Silvertip Reservoir Fish Stocking
Montana · 1944–2025 on record
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Silvertip Reservoir was last stocked September 22, 2025 with Rainbow Trout. Silvertip Reservoir has 49 stocking records on file, spanning 1944–2025, with about 122,156 fish stocked over that period.
When Silvertip Reservoir is stocked
Silvertip Reservoir is typically stocked in spring, most often in April — 14 stocking events in that peak month.
By species
Angler's Field Guide
Fishing Tips & Stocking Guide for Silvertip Reservoir
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 Silvertip Reservoir, 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 Silvertip Reservoir was last stocked September 22, 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 Silvertip Reservoir:
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.
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.
Largemouth Bass Profile Tips
The centerpiece of American bass fishing culture, taken on everything from topwater lures to soft plastics and live bait.
Recommended Tackle for Silvertip Reservoir
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 Silvertip Reservoir, freshest activity first.
Haughian Bass Pond
6 mi2 species · 11 records
Last stocked August 2025
Cherry Creek Pond
4 mi1 species · 2 records
Last stocked June 2025
Reukauf Reservoir
5 mi1 species · 34 records
Last stocked May 2025
South Fork Reservoir
5 mi8 species · 34 records
Last stocked May 2025
Clarks Reservoir
6 mi5 species · 73 records
Last stocked May 2025
Haughian Reservoir #1
8 mi3 species · 64 records
Last stocked May 2025
Stocking history
Most recent stockings first. Dates shown at the precision the agency reported.
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 22, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | 1,094 | 9.26" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 12, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | 1,500 | 2.26" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 22, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | 1,500 | 1.78" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 18, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 2.27" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| September 28, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | 403 | 8.11" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 26, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 19, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 4.49" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 21, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 4.4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Show 41 more stocking records →
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 23, 2019 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 1.88" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 1, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 2.01" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 11, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 1.98" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 4, 2016 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 1.9" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 6, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 1.8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 14, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 17, 2012 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 2.15" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 10, 2011 | Largemouth Bass | 1,000 | 1.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 2, 2011 | Smallmouth Bass | 1,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 20, 2011 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 19, 2010 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 2.6" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 13, 2009 | Rainbow Trout | 1,500 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 11, 2006 | Largemouth Bass | 1,000 | 2.8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 5, 2006 | Rainbow Trout | 1,500 | 2.4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 28, 2005 | Largemouth Bass | 1,450 | 1.8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| March 29, 2005 | Rainbow Trout | 1,500 | 2.4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 17, 2004 | Largemouth Bass | 2,000 | 2.4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 16, 2003 | Smallmouth Bass | 2,700 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| March 28, 2003 | Rainbow Trout | 8 | 2.1" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 24, 2001 | Largemouth Bass | 2,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 11, 2001 | Smallmouth Bass | 3,300 | 1.4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 4, 2001 | Rainbow Trout | 500 | 2.4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 6, 1999 | Smallmouth Bass | 3,000 | 1.8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 10, 1993 | Smallmouth Bass | 3,000 | 1.8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| September 10, 1992 | Largemouth Bass | 5,071 | 2.1" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 27, 1989 | Smallmouth Bass | 3,000 | 1.5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 18, 1989 | Largemouth Bass | 3,000 | 1.8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 11, 1987 | Walleye | 2,400 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 21, 1986 | Crappie | 350 | 8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 12, 1986 | Fathead Minnow | 1,100 | 3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 26, 1985 | White Crappie | 78 | 9" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 24, 1985 | White Crappie | 423 | 7" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 17, 1984 | Rainbow Trout | 2,000 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| November 9, 1983 | Golden Shiner | 70 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| November 1, 1983 | Golden Shiner | 20 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| November 1, 1983 | Fathead Minnow | 1,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 19, 1982 | Walleye | 25,000 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| April 22, 1982 | Rainbow Trout | 2,000 | 3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 4, 1955 | Northern Pike | 30,000 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| September 9, 1944 | Crappie | 119 | 1" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| September 9, 1944 | Bluegill | 3,570 | 1" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Frequently asked
When was Silvertip Reservoir last stocked?
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Silvertip Reservoir was last stocked September 22, 2025 with Rainbow Trout.
What fish species are stocked in Silvertip Reservoir?
Silvertip Reservoir is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Fathead Minnow, White Crappie, Golden Shiner, Northern Pike, and Bluegill.
What time of year is Silvertip Reservoir stocked?
Silvertip Reservoir is typically stocked in spring, most often in April.
How often is Silvertip Reservoir stocked?
Silvertip Reservoir is stocked intermittently — 49 recorded stockings between 1944 and 2025.
How many fish have been stocked in Silvertip Reservoir?
About 122,156 fish have been stocked in Silvertip Reservoir across 49 recorded events since 1944, per Montana fish & wildlife agency.
What size are the fish stocked in Silvertip Reservoir?
Fish stocked in Silvertip Reservoir average about 2.9 inches, based on the sizes the agency reported.
Do you need a fishing license to fish Silvertip Reservoir?
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 Silvertip Reservoir?
Freshly stocked trout in Silvertip Reservoir 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.