Fish culturist Ryan Lott and his hatchery crew have officially launched the 2026 stocking season, delivering a fresh wave of rainbow trout across Northeast Montana. While Kountz Pond received a hearty supply of catchable 7″-9″ fish via truck, the crew took to the skies to distribute over 30,000 fingerlings across dozens of regional reservoirs by helicopter. From the massive 6,000-fish drop at Sentinel Reservoir to the remote waters of Phillips and Blaine Counties, the team is ensuring that Montana’s high-altitude and backcountry fishing holes are well-stocked for the season ahead.
Here’s the report as of May 14, 2026:
by fish culturist Ryan Lott and the hatchery crew
We started our rainbow trout stocking season last week!
Catchable Rainbow Trout 7″-9″
Kountz Pond (Prairie Co.) 250 fishListed below are all the ponds that were stocked by helicopter
-Fingerling rainbow Trout of 2″-3″Big Reservoir (Valley Co.) 2500 fish
O’Juel Lake (Valley Co.) 1000 fish
Killenbeck Reservoir (Daniels Co.) 1000 fish
Carney Pond (Daniels Co.) 1000 fish
Christensen Reservoir (Sheridan Co.) 2500 fish
Hofman Reservoir (Roosevelt Co.) 1000 fish
Crusch Reservoir (Roosevelt Co.) 2500 fish
Raymond Dam (Sheridan Co.) 1000 fish
Candee Pond (Richland Co.) 1000 fishBatosh Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 500 fish
Brookie Pond (Blaine Co.) 500 fish
Current Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 3000 fish
Flake Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 250 fish
Hump Lake (Phillips Co.) 500 fish
King Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 1500 fish
North Polly Reservoir (Blaine Co.) 1000 fish
PR 035 Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 500 fish
PR 022 Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 500 fish
Rebate Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 250 fish
Sentinel Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 6000 fish
Shallow Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 250 fish
South Polly Reservoir (Blaine Co.) 250 fish
Spanky Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 250 fish
Wrangler Reservoir (Phillips Co.) 250 fish
Lone Tree Pond (Blaine Co.) 1000 fish
Tabbot Pond (Phillips Co.) 1000 fish