• Fisheries 



The diverse fishery resource of the Missouri River drainage 

 from the Smith River to Fort Peck Reservoir allows the angler to 

 search small headwater streams for pure "natives," fly fish for 

 brown and rainbow trout, or snag paddlefish from the muddy waters 

 of the main stem. The Great Falls historically established the 

 upper and lower boundaries of the river's fisheries: above the 

 falls are its headwaters with trout populations and a riffle/pool 

 character. Below the falls, channel catfish, sauger, paddlefish 

 and sturgeon dominate the fisheries of the warmer, slow moving 

 waters. The 207 miles of river from Maroney Dam to Fork Peck 

 Reservoir, is the longest free-flowing section remaining on the 

 Missouri today. Within this reach, from Fort Benton to Fred 

 Robinson Bridge, lies the 149-mile section of the Missouri 

 designated a part of the national Wild and Scenic River System. 

 Although the original designation stemmed in large part from the 

 river's historical and recreational features, subsequent fisheries 

 investigations support, as well as depend upon, the river's wild 

 and scenic values. 



A total of 2,217 miles of stream in 314 reaches were assessed 

 in the central Missouri River drainage (Tables 47 and 48). The 

 majority of reaches receiving a Class I and II final resource 

 value did so due to the presence of species (paddlefish and pallid 

 sturgeon) and habitats (spring creeks) of special concern. Ten of 

 the 14 reaches receiving a Class II final resource value contained 

 potentially pure westslope cutthroat trout. Although the majority 

 of the reaches (76 percent) received a final resource value of 

 Class III or lower, area biologists believe this was partially 

 due to a need for an update of the fisheries data base. 



The presence of the Great Falls was the major factor in 

 determining the final resource value of the Missouri's main stem 

 fisheries from the Smith River to Fort Peck Reservoir. The 207 

 miles of river below the Great Falls received a Class I final 

 resource value due to seasonal presence of spawning paddlefish and 

 pallid sturgeon, both species of special concern. And the lower 

 75 miles of this section also received a Class I in the sport 

 fishery value, making it one of only seven reaches in the state 

 receiving a Class I in both categories. The 40 miles of river 

 between the Smith and Maroney Dam appear to be a transitional zone 

 from a cold-water to a warm-water fishery and have also been 

 impacted from urban development. The three main stem reaches in 

 this section each received Class III final resource values. 



Of the 38 reaches assessed in the Musselshell, not one 

 received above a Class III in the sport fishery value. And only 

 four stream reaches received a Class II or above in the final 

 resource value -- two small reaches in the Snowy Mountains where 

 pure or potentially pure westslope cutthroat trout were present, 

 and two reaches of the Musselshell where importance to the local 

 community boosted their accumulated points to a Class II habitat 



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