Outlook Trail Private Pond License Review FWP-DN-FSH-R3-24-083

Dec 31, 2024 2:18 PM

A private landowner is applying for a Private Fish Pond License and proposes to stock Rainbow Trout in an unnamed private pond. The Pond is 0.33 surface acres and located on 1501 Outlook Trail in Big Sky, Montana. This pond is west of Big Sky about 0.5 miles south of the Middle Fork of the West Fork of the Gallatin River, which is a tributary to the West Fork Gallatin River. The Middle Fork of the West Fork of the Gallatin River contains Brook Trout, Westslope Cutthroat Trout and Rainbow Trout. The pond is fed from a groundwater well located at the site. The outlet consists of a screened Agri-Drain control structure. The intermittent discharge of the pond is directed towards a vegetated swale on the property. Rainbow Trout are not native to the Middle Fork of the West Fork of the Gallatin River or the West Fork Gallatin River but were legally stocked. Rainbow Trout could be removed from the pond via chemical treatments or through senescence.

The project is sponsored by the private landowner, and the license would be active for 10 years from the year of issuance (2024). The license can be renewed for additional 10 year intervals at the end of each term, and the license is transferable.