See every public fishing venue in Montana on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Little Bull Elk Creek is a public river in Big Horn County, Montana, managed by State of Montana (public / navigable water). You can fish it on a Montana fishing licence; bank access is at bridge crossings, MTFWP access points and public parks. Montana riverbeds are private property up to the ordinary high-water mark except on a few federally-declared-navigable reaches, so wading or bank fishing away from a public access point needs the landowner's permission. Public access confirmed via public-trust river.
A Montana trout stream — rainbow, brown, brook and westslope cutthroat trout plus mountain whitefish, in clear, cold, freestone or spring-fed water typical of the western two-thirds of the state.
It runs roughly 10 miles through the Southeast Montana region. Anglers here mostly fish for rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, westslope cutthroat trout; mountain whitefish, yellowstone cutthroat trout are also on record. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Big Bull Elk Creek and Lime Kiln Creek.
Species from PiscaMaps water-type profiles, MTFWP trout designations and hand research.
Night fishing: No statewide night-fishing closure in Montana, though many Blue Ribbon trout rivers have seasonal 'hoot owl' restrictions (afternoon/evening closures) during hot, low-water summer conditions to protect stressed trout — check current FWP drought restrictions before an evening trip.
Boats: Most Montana trout rivers (the Madison, Big Hole, Beaverhead, Bitterroot, Gallatin) are floated by drift boat, raft, canoe or kayak; the Missouri, Yellowstone and Flathead/Clark Fork system take full-size boats in their lower, wider reaches.
Bank & bivvy camping: Montana has one of the most angler-friendly access laws in the country: the 1985 Stream Access Law grants the public the right to use any river or stream capable of recreational use for recreation up to the ordinary high-water mark, regardless of who owns the streambed. You can wade, fish and portage between MTFWP Fishing Access Sites and bridge rights-of-way without needing separate landowner permission on the water itself — just don't cross private land to reach the water away from a public access point.
Anyone 12 or older needs a Montana fishing licence — the resident annual (Conservation License + fishing) is about $34, the non-resident annual about $150, with non-resident 2-day (~$35) and 10-day (~$75) licences also sold. A separate Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) prevention pass fee applies to residents and non-residents alike. Montana residents 62 and older, and legally blind residents, pay a reduced fee. Buy from FWP at fwp.mt.gov. A Montana fishing licence covers this river under the state's stream access law, which grants the public the right to use rivers and streams for recreation up to the ordinary high-water mark on any water capable of recreational use, regardless of who owns the streambed — one of the most angler-friendly access laws in the country.
Every water carries species, bank & boat access, current regulations and live water conditions — and members get Swim Mapper, Catch Logger and Trip Planner. It's the only US map with a dedicated carp-water layer.
Open the Montana map Start your free trial