Nilan Reservoir fishing

Nilan Reservoir fishing is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, and Brown Trout on a reservoir. Also recorded: White Sucker. It is stocked about 4.1 times a year since 2011, most often in June and July. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout and dawn, day, and dusk for Brook Trout and Brown Trout.

Nilan Reservoir
Photo: Kristen Steele / Montana FWP, CC BY 4.0
Last stocked
May 26, 2026
· Rainbow Trout
Plants on record
66
Since 2011
Species stocked
3 (+1 also recorded)
Average size
4.5 in
Elevation
4,426.1 ft

Fish at Nilan Reservoir

3 stocked · 1 confirmed present

Around the dates Nilan Reservoir is stocked, Open-Meteo's 2016-2025 archive puts mean air temperature at 58.8°F in June, 67.8°F in July, 56.4°F in September, 50.2°F in May. That is air temperature at these coordinates, not water temperature. Open-Meteo

Rainbow Trout Stocked · 63 plants · last May 26, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk

Last stocked May 26, 2026 · avg 4.5 in · 63 plants

Best: dawn, dusk

Rainbow Trout species guide
Brook Trout Stocked · 2 plants · last September 25, 2015 Best: dawn, day, dusk

Last stocked September 25, 2015 · avg 4.1 in · 2 plants

Best: dawn, day, dusk

Brook Trout species guide
Brown Trout Stocked · 1 plant · last June 14, 2016 Best: dawn, day, dusk

Last stocked June 14, 2016 · avg 4.3 in · 1 plant

Best: dawn, day, dusk

Brown Trout species guide

It provides a fishing access site, a boat launch, and a camping area for visitors. Anglers can find three species of fish in Nilan Reservoir: rainbow trout, brown trout, and white sucker. (en.wikipedia.org, accessed September 22, 2026)

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

How Nilan Reservoir is stocked

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Clemons Coulee Reservoir (10.1 mi), Willow Creek Reservoir (10.3 mi), and Crystal Lake (10.8 mi) were stocked more recently. Clemons Coulee Reservoir is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, Willow Creek Reservoir is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, and Crystal Lake is also stocked with Rainbow Trout.

