Emerald Lake trout stocking
Stillwater County, Montana · lake · 6,312 ft elevation
Emerald Lake was last stocked 5 months ago (Jun 3, 2026). We have 4 stockings on record since May 12, 2025, 1 in the last 12 months (1,800 fish). Most stockings come in June. Species stocked: rainbow trout.
- The second most stocked of 6 waters in Stillwater County.
- Stocked more often than 83% of Montana waters on our record.
River conditions
USGS gage: W Rosebud Cr at Emerald Lk Campground nr Roscoe (under 1 km away).
- Water temperature
- 42°F
- Flow
- 116 cfs
- about normal for the last six weeks
- Gage height
- 1.85 ft
Cold for trout. Trout are sluggish below about 45°F. Fish slow and deep, midday is often best.
Latest reading Nov 9, 2026, 9:05 AM UTC. USGS data are provisional. Gage page at USGS.
Weather at Emerald Lake
- Today49°FMostly Sunnywind 12 to 16 mph
- Tonight35°FPartly Cloudy1% rain · wind 15 to 20 mph
- Saturday56°FSunnywind 5 to 15 mph
- Saturday Night40°FPartly Cloudywind 9 to 26 mph
- Sunday58°FMostly Sunnywind 12 to 26 mph
- Sunday Night36°FMostly Cloudy1% rain · wind 10 to 16 mph
Forecast from the National Weather Service for this location, refreshed hourly.
When is Emerald Lake stocked?
Most stockings come in June. Stocked 3 times in 2025, about every 41 days.
By month, all years
Year by year
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
What is stocked
| Species | Stockings | Fish | Fish per stocking | Typical size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow trout | 4 | 3,600 | 900 | 9.5 in |
Stocking history
20261 stocking · 1,800 fish
| Date | Species | Fish | Size | Since previous | Hatchery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jun 3Latest Wednesday | Rainbow trout | 1,800 | 6.2 in | 330 days | Bluewater Springs Trout Hatchery |
20253 stockings · 1,800 fish
| Date | Species | Fish | Size | Since previous | Hatchery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jul 8 Tuesday | Rainbow trout | 600 | 9.5 in | 16 days | Bluewater Springs Trout Hatchery |
Jun 22 Sunday | Rainbow trout | 600 | 9.5 in | 41 days | Bluewater Springs Trout Hatchery |
May 12 Monday | Rainbow trout | 600 | 9.4 in | Bluewater Springs Trout Hatchery |
From Montana fish and wildlife agency reports, collected nightly and kept after the agency takes them down. Agencies revise reports; check the agency's report before you go. Seasons and limits: Montana fishing regulations.
Where is Emerald Lake?
Stillwater County, Montana. The marker is the agency's location for this water; streams are often stocked at several access points.
Stocked waters near Emerald Lake
- West Rosebud Lakelake · 1 mistocked Jun 3, 2026
- Lily Pad Lakelake · 5 mistocked Aug 5, 2025
- Crater Lakelake · 5 mistocked Aug 5, 2025
- East Rosebud Lakelake · 5 mistocked Jun 18, 2025
- Huckleberry Lakelake · 6 mistocked Aug 5, 2025
- Little Arch Lakelake · 7 mistocked Aug 5, 2025
- Kookoo Lakelake · 11 mistocked Aug 5, 2025
- Sundance Lakelake · 12 mistocked Aug 5, 2025
All stocked waters in Stillwater CountyStocked this week in Montana
Questions about Emerald Lake
- When was Emerald Lake last stocked?
- The latest reported stocking was Jun 3, 2026 (rainbow trout, 1,800 fish), according to Montana agency reports.
- How often is Emerald Lake stocked?
- Stocked 3 times in 2025, about every 41 days. Across all years on record, most stockings come in June.
- Is Emerald Lake stocked often?
- The second most stocked of 6 waters in Stillwater County. Stocked more often than 83% of Montana waters on our record. We count each day the agency reported stocking it.
- What kind of trout are stocked in Emerald Lake?
- Rainbow trout (4 stockings, 3,600 fish).
- How warm is the water near Emerald Lake?
- The USGS gage read 42°F on Nov 9. Trout are sluggish below about 45°F. Fish slow and deep, midday is often best.