10 of the Largest Native Fish Caught in Montana

Montana is Home to Some Pretty Small and Pretty Large Fish Records

While the scenery and our parks get most of the attention, Montana is also home to some of the best fishing found anywhere.  Blue ribbon streams and amazing lakes all make for the opportunity to catch a lunker.

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And with all the recent talk about the new record for a chinook salmon taken at Fort Peck Lake, it made me start to think about other big records that have lurked beneath the surface of the state's waterways.

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Memories of Growing Up in Montana Involve Eating a Lot of Fish

Some of my finest memories of growing up in Montana involve a creek and a fishing pole.  Catching pan-fry brookie from Upper Highwood Creek is still the best for me when I have the chance to return to my roots.

READ MORE:  Check These Epic Fishing Pictures from Across Montana

That tradition has continued in our family, with both my son and grandson learning the tricks that only parents and grandparents have access to.

And while my prowess with a cutoff willow branch, shoelace and bobby pin (yes, I've really done that) is quite impressive, I find my skills severely lacking when I started looking at the state records for native fish in Montana.

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How Many of These Native Species of Fish to Montana Have You Netted?

Montana is home to a plethora of different species of fish, some native, others have been planted or made their way through the waterways over time.  In all, Montana has over 60 different fish in our waters.

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READ MORE:  Hutterites of Montana:  How Many Live Here?

Of the almost 30 of those that are native to the state, which are the biggest on record?  We've gone through the archives of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to find the biggest of the big.  Check out the gallery below to see what the biggest fish ever caught in Montana is!