Fish stocked in 2011

140,770

Fish stocked in 2012

126,501

Fish stocked in 2013

107,293

Fish stocked in 2014

94,074

Fish stocked in 2015

115,694

Fish stocked in 2016

55,718

Fish stocked in 2017

138,197

Fish stocked in 2018

97,226

Fish stocked in 2019

92,370

Fish stocked in 2020

80,175

Fish stocked in 2021

83,993

Fish stocked in 2022

71,116

Fish stocked in 2023

84,112

Fish stocked in 2024

60,640

Fish stocked in 2025

40,000

Fish stocked in 2026

40,000

Stocking history

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
May 26, 2026Rainbow Trout40,0003.17 inreport
June 5, 2025Rainbow Trout20,0003.39 inreport
June 5, 2025Rainbow Trout20,0005.73 inreport
June 19, 2024Rainbow Trout20,6404.12 inreport
June 12, 2024Rainbow Trout20,0005.18 inreport
June 12, 2024Rainbow Trout20,0005.69 inreport
June 28, 2023Rainbow Trout42,6313.49 inreport
June 27, 2023Rainbow Trout25010 inreport
June 14, 2023Rainbow Trout21,2315.54 inreport
June 14, 2023Rainbow Trout20,0005.64 inreport
July 7, 2022Rainbow Trout20,0003.71 inreport
May 25, 2022Rainbow Trout24,8655.11 inreport
May 25, 2022Rainbow Trout26,2515.13 inreport
July 1, 2021Rainbow Trout7,8243.54 inreport
June 22, 2021Rainbow Trout36,9683.83 inreport
June 8, 2021Rainbow Trout23,2985.4 inreport
June 8, 2021Rainbow Trout15,9034.94 inreport
June 18, 2020Rainbow Trout40,0003.66 inreport
June 18, 2020Rainbow Trout20,1754.42 inreport
June 18, 2020Rainbow Trout20,0003.84 inreport
September 6, 2019Rainbow Trout9,9724.12 inreport
June 18, 2019Rainbow Trout42,3983.85 inreport
June 13, 2019Rainbow Trout40,0004.84 inreport
September 11, 2018Rainbow Trout8,9975.08 inreport
July 2, 2018Rainbow Trout7,7293.75 inreport
June 14, 2018Rainbow Trout19,3364.83 inreport
June 14, 2018Rainbow Trout40,0003.2 inreport
June 12, 2018Rainbow Trout21,1645.04 inreport
September 27, 2017Rainbow Trout29,6105.34 inreport
September 21, 2017Rainbow Trout10,4754.9 inreport
June 22, 2017Rainbow Trout39,0163.6 inreport
June 14, 2017Rainbow Trout12,3946.2 inreport
June 14, 2017Rainbow Trout17,7056.2 inreport
June 13, 2017Rainbow Trout5,0006.2 inreport
May 3, 2017Rainbow Trout23,9972.77 inreport
September 21, 2016Rainbow Trout10,7514.59 inreport
June 14, 2016Rainbow Trout43,9692.3 inreport
June 14, 2016Brown Trout9984.34 inreport
September 25, 2015Brook Trout5,7723.5 inreport
September 24, 2015Rainbow Trout4,0045.03 inreport
June 11, 2015Rainbow Trout40,1043.61 inreport
June 11, 2015Rainbow Trout10,2625.4 inreport
June 10, 2015Rainbow Trout29,7525.25 inreport
April 27, 2015Rainbow Trout15,2002.36 inreport
April 27, 2015Rainbow Trout10,6001.9 inreport
October 9, 2014Rainbow Trout1,9177.2 inreport
June 19, 2014Rainbow Trout44,0003.8 inreport
June 17, 2014Rainbow Trout30,9245.71 inreport
June 17, 2014Rainbow Trout9,5375.22 inreport
May 29, 2014Rainbow Trout7,6963.04 inreport
June 12, 2013Rainbow Trout20,4652.77 inreport
June 12, 2013Rainbow Trout5,9973.13 inreport
June 12, 2013Rainbow Trout40,0003.85 inreport
June 12, 2013Rainbow Trout14,6785.6 inreport
June 5, 2013Rainbow Trout26,1535.52 inreport
July 25, 2012Rainbow Trout28,5763.9 inreport
July 24, 2012Brook Trout12,9254.7 inreport
June 22, 2012Rainbow Trout5,0003.5 inreport
June 14, 2012Rainbow Trout5,6805.3 inreport
June 6, 2012Rainbow Trout40,0002.9 inreport
June 6, 2012Rainbow Trout34,3205 inreport
July 21, 2011Rainbow Trout4,5305.12 inreport
July 6, 2011Rainbow Trout25,6803.7 inreport
June 23, 2011Rainbow Trout30,3663.3 inreport
June 15, 2011Rainbow Trout40,0003.1 inreport
May 17, 2011Rainbow Trout40,1944.7 inreport

Access and facts

Water type
reservoir
Nearest town
Augusta
Boat ramp
Yes
Facilities
camping, restrooms

Off-stream irrigation reservoir built in 1951, 7 miles west of Augusta on Benchmark Road (7140 Benchmark Rd). FWP's access site has a concrete ramp, primitive campsites, and pit toilets. Drawdowns make levels fluctuate; the east dam had sinkhole repairs, most recently in 2008.

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

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Advisories, closures, regulations and water conditions change. Check the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks before you go.

About Nilan Reservoir

Photo of Nilan Reservoir
Kristen Steele / Montana FWP, CC BY 4.0

Nearest lakes

Clemons Coulee Reservoir 10.1 mi last stocked June 17, 2026 Willow Creek Reservoir 10.3 mi last stocked July 13, 2026 Crystal Lake 10.8 mi last stocked September 4, 2026 Tunnel Lake 12 mi last stocked May 21, 2026 Pishkun Reservoir 14.9 mi last stocked May 1, 2026

Common questions

What fish are at Nilan Reservoir?

Fishing Nilan Reservoir usually means Rainbow Trout: Rainbow Trout accounts for 63 of 66 plants on record, ahead of Brook Trout and one more. Rainbow Trout was last stocked May 26, 2026, averaging 4.5 in. Brook Trout was last stocked September 25, 2015, averaging 4.1 in. Brown Trout was last stocked June 14, 2016, averaging 4.3 in. White Sucker is recorded here outside the stocking reports.

When is Nilan Reservoir stocked?

Last stocked May 26, 2026. It is stocked about 4.1 times a year since 2011, most often in June and July.

How big are the fish stocked at Nilan Reservoir?

Stocked fish average 4.5 in. Rainbow Trout average 4.5 in. Brook Trout average 4.1 in. Brown Trout average 4.3 in.

How do you get on Nilan Reservoir?

There is a boat ramp. The nearest town is Augusta. Facilities include camping and restrooms. Off-stream irrigation reservoir built in 1951, 7 miles west of Augusta on Benchmark Road (7140 Benchmark Rd). FWP's access site has a concrete ramp, primitive campsites, and pit toilets. Drawdowns make levels fluctuate; the east dam had sinkhole repairs, most recently in 2008.

Which lakes near Nilan Reservoir were stocked more recently?

Clemons Coulee Reservoir (10.1 mi), Willow Creek Reservoir (10.3 mi), and Crystal Lake (10.8 mi) were stocked more recently. Clemons Coulee Reservoir is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, Willow Creek Reservoir is also stocked with Rainbow Trout, and Crystal Lake is also stocked with Rainbow Trout.

Sources (5) +