Spring Meadow Lake fishing

Spring Meadow Lake fishing is stocked with Cutthroat Trout and Rainbow Trout on a community pond. Also recorded: Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch. It is stocked about 3.1 times a year since 2011, most often in May and September. Species guides list dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout and Largemouth Bass, dusk for Pumpkinseed, and dawn, day, and dusk for Yellow Perch.

AI-generated illustration, not a photo of this lake
Last stocked
September 8, 2026
· Rainbow Trout
Plants on record
49
Since 2011
Species stocked
2 (+3 also recorded)
Average size
8.5 in
Elevation
3,908 ft

Fish at Spring Meadow Lake

2 stocked · 3 confirmed present

Around the dates Spring Meadow Lake is stocked, Open-Meteo's 2016-2025 archive puts mean air temperature at 52.7°F in May, 58.5°F in September, 41.3°F in April, 61.9°F in June. That is air temperature at these coordinates, not water temperature. Open-Meteo

Rainbow Trout Stocked · 34 plants · last September 8, 2026 Best: dawn, dusk

Last stocked September 8, 2026 · avg 8 in · 34 plants

Best: dawn, dusk

Rainbow Trout species guide

Spring Meadow Lake, a man-made, spring-fed lake just west of Helena, Montana, is used for fishing, including ice fishing in winter. Largemouth bass, westslope cutthroat trout, yellow perch, and pumpkinseed are the main catches. Trout, bass, and sunfish have been introduced into its waters. An ADA accessible fishing dock and a fishing pier were added to the lake. (en.wikipedia.org, accessed October 5, 2026)(fwp.mt.gov, accessed October 5, 2026)

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

How Spring Meadow Lake is stocked

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Glen Lake (9.8 mi) was stocked more recently. Glen Lake is also stocked with Rainbow Trout.

Fish stocked in 2011

3,500

Fish stocked in 2012

3,000

Fish stocked in 2013

3,862

Fish stocked in 2014

3,518

Fish stocked in 2015

3,506

Fish stocked in 2016

500

Fish stocked in 2017

3,000

Fish stocked in 2018

2,750

Fish stocked in 2019

2,700

Fish stocked in 2020

6,050

Fish stocked in 2021

3,500

Fish stocked in 2022

3,500

Fish stocked in 2023

3,504

Fish stocked in 2024

3,548

Fish stocked in 2025

3,500

Fish stocked in 2026

3,400

Stocking history

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
September 8, 2026Rainbow Trout1,5007.81 inreport
May 29, 2026Cutthroat Trout5009.84 inreport
May 11, 2026Rainbow Trout1,4007.64 inreport
September 11, 2025Rainbow Trout1,5007.89 inreport
June 3, 2025Rainbow Trout1,5007.55 inreport
May 1, 2025Cutthroat Trout5006.59 inreport
September 16, 2024Rainbow Trout1,5007.58 inreport
May 29, 2024Rainbow Trout1,5007.5 inreport
April 25, 2024Cutthroat Trout5487.31 inreport
September 14, 2023Rainbow Trout1,5007.4 inreport
June 1, 2023Rainbow Trout1,5007.33 inreport
April 28, 2023Cutthroat Trout5048.41 inreport
September 7, 2022Rainbow Trout1,5007.16 inreport
May 20, 2022Rainbow Trout1,5007.09 inreport
May 2, 2022Cutthroat Trout5008.3 inreport
September 17, 2021Rainbow Trout1,5007.65 inreport
May 28, 2021Rainbow Trout1,5007.58 inreport
April 22, 2021Cutthroat Trout5008.41 inreport
September 17, 2020Rainbow Trout1,5007.55 inreport
June 8, 2020Rainbow Trout1,8007.51 inreport
May 29, 2020Rainbow Trout1,5007.49 inreport
April 15, 2020Rainbow Trout7509.25 inreport
April 8, 2020Cutthroat Trout5008.54 inreport
September 19, 2019Rainbow Trout7507.84 inreport
May 31, 2019Rainbow Trout1,5006.8 inreport
May 10, 2019Cutthroat Trout4508.3 inreport
September 18, 2018Rainbow Trout7507.1 inreport
May 31, 2018Rainbow Trout1,5006.7 inreport
April 17, 2018Cutthroat Trout50012.28 inreport
September 18, 2017Rainbow Trout1,5008.67 inreport
June 2, 2017Rainbow Trout1,5008.5 inreport
December 28, 2016Cutthroat Trout50012.87 inreport
December 22, 2015Cutthroat Trout50011.39 inreport
September 29, 2015Rainbow Trout1,5008.01 inreport
June 1, 2015Rainbow Trout1,5068.01 inreport
December 8, 2014Cutthroat Trout50010.37 inreport
September 18, 2014Rainbow Trout1,5007.05 inreport
May 27, 2014Rainbow Trout1,5187.95 inreport
December 31, 2013Rainbow Trout32614.97 inreport
September 23, 2013Rainbow Trout1,5367.87 inreport
May 31, 2013Rainbow Trout7507.32 inreport
May 22, 2013Rainbow Trout7507.3 inreport
January 3, 2013Cutthroat Trout5008.56 inreport
October 10, 2012Rainbow Trout1,50012.1 inreport
May 29, 2012Rainbow Trout1,5006.9 inreport
September 2, 2011Rainbow Trout1,5008.7 inreport
June 1, 2011Rainbow Trout1,5007.5 inreport
January 6, 2011Cutthroat Trout4009.76 inreport
January 6, 2011Cutthroat Trout10013.07 inreport

