List of fish of Montana

This is a list of fish in Montana. Species are listed by common name and scientific name.

Game fish

Trout

• Westslope cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi (Salish: Pisɫ)
• Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri
• Columbia River redband trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri
• Bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus (Salish: Aáy or Ɫaʔáy; Kutenai: Tuhuǂ)
• Montana Arctic grayling, Thymallus arcticus montanus
• Lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush
• Mountain whitefish, Prosopium williamsoni (Salish: X̣ʷy̓u)
• Pygmy whitefish, Prosopium coulteri
• Lake whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis
• Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Other than the red band subspecies, rainbow trout are an introduced species in Montana)
• Brown trout, Salmo trutta
• Golden trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita
• Brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis
• Arctic grayling, Thymallus arcticus - Adfluvial grayling introduced into Montana Lakes
• Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
• Kokanee salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka
• Cisco, Coregonus artedi

Paddlefish

• American paddlefish, Polyodon spathula

Pike

Northern pike

• Northern pike, Esox lucius
• Tiger muskellunge, Esox masquinongy × lucius

Perch

Yellow perch

• Sauger, Sander canadensis
• Yellow perch, Perca flavescens
• Walleye, Sander vitreus

Crappie

Black crappie

• Black crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus
• White crappie, Pomoxis annularis

Catfish

• Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Sturgeon

• Pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus
• Shovelnose sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus
• White sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus

Gadiformes

• Burbot, Lota lota

Non-game fish

Sunfish

• Bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus
• Green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus
• Pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus

Darters

• Iowa darter, Etheostoma exile

Moronidae

• White bass, Morone chrysops

Catfish

• Stonecat, Noturus flavus
• Black bullhead, Ameiurus melas
• Yellow bullhead, Ameiurus natalis

Drum

• Freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens

Smelt

• Rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax

Gars

• Shortnose gar, Lepisosteus platostomus

Mollies

Mosquitofish

• Green swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri
• Sailfin molly, Poecilia latipinna
• Shortfin molly, Poecilia mexicana
• Variable platyfish, Xiphophorus variatus
• Western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis

Killifish

• Northern Plains killifish, Fundulus kansae
• Banded killifish, Fundulus diaphanus

Minnows

• Brassy minnow, Hybognathus hankinsoni
• Emerald shiner, Notropis atherinoides
• Fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas
• Flathead chub, Platygobio gracilis
• Golden shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas
• Longnose dace, Rhinichthys cataractae
• Northern pikeminnow, Ptychocheilus oregonensis (Salish: Qʷq̓é)
• Northern redbelly dace, Phoxinus eos
• Peamouth, Mylocheilus caurinus
• Allegheny pearl dace, Margariscus margarita
• Northern pearl dace, Margariscus nachtriebi
• Plains minnow, Hybognathus placitus
• Redside shiner, Richardsonius balteatus
• Sand shiner, Notropis stramineus
• Sicklefin chub, Macrhybopsis meeki
• Western silvery minnow, Hybognathus argyritis
• Sturgeon chub, Macrhybopsis gelida
• Lake chub, Couesius plumbeus
• Creek chub, Semotilus atromaculatus
• Spottail shiner, Notropis hudsonius
• Utah chub, Gila atraria

Suckers

• Bigmouth buffalo, Ictiobus cyprinellus
• Blue sucker, Cycleptus elongatus
• Largescale sucker, Catostomus macrocheilus
• Longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus
• Mountain sucker, Catostomus platyrhynchus
• River carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio
• Shorthead redhorse, Moxostoma macrolepidotum
• Smallmouth buffalo, Ictiobus bubalus
• White sucker, Catostomus commersoni

Mudminnows

• Central mudminnow, Umbra limi

Sculpins

Mottled sculpin

• Deepwater sculpin, Myoxocephalus thompsonii
• Mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdii
• Slimy sculpin, Cottus cognatus
• Spoonhead sculpin, Cottus ricei
• Torrent sculpin, Cottus rhotheus

Brook stickleback

Sticklebacks

• Brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans

Trout-perch

• Trout-perch, Percopsis omiscomaycus

Related pages

• Trachicaranx
• Montana
• List of fish common names
• List of prehistoric bony fish genera

References

1. "Montana Field Guide". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
2. Species of Concern are native taxa that are at-risk due to declining population trends, threats to their habitats, restricted distribution, and/or other factors. Designation as a Montana Species of Concern or Potential Species of Concern is based on the Montana Status Rank, and is not a statutory or regulatory classification. Rather, these designations provide information that helps resource managers make proactive decisions regarding species conservation and data collection priorities.
3. Rockwell, David (2008). čɫq̓étkʷ ntx̣ʷétkʷs - 'a kinmituk - The Lower Flathead River, Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana, a cultural, historical, and scientific resource. Pablo, Montana: Salish Kootenai College Tribal History Project.
4. "Montana Field Guide-Trout". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
5. "Arctic Grayling - Montana Field Guide". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
6. "Montana Field Guide-Paddlefish". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
7. "Montana Field Guide-Pikes and Pickerels". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
8. Montana Field Guide-Sunfishes". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
9. "Montana Field Guide-Perches". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
10. "Montana Field Guide-Catfish and Bullheads". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
11. "Montana Field Guide-Sturgeon". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
12. "Montana Field Guide-Burbot". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
13. "Montana Field Guide-Temperate Basses". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
14. "Montana Field Guide-Drums". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
15. "Montana Field Guide-Smelt". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
16. "Montana Field Guide-Gars". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
17. "Montana Field Guide-Mooneyes". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
18. "Montana Field Guide-Livebearers (Mosquitofish / Mollies / Swordtails)". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
19. "Montana Field Guide-Killifish". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
20. "Montana Field Guide-Minnows". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
21. "Montana Field Guide-Suckers". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
22. "Montana Field Guide-Mudminnows". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
23. "Montana Field Guide-Sculpins". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
24. "Montana Field Guide-Sticklebacks". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
25. "Montana Field Guide-Trout-Perch". Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved 2010-11-25.

Other websites

• The Montana FWP