Lake · Gallatin, Montana
Hebgen Lake near West Yellowstone
Current Lake Rating
Unavailable
A condition rating is not available from the current lake evidence.
Rating confidence: Low
Should I Go?
Not Enough Data
Fishing guidance for this destination based on available lake conditions, weather, and seasonal context. It is not a boating, swimming, ice, or access-safety rating.
Why
- Not enough current water information is available to recommend a reliable fishing window
- Live water observations could not be retrieved at this time.
Current Readings
Key lake readings are not available right now.
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Weather Near Lake
Current Weather
Partly cloudy
Temperature
52°F
Feels like
45°F
Wind
5 mph W
Wind gust
5 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Sep 5, 2026, 1:45 AM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this lake
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.00 in
Little recent rainfall near this lake.
Next 24 Hours
Sat 2 AM
Partly cloudy
Temp 52°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Sat 6 AM
Clear
Temp 50°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Sat 10 AM
Clear
Temp 61°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 8 mph
Sat 2 PM
Clear
Temp 72°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 13 mph
Sat 6 PM
Clear
Temp 71°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 11 mph
Sat 10 PM
Clear
Temp 60°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Sat, Sep 5
Partly cloudy
High 73°F / Low 49°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 27 mph
Sun, Sep 6
Drizzle
High 75°F / Low 52°F
Chance 28%
Precip 0.01 in
Max gust 24 mph
Mon, Sep 7
Showers
High 58°F / Low 42°F
Chance 81%
Precip 0.27 in
Max gust 36 mph
Tue, Sep 8
Overcast
High 65°F / Low 36°F
Chance 34%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 11 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this lake's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence lake level and access, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, and reservoir operations where applicable.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Lake Elevation History
Elevation is reported relative to the datum used by this USGS monitoring site. Elevations from different lakes or datums should not be directly compared.
Loading historical elevation…
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Hebgen Lake.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Hebgen Lake near West Yellowstone is a popular FWP wild trout stillwater beside the upper Madison. StrikeTracks keeps this existing public ID on PATH B static fishery value. Current same-lake evidence is elevation only, so the public condition class remains honest Unavailable / runtime abstention. FWP discontinued hatchery rainbow stocking after documenting wild recruitment. This repair does not promote Monitoring-Backed, invent 00010, or remap to the Madison below Hebgen. Mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) are a native game fish in this drainage per official state fishery management; they are described here because StrikeTracks has no species-selector ID. Confirm current FWP whitefish rules separately (https://fwp.mt.gov/fish). Hatch Match publishes seasonal hatch guidance based on published local fishing sources. Actual insect activity varies with weather, water temperature, elevation, and local conditions. This is not a live hatch observation.
Target species
Brown Trout
Salmo trutta
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
FWP Madison River drainage plan manages Hebgen Reservoir as a wild trout stillwater (rainbow and brown). Elevation-only USGS 06038000 is not live thermal evidence.
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Unknown
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
FWP Madison River drainage plan manages Hebgen Reservoir as a wild trout stillwater (rainbow and brown). Elevation-only USGS 06038000 is not live thermal evidence.
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Wild
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Mixed flow regime
Large Madison River storage reservoir above Hebgen Dam near West Yellowstone. Elevation-only USGS is not a thermal substitute. Wild trout forage on aquatic invertebrates in this stillwater. Hatch Match now publishes destination-specific stillwater seasonal midge, Callibaetis, and Trico windows from two independent local sources. Kokanee, crayfish, and baitfish remain forage, not Hatch taxa.
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
- Winter
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Trolling
Access and Public Fishing Rights
Public reservoir fishing and launches are documented by FWP and adjacent public lands. Confirm current launch, ice, and dam-area rules. Catalog coordinates are the USGS point, not a verified launch pin.
Stocking information
FWP Madison drainage plan: rainbow stocking in Hebgen Reservoir ceased in 2016 after wild-origin evidence. Confirm any current official stocking separately.
Official sources
Hebgen Reservoir is managed under Central District lake/reservoir standard regulations unless an Exception applies. Tributary spawning closures may apply. Verify current FWP regulations. This ID is not the Madison River below Hebgen.
Hatch Match
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Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Gallatin, Montana
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
County
Gallatin
Management Category
Wild trout reservoir
Regulation Scope
Hebgen Lake near West Yellowstone
Regulation Summary
Hebgen Lake: FWP Central District lakes/reservoirs regulations unless an Exception applies. Confirm current closures.
Target Species
Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
Public Access
Public
Description
Hebgen Lake at USGS 06038000 near West Yellowstone. Current continuous values are lake/reservoir elevation only (62614). That is not live river discharge, gage height, or water temperature for the StrikeTracks lake conditions contract, so this existing public ID stays on PATH B static fishery value. Coordinates are the USGS monitoring-location point. Not the Madison River below Hebgen (06038500).