Access and facts

Water type
community pond
Nearest town
Helena
Shore access
Yes
ADA accessible
Yes
Fee required
Yes
Facilities
restrooms

An urban day-use park on Helena's western edge with an ADA-accessible fishing dock, a 0.8-mile self-guided nature trail circling the lake, picnic shelters, and swimming. Ice fishing when the 14-acre lake freezes hard enough. No camping.

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

View larger map · Open in Google Maps · Directions

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

Nearest lakes

Glen Lake 9.8 mi last stocked September 10, 2026 Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir 9.9 mi last stocked May 12, 2026 Island Lake 9.9 mi last stocked September 30, 2024 Park Lake 12.2 mi last stocked July 28, 2021 Hauser Reservoir 13.1 mi last stocked June 25, 2026

Camping near Spring Meadow Lake

Campgrounds within 15 miles of Spring Meadow Lake's mapped point, nearest first: White Sandy Campground (12.6 miles), Clark's Bay Day Use Area Shelter (MT) camping (13.4 miles), and Devil's Elbow Campground (14.1 miles), each with its own campground page on campgroundsdb.com.

Straight-line distances.

Public land at Spring Meadow Lake

Spring Meadow Lake is inside Spring Meadow Lake State Park.

Boundaries from Public Lands DB, part of the same network.

Common questions

What fish are at Spring Meadow Lake?

Fishing Spring Meadow Lake usually means Rainbow Trout: Rainbow Trout accounts for 34 of 49 plants on record, ahead of Cutthroat Trout. Rainbow Trout was last stocked September 8, 2026, averaging 8 in. Cutthroat Trout was last stocked May 29, 2026, averaging 9.6 in. Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch are recorded here outside the stocking reports.

When is Spring Meadow Lake stocked?

Last stocked September 8, 2026. It is stocked about 3.1 times a year since 2011, most often in May and September.

How big are the fish stocked at Spring Meadow Lake?

Stocked fish average 8.5 in. Rainbow Trout average 8 in. Cutthroat Trout average 9.6 in.

How do you get on Spring Meadow Lake?

Shore fishing is available, it is ADA accessible, and a fee is required. The nearest town is Helena. Facilities include restrooms. An urban day-use park on Helena's western edge with an ADA-accessible fishing dock, a 0.8-mile self-guided nature trail circling the lake, picnic shelters, and swimming. Ice fishing when the 14-acre lake freezes hard enough. No camping.

Which lakes near Spring Meadow Lake were stocked more recently?

Glen Lake (9.8 mi) was stocked more recently. Glen Lake is also stocked with Rainbow Trout.

Sources (3) +