Like fishing? Then you will love Glacier National Park. From roaring, wild rivers to mindblowing lakes, Glacier National Park offers fine fishing in even finer settings.The park has 653 lakes totaling 27,00 acres and 392 miles of shoreline. The park also has 563 streams totaling 1,606 miles. That's quite a bit of water to wet your line in.

A permit is not necessary to fish Glacier National Park, unlike Yellowstone National Park. Nor is a Montana fishing license required. Lead of any style is not permitted in Glacier National Park except for cannonball downriggers. Bull trout are protected in Glacier's waters and fishing for them is not permitted. If you see one of these rare beasts swimming the clear waters, count yourself lucky.

Cutthroat, rainbow, brook , bull and lake trout roam the park's waters. You can find lake trout in the deeper, larger lakes such as St. Mary and Lake McDonald. To hunt down the lakers, you will usually need a boat - although they can be fished for in spring in the shallow areas of lakes. For lures, use silver spinners or heavier streamers that imitate cutthroat.

Lake McDonald: This rather nutrient poor lake holds good populations of lake trout and low populations of cutthroat. If you are fishing this lake, plan on lake trout being the only realistic target. In spring and early summer they can be caught with spinners and streamers in shallow waters (the Apgar area for example). As the water warms, they head for the depths and require a boat to fish them.


Swiftcurrent Lake: Swiftcurrent has a good population of brook trout which will rise to a dry fly in the evenings and mornings. For daytime fishing, try streamers fished deep around rock piles or silver spinners. When it's a windy late summer day, a hopper pattern fished in the inlet can often take nice brookies.

Two Medicine Lakes: Two Medicine holds a nice population of rainbows and brook trout. The trout will take dry flies in the early morning hours and evenings, especially on calm waters. If the water is not too warm, large stimulator and hopper patterns can work very well. The rainbows can be fished for with streamers and spinners down deep in the day time. The outlet from Two Medicine into Pray Lake can often be good, but also crowded. The state record brook trout of 9.06 pounds came out of Lower Two Medicine in 1940, but access is tough on the park portion of the lake. Upper Two Medicine is a short hike uptrail from Two Medicine, and offers good fishing for brook trout.


St. Mary Lake: This spectacular lake holds cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, whitefish and bull trout. Fishing is tough due to the depth and access. This lake is often incredibly windy, making float tubes or paddle boats a risky proposition on rough days. The outlet can be good for rainbows on attractor patterns and silver spinners.

North Fork of the Flathead: The North Fork is a very scenic, wild river with good populations of cutthroat, rainbow and a recovering population of bull trout( you cannot fish for bull trout in Glacier National Park as they are a recovering rare species).If you stay on the east side of the river, you do not need a Montana license. Cross over to the west side, and you do. This river forms the western boundary of the park. This is a dangerous river to wade and float, with accidents happening every year. Upstream near Polebrdige, cutthroat and whitefish dominate. They are smaller in size but very hard fighters. Any kind of attractor should work, as well as prince nymphs. Spinners will get the job done. Downstream from Camas Creek, the cutthroats get bigger and begin to mix with rainbows. The same tactics apply. You may get lucky and see some of the famous North Fork wildlife, such as otters, eagles, moose, or even bears up on the mountains. The North Fork offers fishing in an unspoiled and uncrowded setting. If you enjoy fishing on a peaceful river in fantastic scenery, with the river to yourself, this is where you want to be.


Middle Fork of the Flathead: The Middle Fork forms the southwest boundary of the park, travelling through rough canyons and rugged, forested mountains. Cutthroat, whitefish, rainbows and bull trout swim it's clear, strong waters. Much of the Middle Fork is nutrient poor, and therefore fish popualtions are not what they are in some of the streams in and around Yellowstone. However, you will often have entire stretches of river to yourself, and the fishing can be good. Attractor flies in various sizes will work for the less selective trout. A size 14 royal wullf or elk hair caddis will work in a variety of conditions. When the fish are not active on the surface, size 16 prince nymphs and golden stoneflies work well .Silver spinners and small spoons will work in the deep pools for bigger and pickier fish. If you stay on the north side of the river (tough to do) you do not need a Montana fishing license. Cross over to the south side, and you do.

Glacier National Park printable fishing guide(pdf)