Last stocked
May 26, 2026
Plants on record
66
Since 2011
Species recorded
3
Average size
4.5 in
Elevation
4,426.1 ft
Access and facts
- Water type
- reservoir
An off-stream irrigation reservoir in Lewis and Clark County, built in 1951 for the Nilan Water Users Association. The east dam has had sinkhole and drainage repairs, most recently in 2008.
Sources: water_type , shore_notes , photos , fishing_notes , watch_outs
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How Nilan Reservoir is stocked
The first plant of the year usually falls in the first week of June. In 2026 it was May 26, 2026, earlier than usual.
Willow Creek Reservoir (10.5 mi) was stocked more recently. Willow Creek Reservoir is also stocked with Rainbow Trout.
Fish at Nilan Reservoir
Fishing Nilan Reservoir is most likely to be for Rainbow Trout. Rainbow Trout accounts for 63 of 66 plants on record, ahead of Brook Trout and one more.
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 63 plants
- Plants
- 63 of 66
- Last stocked
- May 26, 2026
- Average length
- 4.5 in
Brook Trout 2 plants
- Plants
- 2 of 66
- Last stocked
- September 25, 2015
- Average length
- 4.1 in
Brown Trout 1 plant
- Plants
- 1 of 66
- Last stocked
- June 14, 2016
- Average length
- 4.3 in
Fishing Nilan Reservoir
Nilan Reservoir is located in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, offering recreational opportunities. 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.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
What to watch for
There are concerns with Nilan Reservoir due to the old condition of the dams.
Fish stocked per year
- 140,7702011
- 126,5012012
- 107,2932013
- 94,0742014
- 115,6942015
- 55,7182016
- 138,1972017
- 97,2262018
- 92,3702019
- 80,1752020
- 83,9932021
- 71,1162022
- 84,1122023
- 60,6402024
- 40,0002025
- 40,0002026
Stocking history
Showing 15 of 66 plants Showing 66 plants
| Date | Species | Quantity | Avg. length | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2026 | Rainbow Trout | 40,000 | 3.17 in | report |
| June 5, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 3.39 in | report |
| June 5, 2025 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 5.73 in | report |
| June 19, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | 20,640 | 4.12 in | report |
| June 12, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 5.18 in | report |
| June 12, 2024 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 5.69 in | report |
| June 28, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | 42,631 | 3.49 in | report |
| June 27, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | 250 | 10 in | report |
| June 14, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | 21,231 | 5.54 in | report |
| June 14, 2023 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 5.64 in | report |
| July 7, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 3.71 in | report |
| May 25, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | 24,865 | 5.11 in | report |
| May 25, 2022 | Rainbow Trout | 26,251 | 5.13 in | report |
| July 1, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 7,824 | 3.54 in | report |
| June 22, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 36,968 | 3.83 in | report |
| June 8, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 23,298 | 5.4 in | report |
| June 8, 2021 | Rainbow Trout | 15,903 | 4.94 in | report |
| June 18, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 40,000 | 3.66 in | report |
| June 18, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 20,175 | 4.42 in | report |
| June 18, 2020 | Rainbow Trout | 20,000 | 3.84 in | report |
| September 6, 2019 | Rainbow Trout | 9,972 | 4.12 in | report |
| June 18, 2019 | Rainbow Trout | 42,398 | 3.85 in | report |
| June 13, 2019 | Rainbow Trout | 40,000 | 4.84 in | report |
| September 11, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 8,997 | 5.08 in | report |
| July 2, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 7,729 | 3.75 in | report |
| June 14, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 19,336 | 4.83 in | report |
| June 14, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 40,000 | 3.2 in | report |
| June 12, 2018 | Rainbow Trout | 21,164 | 5.04 in | report |
| September 27, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 29,610 | 5.34 in | report |
| September 21, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 10,475 | 4.9 in | report |
| June 22, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 39,016 | 3.6 in | report |
| June 14, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 12,394 | 6.2 in | report |
| June 14, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 17,705 | 6.2 in | report |
| June 13, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 5,000 | 6.2 in | report |
| May 3, 2017 | Rainbow Trout | 23,997 | 2.77 in | report |
| September 21, 2016 | Rainbow Trout | 10,751 | 4.59 in | report |
| June 14, 2016 | Rainbow Trout | 43,969 | 2.3 in | report |
| June 14, 2016 | Brown Trout | 998 | 4.34 in | report |
| September 25, 2015 | Brook Trout | 5,772 | 3.5 in | report |
| September 24, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 4,004 | 5.03 in | report |
| June 11, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 40,104 | 3.61 in | report |
| June 11, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 10,262 | 5.4 in | report |
| June 10, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 29,752 | 5.25 in | report |
| April 27, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 15,200 | 2.36 in | report |
| April 27, 2015 | Rainbow Trout | 10,600 | 1.9 in | report |
| October 9, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 1,917 | 7.2 in | report |
| June 19, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 44,000 | 3.8 in | report |
| June 17, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 30,924 | 5.71 in | report |
| June 17, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 9,537 | 5.22 in | report |
| May 29, 2014 | Rainbow Trout | 7,696 | 3.04 in | report |
| June 12, 2013 | Rainbow Trout | 20,465 | 2.77 in | report |
| June 12, 2013 | Rainbow Trout | 5,997 | 3.13 in | report |
| June 12, 2013 | Rainbow Trout | 40,000 | 3.85 in | report |
| June 12, 2013 | Rainbow Trout | 14,678 | 5.6 in | report |
| June 5, 2013 | Rainbow Trout | 26,153 | 5.52 in | report |
| July 25, 2012 | Rainbow Trout | 28,576 | 3.9 in | report |
| July 24, 2012 | Brook Trout | 12,925 | 4.7 in | report |
| June 22, 2012 | Rainbow Trout | 5,000 | 3.5 in | report |
| June 14, 2012 | Rainbow Trout | 5,680 | 5.3 in | report |
| June 6, 2012 | Rainbow Trout | 40,000 | 2.9 in | report |
| June 6, 2012 | Rainbow Trout | 34,320 | 5 in | report |
| July 21, 2011 | Rainbow Trout | 4,530 | 5.12 in | report |
| July 6, 2011 | Rainbow Trout | 25,680 | 3.7 in | report |
| June 23, 2011 | Rainbow Trout | 30,366 | 3.3 in | report |
| June 15, 2011 | Rainbow Trout | 40,000 | 3.1 in | report |
| May 17, 2011 | Rainbow Trout | 40,194 | 4.7 in | report |
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Species stocked here
Depth-by-season, top lures, and bait notes for each species stocked here are on its own species guide, linked above.