Giant Springs Fish Pond

A person who owns or lawfully controls a private fish pond may obtain a license from FWP to stock the pond with fish. Only lawfully purchased fish may be planted. Contact your local FWP office for more information. Some additional sources of information are listed below:

• A Guide to Building and Managing Private Fish Ponds in Montana ( 420 KB)-The purpose of this handbook is to provide the prospective pond builder with an overview of the process of planning, permitting, constructing, and managing a successful private fish pond. For those considering building a pond, several sources of information are listed in the references at the end of this guide.
• Registration of Koi or Goldfish Ponds -Koi and goldfish are controlled exotic fish species that can be legally kept indoors in an aquarium or outdoors in ponds that meet certain criteria. Such ponds must be registered with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. For stocking of other fish species in ponds please contact your local FWP office.
• Private Ponds License Search -Search for existing private pond licenses by name, business name, or license number.

No fishing license is required to fish on licensed, privately stocked fish ponds. Fishing license requirements apply to all other ponds and/or waters on private land.

Fees

The license application fee for a private or non-commercial fish pond is $10.

Fish Pond Laws

• Fish Ponds, Seining, and Commercial Taking of Aquatic Fish Food Organisms- MCA 87-4-601 to 87-4-610
• Commercial Minnow Seining License- ARM 12-7-201 to 12-7-206
• Importation- ARM 12-7-501 to 12-7-507 and ARM 12-7-540 to 12-7-542
• Sale of Excess Fish Eggs- ARM 12-7-901 to 12-7-906
• Requirements for the Care and Housing of Exotic Wildlife Held in Captivity- ARM 12-6-2203

Fish Pond Applications

Regulations are intended to allow the stocking of private fish ponds while ensuring that public resources are not adversely affected by unwanted fish or fish diseases, that nuisance aquatic species are not planted into ponds where they can escape or be introduced into state waters, and that habitat of wild fish is not harmed.

• Private Fish Ponds Permit Application (61 KB) | 82 KB)
  • General Abstract Example #1 (10 KB)
  • General Abstract Example #2 (15 KB)
• Non-Commercial Private Fish Pond Transfer Application (133 KB) | 106 KB)