River Wire Blog

Help protect the world-class, multi-million dollar, wild trout fishery in the Missouri River. Tell Montana’s Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission by September 6 that you support a regulation allowing no limit on walleye harvest in the river between Holter and Black Eagle Dams.

Contact Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission by email at

fwpfsh@mt.gov or submit written comments to:
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, c/o Don Skaar, Fish Management Section Supervisor, 1420 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, MT 59601

Growing risk:

and trout. Reducing the risk to the wild trout population from predation and competition for space is reasonable and warranted. The proposed regulation would allow unlimited walleye harvest by anglers. It is a cost-effective tool for helping

maintain low levels of walleye in the river.

Biological data shows that in some years, the numbers of walleye in the world-class wild trout stretch of the Missouri, will likely increase as they move downstream from upper river reservoirs. Similarly, anglers report increasing walleye catches throughout the wild trout stretch. Walleyes are highly predacious. They eat whitefish, suckers, perch
Incomplete, unreliable data:

Walleyes tagged in the reservoir are regularly caught by anglers below Holter Dam and walleyes are incidentally captured as part of annual trout population electrofishing surveys. But there remains no clear, complete picture of walleye trends or walleye reproductive success in the river below Holter Dam. Biologists simply do not have enough data to accurately assess how significant predation by walleyes could be on wild trout.


Walleye implanted with radio-telemetry tags reveal that walleyes reside in this stretch of river.
Eighteen-month delay:


Young trout are the most susceptible to walleye predation. Montana FWP’s current methods for counting young trout are not effective in detecting trout less than two years in age. Escalating walleye populations could reduce young trout numbers for several years before biologists are able to reliably measure the effect in future year classes of older fish. And that’s why a precautionary principle should be employed: reduce walleye numbers before they escalate.

In-river spawning: Dearborn River has increasingly shifted successful wild trout spawning to the Missouri River main stem, where young wild trout are at significantly greater risk of walleye predation. A water year with early walleye-laden flushing flows over the Holter Dam, coupled with a summer of low river flows and elevated water temperatures could benefit walleyes and result in increased predation on young trout.
Eliminate walleye below Holter:


Walleye are not native to Montana. Yet, because of legal and illegal stocking upstream, they have been in the Missouri River for years at low population levels. Walleyes cannot be cost effectively eradicated from the wild trout stretch of the Missouri. The proposed regulation is a good first step to ensure walleye don’t harm the popular wild trout fishery of the Missouri River.
The proposed regulation does not pit angler against angler:
Because of habitat limitations,

the Missouri River below Holter Dam will never be a high-quality walleye fishery. But it is currently a world-class wild trout fishery. Attempting to manage the river for wild trout together with walleyes, could lead to a diminished wild trout fishery and a mediocre walleye fishery. There are many other places in Montana where walleyes thrive without harming other sport fisheries. And TU and other support walleye management in these waters. However, there are few, if any, better places to fish for wild trout than in the Missouri River below Holter Dam.
Economic impact:

To review the proposed fishing regulation changes go to this link: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/regulations/tentatives/.


The Missouri River wild trout fishery is a famous and world-class resource consistently ranking in the top three waters for angler use in Montana. According to Montana FWP, angling in this reach of river annually generates tens of millions of dollars as well as hundreds of jobs. Further, property values along this reach of the river are tied to a high-quality trout fishery. Not suppressing the walleye population in this stretch could put at risk this significant economic generator.