Placid Lake Fish Stocking
Montana · 1928–2025 on record
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Placid Lake was last stocked October 9, 2025 with Cutthroat Trout. Placid Lake has 275 stocking records on file, spanning 1928–2025, with about 5,859,455 fish stocked over that period.
When Placid Lake is stocked
Placid Lake is typically stocked in spring and summer, most often in May — 88 stocking events in that peak month.
By species
Angler's Field Guide
Fishing Tips & Stocking Guide for Placid 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 Placid 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 Placid Lake was last stocked October 9, 2025, 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 Placid 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.
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.
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).
Cutthroat Trout Profile Tips
Known for being relatively easy to catch on dry flies, making it a favorite of western fly anglers; many subspecies are managed under catch-and-release rules to protect native populations.
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 Placid 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.
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 Placid Lake, freshest activity first.
Heart Lake
8 mi5 species · 38 records
Last stocked September 2025
Hall Lake
6 mi1 species · 32 records
Last stocked August 2024
Lily Lake
8 mi3 species · 31 records
Last stocked August 2024
Seeley Lake
6 mi7 species · 536 records
Last stocked May 2024
Salmon Lake
6 mi5 species · 86 records
Last stocked May 2024
Lena Lake
3 mi3 species · 28 records
Last stocked October 2021
Stocking history
Most recent stockings first. Dates shown at the precision the agency reported.
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2025 | Cutthroat Trout | 12,000 | 5.63" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 2, 2024 | Cutthroat Trout | 12,000 | 5.23" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 14, 2024 | Kokanee | 40,000 | 2.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| October 18, 2023 | Cutthroat Trout | 8,000 | 6.93" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 28, 2023 | Kokanee | 30,000 | 2.56" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 11, 2022 | Kokanee | 30,000 | 2.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 10, 2022 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 4.94" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 10, 2022 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 4.65" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Show 42 more stocking records →
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2021 | Kokanee | 28,000 | 3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 6, 2021 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 4.57" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 6, 2021 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 5.2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 20, 2020 | Kokanee | 30,000 | 3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 7, 2020 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,500 | 6.23" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 7, 2020 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 4.98" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 29, 2019 | Kokanee | 30,099 | 2.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 23, 2019 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,519 | 4.87" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 23, 2019 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 5.02" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 21, 2018 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 4.84" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 21, 2018 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 5.86" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| September 26, 2017 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 6.93" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 14, 2017 | Cutthroat Trout | 9,504 | 5.25" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 16, 2017 | Kokanee | 29,808 | 2.22" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 30, 2016 | Cutthroat Trout | 7,500 | 6.88" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 26, 2016 | Cutthroat Trout | 11,105 | 4.2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 13, 2016 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 5.29" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 27, 2016 | Kokanee | 30,024 | 2.01" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 27, 2015 | Cutthroat Trout | 10,000 | 6.48" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 23, 2015 | Cutthroat Trout | 8,454 | 5.71" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 23, 2015 | Cutthroat Trout | 1,537 | 5.71" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 6, 2015 | Kokanee | 30,020 | 2.1" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 30, 2013 | Kokanee | 99,879 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 2, 2012 | Kokanee | 99,815 | 2.3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 23, 2011 | Kokanee | 100,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 27, 2010 | Kokanee | 50,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 4, 2010 | Kokanee | 25,130 | 2.8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 27, 2009 | Kokanee | 100,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 1, 2008 | Cutthroat Trout | 20,824 | 4.79" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 21, 2008 | Kokanee | 66,384 | 3.07" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 17, 2007 | Kokanee | 99,807 | 2.57" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 11, 2007 | Cutthroat Trout | 20,240 | 3.2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 18, 2007 | Cutthroat Trout | 20,000 | 4.75" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 26, 2006 | Kokanee | 79,776 | 1.7" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 26, 2006 | Cutthroat Trout | 20,376 | 3.69" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 15, 2006 | Kokanee | 28,000 | 2.1" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 15, 2005 | Cutthroat Trout | 592 | 15" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 15, 2005 | Cutthroat Trout | 402 | 15.98" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 15, 2005 | Cutthroat Trout | 224 | 15.3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 26, 2005 | Kokanee | 90,192 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 13, 2005 | Cutthroat Trout | 22,000 | 4.67" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 17, 2004 | Cutthroat Trout | 20,304 | 4.07" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Showing 50 of 275 stocking records.
Frequently asked
When was Placid Lake last stocked?
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Placid Lake was last stocked October 9, 2025 with Cutthroat Trout.
What fish species are stocked in Placid Lake?
Placid Lake is stocked with Cutthroat Trout, Kokanee, Rainbow Trout, Arctic Grayling, Coho Salmon, and Largemouth Bass.
What time of year is Placid Lake stocked?
Placid Lake is typically stocked in spring and summer, most often in May.
How often is Placid Lake stocked?
Placid Lake has been stocked about 3 times a year — 275 recorded stockings between 1928 and 2025.
How many fish have been stocked in Placid Lake?
About 5,859,455 fish have been stocked in Placid Lake across 275 recorded events since 1928, per Montana fish & wildlife agency.
What size are the fish stocked in Placid Lake?
Fish stocked in Placid Lake average about 5.8 inches, based on the sizes the agency reported.
Do you need a fishing license to fish Placid 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 Placid Lake?
Freshly stocked trout in Placid 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.