List of fish of Montana facts for kids

Westslope Cutthroat Trout

There are at least 31 game and 59 non-game fish species known to occur in Montana. Among Montana's fish, three are listed as endangered or threatened species and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks lists a number of species as species of concern.

Species are listed by common name, scientific name, typical habitat and occurrence. Common and scientific names are from the Montana Field Guide.

Game fish

Trout

Bull trout

Order: Salmoniformes, Family: Salmonidae

• Native species
  • Westslope cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi (Salish: Pisɫ)
  • Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri
  • Columbia River redband trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri
  • Bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus (Salish: Aáy or Ɫaʔáy; Kutenai: Tuhuǂ)
  • Montana Arctic grayling, Thymallus arcticus montanus
  • Lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush
  • Mountain whitefish, Prosopium williamsoni (Salish: X̣ʷy̓u)
  • Pygmy whitefish, Prosopium coulteri
  • Lake whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis

Brown trout

• Non-native, exotic species
  • Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Other than the red band subspecies, rainbow trout are an introduced species in Montana)
  • Brown trout, Salmo trutta
  • Golden trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita
  • Brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis
  • Arctic grayling, Thymallus arcticus - Adfluvial grayling introduced into Montana Lakes
  • Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
  • Kokanee salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka
  • Cisco, Coregonus artedi

Paddlefish

Paddlefish

Order: Acipenseriformes, Family: Polyodontidae

• Paddlefish, Polyodon spathula

Pike

Order: Esociformes, Family: Esocidae

• Non-native, exotic species
  • Northern pike, Esox lucius
  • Tiger muskellunge, Esox masquinongy × lucius

Bass, Sunfish

Black crappie

Order: Perciformes, Family: Centrarchidae

• Non-native, exotic species
  • Black crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus
  • Largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides
  • Smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu
  • White crappie, Pomoxis annularis

Perch

Yellow perch

Order: Perciformes, Family: Percidae

• Native species
  • Sauger, Sander canadensis
• Non-native, exotic species
  • Yellow perch, Perca flavescens
  • Walleye, Sander vitreus

Catfish

Order: Siluriformes, Family: Ictaluridae

• Native species
  • Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

Sturgeon

Order: Acipenseriformes, Family: Acipenseridae

• Native species
  • Pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus
  • Shovelnose sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus
  • White sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus

Burbot

Burbot

Order: Gadiformes, Family: Gadidae

• Native species
  • Burbot, Lota lota

Non-game fish

Bass, sunfish

Bluegill

Order: Perciformes, Family: Centrarchidae

• Non-native, exotic species
  • Bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus
  • Green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus
  • Pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus
  • Rock bass, Ambloplites rupestris

Perch

Order: Perciformes, Family: Percidae

• Native species
  • Iowa darter, Etheostoma exile

Temperate basses

Order: Perciformes, Family: Moronidae

• Non-native, exotic species
  • White bass, Morone chrysops

Catfish

Yellow bullhead

Order: Siluriformes, Family: Ictaluridae

• Native species
  • Stonecat, Noturus flavus
• Non-native, exotic species
  • Black bullhead, Ameiurus melas
  • Yellow bullhead, Ameiurus natalis

Drum

Order: Perciformes, Family: Sciaenidae

• Native species
  • Freshwater drum, Aplodinotus grunniens

Smelt

Order: Salmoniformes, Family: Osmeridae

• Non native, exotic species
  • Rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax

Gars

Shortnose gar

Order: Lepisosteiformes. Family: Lepisosteidae

• Native species
  • Shortnose gar, Lepisosteus platostomus

Mooneyes

Order: Hiodontiformes, Family: Hiodontidae

• Native species
  • Goldeye, Hiodon alosoides

Mollies

Mosquitofish

Order: Cyprinodontiformes, Family: Poeciliidae

• Non-native, exotic species
  • Green swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri
  • Sailfin molly, Poecilia latipinna
  • Shortfin molly, Poecilia mexicana
  • Variable platyfish, Xiphophorus variatus
  • Western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis

Killifish

Order: Cyprinodontiformes, Family: Fundulidae

• Non-Native, exotic species
  • Northern Plains killifish, Fundulus kansae
  • Banded killifish, Fundulus diaphanus

Minnows

Sand shiner

Order: Cypriniformes, Family: Cyprinidae

• Native species
  • Brassy minnow, Hybognathus hankinsoni
  • Emerald shiner, Notropis atherinoides
  • Fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas
  • Flathead chub, Platygobio gracilis
  • Golden shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas
  • Longnose dace, Rhinichthys cataractae
  • Northern pikeminnow, Ptychocheilus oregonensis (Salish: Qʷq̓é)
  • Northern redbelly dace, Phoxinus eos
  • Peamouth, Mylocheilus caurinus
  • Allegheny pearl dace, Margariscus margarita
  • Northern pearl dace, Margariscus nachtriebi
  • Plains minnow, Hybognathus placitus
  • Redside shiner, Richardsonius balteatus
  • Sand shiner, Notropis stramineus
  • Sicklefin chub, Macrhybopsis meeki
  • Western silvery minnow, Hybognathus argyritis
  • Sturgeon chub, Macrhybopsis gelida
  • Lake chub, Couesius plumbeus
  • Creek chub, Semotilus atromaculatus
• Non-native, exotic species
  • Goldfish, Carassius auratus
  • Common carp, Cyprinus carpio
  • Spottail shiner, Notropis hudsonius
  • Utah chub, Gila atraria

Suckers

White sucker

Order: Cypriniformes, Family: Catostomidae

• Native species
  • Bigmouth buffalo, Ictiobus cyprinellus
  • Blue sucker, Cycleptus elongatus
  • Largescale sucker, Catostomus macrocheilus
  • Longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus
  • Mountain sucker, Catostomus platyrhynchus
  • River carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio
  • Shorthead redhorse, Moxostoma macrolepidotum
  • Smallmouth buffalo, Ictiobus bubalus
  • White sucker, Catostomus commersoni

Mudminnows

Order: Esociformes, Family: Umbridae

• Non-native, exotic species
  • Central mudminnow, Umbra limi

Sculpins

Mottled sculpin

Order: Scorpaeniformes, Family: Cottidae

• Native species
  • Deepwater sculpin, Myoxocephalus thompsonii
  • Mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdi
  • Slimy sculpin, Cottus cognatus
  • Spoonhead sculpin, Cottus ricei
  • Torrent sculpin, Cottus rhotheus

Sticklebacks

Brook stickleback

Order: Gasterosteiformes, Family: Gasterosteidae

• Native species
  • Brook stickleback, Culaea inconstans

Trout-perch

Order: Percopsiformes, Family: Percopsidae

• Native species
  • Trout-perch, Percopsis omiscomaycus

See also

• List of amphibians and reptiles of Montana
• Birds of Montana
• List of non-marine molluscs of Montana
• Fishes of Yellowstone National Park