Teton River Fish Stocking
Montana · 1928–1977 on record
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Teton River was last stocked September 1, 1977 with Channel Catfish. Teton River has 115 stocking records on file, spanning 1928–1977, with about 1,667,595 fish stocked over that period.
When Teton River is stocked
Teton River is typically stocked in summer, most often in July — 35 stocking events in that peak month.
By species
Angler's Field Guide
Fishing Tips & Stocking Guide for Teton 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 Teton 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 Teton River was last stocked September 1, 1977, 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 Teton 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.
Catfish Rigging
Fish a Carolina slip-sinker bottom rig with a 1/2 to 1 oz egg sinker, swivel, and 1/0–3/0 circle hook. Baits such as chicken liver, cut baitfish (shad), nightcrawlers, and stink baits produce best during early morning, dusk, or night in deeper holes.
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.
Channel Catfish Profile Tips
Popular with bait anglers using cut bait, worms, or prepared 'stink bait'; often stocked specifically for summer evening fishing.
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 Teton 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.
Heavy Duty Offset Circle Hooks (1/0–3/0)
Circle hooks naturally turn into the corner of a catfish's jaw as it turns, preventing gut-hooking and improving hookup rates.
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 Teton River, freshest activity first.
Eightmile Springs
17 mi6 species · 72 records
Last stocked May 2026
Leningtons Reservoir
10 mi5 species · 62 records
Last stocked October 2025
Schoonover Reservoir 2
6 mi4 species · 14 records
Last stocked August 2025
Crow Coulee Reservoir
12 mi4 species · 18 records
Last stocked June 2025
Marias River
0 mi8 species · 247 records
Last stocked September 2023
Diacon Pond
13 mi1 species · 6 records
Last stocked June 2021
Stocking history
Most recent stockings first. Dates shown at the precision the agency reported.
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1, 1977 | Channel Catfish | 25,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| September 1, 1977 | Channel Catfish | 25,000 | 2" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 16, 1971 | Rainbow Trout | 1,010 | 8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 16, 1971 | Rainbow Trout | 1,010 | 8" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 10, 1970 | Rainbow Trout | 700 | 9" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 10, 1969 | Rainbow Trout | 700 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 10, 1969 | Rainbow Trout | 700 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 20, 1968 | Rainbow Trout | 720 | 11" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Show 42 more stocking records →
| Date | Species | Number | Size | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 20, 1968 | Rainbow Trout | 720 | 11" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 21, 1967 | Rainbow Trout | 700 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 21, 1967 | Rainbow Trout | 700 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 12, 1966 | Rainbow Trout | 675 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 12, 1966 | Rainbow Trout | 675 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 4, 1965 | Rainbow Trout | 848 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 4, 1965 | Rainbow Trout | 848 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 18, 1963 | Rainbow Trout | 1,890 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 18, 1963 | Rainbow Trout | 1,890 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 18, 1962 | Rainbow Trout | 1,296 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 18, 1962 | Rainbow Trout | 1,296 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 16, 1962 | Rainbow Trout | 1,238 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 16, 1962 | Rainbow Trout | 1,238 | 10" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 27, 1961 | Rainbow Trout | 970 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 27, 1961 | Rainbow Trout | 970 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 27, 1961 | Rainbow Trout | 1,480 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 27, 1961 | Rainbow Trout | 1,480 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 10, 1960 | Rainbow Trout | 2,450 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 10, 1960 | Rainbow Trout | 2,450 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 15, 1959 | Rainbow Trout | 2,160 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 15, 1959 | Rainbow Trout | 2,160 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 3, 1958 | Rainbow Trout | 2,000 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 3, 1958 | Rainbow Trout | 2,000 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 26, 1957 | Rainbow Trout | 1,320 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 18, 1957 | Rainbow Trout | 1,200 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| July 24, 1956 | Rainbow Trout | 944 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 25, 1956 | Rainbow Trout | 1,560 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 25, 1956 | Rainbow Trout | 1,560 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 21, 1955 | Rainbow Trout | 1,000 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 24, 1954 | Rainbow Trout | 750 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| June 24, 1954 | Rainbow Trout | 750 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 12, 1953 | Rainbow Trout | 480 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 12, 1953 | Rainbow Trout | 480 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 2, 1953 | Rainbow Trout | 960 | 0 | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| September 23, 1952 | Brook Trout | 4,500 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| September 23, 1952 | Brook Trout | 4,500 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 9, 1950 | Brook Trout | 7,500 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 11, 1949 | Rainbow Trout | 7,920 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 11, 1949 | Rainbow Trout | 7,920 | 5" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| May 1, 1948 | Cutthroat Trout | 4,800 | 4" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 29, 1945 | Brown Trout | 15,000 | 3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
| August 29, 1945 | Brown Trout | 15,000 | 3" | Montana fish & wildlife agency |
Showing 50 of 115 stocking records.
Frequently asked
When was Teton River last stocked?
According to Montana fish & wildlife agency, Teton River was last stocked September 1, 1977 with Channel Catfish.
What fish species are stocked in Teton River?
Teton River is stocked with Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Brown Trout, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, and Sunfish.
What time of year is Teton River stocked?
Teton River is typically stocked in summer, most often in July.
How often is Teton River stocked?
Teton River has been stocked about 2 times a year — 115 recorded stockings between 1928 and 1977.
How many fish have been stocked in Teton River?
About 1,667,595 fish have been stocked in Teton River across 115 recorded events since 1928, per Montana fish & wildlife agency.
What size are the fish stocked in Teton River?
Fish stocked in Teton River average about 5.1 inches, based on the sizes the agency reported.
Do you need a fishing license to fish Teton 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 Teton River?
Freshly stocked trout in Teton 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.