Lake Trout
(Salvelinus namaycush)

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Lake Trout

Montana’s native lake trout populations remain in Waterton Lake, Glenns Lake, Cosley Lake, and St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park and Lower St. Mary Lake in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Other native populations occur in Twin Lake in the Big Hole River drainage and Elk Lake in the Red Rock River drainage. In Montana, native lake trout inhabit a few deep, cold lakes remaining from glacial events. Conservation concerns include: little information on native populations; irregular recruitment; and genetic bottlenecks caused by small size of remaining populations. Conservation strategies include: considering a management plan for the lake trout (native lakes) or including it in another comprehensive taxonomic plan; increasing monitoring and surveying; and reintroducing genetically pure native populations.