Why are non-native fish so beloved in Montana?

Montana’s affection for non-native fish highlights a nuanced chapter in the state’s angling lore. In a Big Why episode from Montana Public Radio, host Austin Amestoy and producer Nick Mott explore why rainbows and browns—not native to Montana—are so prized by anglers, even as invasive species like knapweed and leafy spurge provoke concern. Lewistown’s Big Springs Creek, home to the state’s largest coldwater trout hatchery, hatches millions of trout, including non-native rainbows and browns alongside native cutthroats. The piece frames the question from a listener in Jefferson County who asks why these non-native fish are valued in Montana’s waterways.

Two guides offered context on how this became part of the state’s fishing culture. Adam Strainer, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Fisheries Division Administrator, and Patrick Byorth, Montana Water Director for Trout Unlimited, explain that the pattern began in 1889 when the first rainbows and brown trout were introduced into streams in Yellowstone National Park. Since then, hatcheries and anglers have embraced non-native species for their abundance and sport, complicating debates about native ecosystems. The conversation, part of The Big Why’s listener-powered reporting, seeks to illuminate how these introductions shaped Montana’s fisheries and public perception.