River Access

As we get into the busy season here on the Missouri River and as we approach the general fishing opener on May 16th, please take some time to review Montana stream access laws.

We are so blessed and privileged to have the abundance of access to water that we do and this is certainly a big part of what makes the Missouri such a popular destination. We can’t take for granted the fact that private land owners grant much of this access and the access is at their discretion. We must all go out of our way to respect all of the land we use while fishing the Missouri and elswhere. Please pack in/pack out whatever you bring with you wherever you fish and pick up any trash you find – it goes a long way in keeping land owners happy.

Despite the abundance of granted access on this river I still see vehicles on a fairly regular basis parked at fences with posts painted orange. For those who aren’t familiar with the access laws the orange paint is akin to a No Trespassing sign.

Orange Painted Posts mean NO TRESPASSING in Montana. Please respect private property. photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The law states that any notice denying entry must consist of written notice or of notice by painting a post, structure or natural object with at least 50 square inches of fluorescent orange paint.

Please respect private property by not trespassing and by closing any gates you open on granted access property.

For more information on Montana Stream Access Law please refer to the FWP web site here;

http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/access/streamAccess.html