Live Bait Fishing Regulations Vary Across State

With fishing season in full swing across Montana, anglers need to keep in mind some important regulations pertaining to live bait. Regulations differ across fishing districts. For all districts, the following regulations apply: Live animals such as meal worms, red worms, night crawlers, leeches, maggots, crayfish, reptiles, amphibians and insects may be used as bait on all waters not restricted to artificial lures only.

Leeches may only be imported into Montana from FWP-approved leech dealers. Anglers who import leeches must have in their possession a receipt from the approved out-of-state leech dealer when fishing with leeches in Montana.

Additionally, it’s important to note live bait fish can’t be imported into Montana, except by permit for use in Bighorn Lake and Afterbay Reservoir.

In the Central and Eastern fishing districts, non-game fish species that may be collected, possessed and used as live bait include only the following: fathead minnow, flathead chub, western silvery minnow, plains minnow, emerald shiner, longnose dace, lake chub, creek chub, longnose sucker and white sucker.

For complete live bait regulations, refer to the 2021 fishing regulations.