a major fall spectacle when spawning runs turn red in tributary streams.
Recommended Tackle for Mcgregor Lake
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.
Mack's Lure Classic Wedding Ring Spinner
A classic Western trolling lure designed to be tipped with shoepeg corn and run behind a dodger in deep thermoclines.
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 Mcgregor Lake, freshest activity first.
Lower Thompson Lake
8 mi6 species · 160 records
Last stocked June 2026
Little Mcgregor Lake
2 mi4 species · 91 records
Last stocked June 2026
Middle Thompson Lake
9 mi6 species · 153 records
Last stocked June 2025
Little Bitterroot Lake
9 mi6 species · 411 records
Last stocked June 2024
Hubbart Reservoir
9 mi2 species · 125 records
Last stocked June 2024
Twin Lakes - S
10 mi2 species · 41 records
Last stocked June 2023
Stocking history
Most recent stockings first. Dates shown at the precision the agency reported.
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | 6,750 | 7.78" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 19, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | 6,750 | 7.89" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 29, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | 7,500 | 7.61" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 29, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | 7,500 | 7.66" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 22, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | 9,945 | 7.19" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 22, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | 3,180 | 7.14" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 24, 2024 | Kokanee | 50,000 | 2.3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 23, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | 7,500 | 7.19" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Show 42 more stocking records →
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | 7,500 | 7.19" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 3, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | 1,980 | 8.85" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 24, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | 12,000 | 7.25" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 27, 2022 | Kokanee | 110,375 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 25, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 2,870 | 7.43" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 25, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 10,630 | 7.26" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 26, 2021 | Kokanee | 37,620 | 3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 1, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 1,296 | 9.54" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 26, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 1,296 | 9.54" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 9, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 5,913 | 8.09" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 8, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 5,913 | 8.09" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 8, 2020 | Kokanee | 105,821 | 1.99" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 8, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 1,987 | 8.09" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| March 24, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 1,268 | 9.24" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 29, 2019 | Rainbow Trout | 7,645 | 6.84" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 19, 2019 | Kokanee | 110,261 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 13, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 2,498 | 7.03" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 31, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 7,246 | 6.86" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 10, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 6,042 | 1.8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 27, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 4,550 | 7.92" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 22, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 22,462 | 7.6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 8, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 7,246 | 8.65" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 8, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 7,414 | 8.65" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 19, 2017 | Kokanee | 52,530 | 1.98" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 13, 2016 | Rainbow Trout | 450 | 8.22" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 13, 2016 | Rainbow Trout | 370 | 13.66" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 22, 2016 | Rainbow Trout | 4,687 | 7.53" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 12, 2016 | Kokanee | 46,901 | 1.82" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 11, 2016 | Kokanee | 53,184 | 1.89" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 30, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 10,461 | 3.53" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 30, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 4,893 | 3.7" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 20, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 16,387 | 3.29" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 18, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 1,030 | 4.95" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 18, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 3,511 | 5.55" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 17, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 7,416 | 4.95" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 17, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 16,093 | 5.55" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 3, 2015 | Kokanee | 39,861 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 24, 2015 | Kokanee | 49,999 | 2.09" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 21, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 7,260 | 4.55" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 21, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 18,125 | 4.42" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 20, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 8,410 | 4.42" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 20, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 20,655 | 4.69" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Showing 50 of 334 stocking records.
Frequently asked
When was Mcgregor Lake last stocked?
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Mcgregor Lake was last stocked May 19, 2026 with Rainbow Trout.
What fish species are stocked in Mcgregor Lake?
Mcgregor Lake is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout, Arctic Grayling, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, and Coho Salmon.
What time of year is Mcgregor Lake stocked?
Mcgregor Lake is typically stocked in summer, most often in June.
How often is Mcgregor Lake stocked?
Mcgregor Lake has been stocked about 3 times a year — 334 recorded stockings between 1924 and 2026.
How many fish have been stocked in Mcgregor Lake?
About 13,655,448 fish have been stocked in Mcgregor Lake across 334 recorded events since 1924, per Montana fish & wildlife agency.
What size are the fish stocked in Mcgregor Lake?
Fish stocked in Mcgregor Lake average about 4.4 inches, based on the sizes the agency reported.
Do you need a fishing license to fish Mcgregor Lake?
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 Mcgregor Lake?
Freshly stocked trout in Mcgregor Lake 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.