Catching This Beautiful Fish is a Rare Prize In Montana

Fishing in Montana will humble you if you let it. Out here, the rivers don’t care about your fancy rod, your perfect cast, or how many YouTube tutorials you’ve watched. Most anglers fish for a variety of trout species, but there's one species of fish in the state that is considered the rarest of them all.

READ MORE: Great Montana Fishing Spots You Need to Know About

If you love to go fishing, Montana a great place to live, and is home to a variety of different fish species. Across the state, you'll find several great places to wet your line.

Catching This Beautiful Fish is a Rare Prize In Montana

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, there are 91 different species of fish in Montana. 57 are native to the state, and 34 are non-native. One of the native species is the Arctic Grayling, which can only be found in certain rivers and lakes in Montana.

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The only populations native to the lower 48 states were in Michigan and Montana, and the Michigan population is now extinct. Consequently, the fluvial or river-dwelling population in the upper Big Hole River are the last remnants of this native Fish of Special Concern.

That's right! Montana is the only state where Grayling still live and thrive in the lower 48. You can learn about this fascinating species using the Montana Field Guide.

The Montana Arctic grayling has a large, sail-like dorsal (back) fin and colorful body markings. The grayling comes in a wide array of colors. Their dorsal fins are typically fringed in red and dotted with large iridescent red, aqua, or purple spots and markings.

If you'd like to try your luck at fishing for Arctic Grayling in Montana, the map below shows where they have been reported in the state.

Reeling in an Arctic grayling isn’t just about landing a rare fish, it’s about experiencing one of Montana’s last wild treasures firsthand. Whether you release it back into the clear, cold water or simply catch a glimpse as it darts away, you’re connecting with a piece of the state’s natural history that exists nowhere else in the lower 48.