Report: Montana’s angling adds nearly $1 billion to economy

Report: Montana’s angling adds nearly $1 billion to economy

Trout Unlimited project manager Rob Roberts holds a lucky rainbow trout that would be released into the Clark Fork River after being extracted from the Missoula Ditch/ (Laura Lundquist/Missoula Current)

Micah Drew

(Daily Montanan) It’s easy to watch Brad Pitt’s flyline unfurl in a perfect ‘S’ curve over the Gallatin River and know that image has helped feed into Montana’s status as an angling destination.

It’s more difficult to determine exactly what kind of impact the fishing world has on the Treasure State.

But that’s what the 2023 Legislature wanted to know when they requested Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks partner with the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research to estimate fishing’s economic contributions across the state.

The report by the BBER, published in August, showed anglers contributed more than $910 million to Montana’s GDP in 2024 and supported more than $1.5 billion in total economic output — gross receipts to Montana businesses — across the state, making it one of biggest contributor’s to the state’s outdoor economic sector.

“Fishing is deeply woven into the cultural and economic fabric of Montana,” the study authors wrote. “This study demonstrates that coldwater and warm-water fishing are not only popular recreational activities but also powerful economic drivers that support jobs, income, and business activity across the state.”

Researchers with BBER conducted their study by surveying a random sample of adults who purchased a Montana fishing license last year. The final dataset includes 1,181 completed responses — a roughly 30% response rate. Results were weighted using FWP license data as well as demographic benchmarks.

The study splits anglers into warm-water fishing and cold-water fishing and analyzes trip-related expenditures among the more than 450,000 adults who purchased Montana fishing licenses in 2024.

Data published by FWP show the department issued 180,328 individual resident fishing licenses and 261,734 individual nonresident licenses.

More than 84,000 residents and 30,000 nonresidents also purchased combination licenses in 2024, which include fishing licenses, but the study focused exclusively on individual fishing licenses.

Data shows that Montana’s fishing season is concentrated between June and October, though a clear bump in two-day license purchases shows the prevalence of ice fishing in the state.

The survey questions focused on trip-related expenditures including guiding services, equipment rentals, food, fuel and lodging, and modeled the corresponding impact to the local and statewide economy.

A majority of the angling impact in Montana comes from cold-water fishing — for trout, salmon, grayling and whitefish — à la the classic “River Runs Through It” iconography.

According to the study, these trips tended to be longer, involve more travel and generate higher spending on lodging, guides and dining. Cold-water fishing also weighted more heavily toward nonresidents, with 86% of nonresidents surveyed indicating they only engaged in cold-water fishing, compared to 52% of residents.

Warm-water anglers, by contrast, seek out fish such as walleye, northern pike, bass and sturgeon. These anglers were “overwhelmingly” Montana residents, fishing often and close to home with spending habits that reflected the nature of their trips — fuel and groceries dominated over guides or rentals.

The average annual trip expenses for resident license holders was $1,897, compared to $3,923 for nonresidents.

Residents spend the most on fuel ($337), accommodations ($331) and retail ($284), while nonresidents overwhelmingly spent the most on accommodations ($1,490), outfitter and guiding fees ($704), and dining out ($436).

In looking at the difference between the two types of fishing, cold-water fishing trips also correlated with significantly higher expenditures compared to warm-water fishing — roughly $4,900 compared to $380 annually.

“This aligns with the finding that cold-water fishing more often involves travel and planning, while warm-water fishing more often involves shorter, local day trips,” according to the study.

In total for the 2024-2025 fishing season, anglers spent an estimated $1.29 billion on fishing-related goods and services.

That spending supported an estimated 15,978 jobs, generated $427 million in personal income, and contributed nearly $1.5 billion in total economic output across the state.

“Montana’s amazing angling opportunities are no secret, but this research shows just how important fishing is to communities and businesses around Montana,” FWP Director Christy Clark said in a statement.

The ripple effects of the angling economy is similarly distributed between the cold-water and warm-water fishing split.

Among jobs supported by the fishing industry, 14,355 are tied to cold water fishing, while just over 1,600 are tied to warm-water fishing.

“Though smaller in overall scale relative to cold-water fishing, warm-water fishing still represents an important source of in-state tourism and local spending — particularly for the anglers and businesses surrounding warm-water fisheries,” the study states.

While researchers note the methodology of the study means that estimates are likely on the conservative side, it shows the broad importance of angling for Montana and highlights the importance of FWP to manage fisheries and waterways.

“The impact of angler spending extends well beyond the state’s lakes and rivers,” the study concludes. “Whether through the wages paid to workers, the profits earned by local businesses, or the taxes collected by governments, the dollars spent by anglers flow throughout Montana’s economy.”

Here are a few additional highlights from the economic impact of Montana anglers:

  • 450,000+ Individual Montana fishing licenses purchased by residents and nonresidents.
  • 33.6% of license holders reported not fishing once during the license year.
  • 41% of Montana residents who purchased a fishing license did not fish last year.
  • 7 average number of days Montana resident license holders spent fishing last year.
  • 15,978 Jobs in Montana supported by the fishing industry.
  • $427 million of personal income driven by coldwater fishing
  • $929 average spent by nonresident anglers on fishing guides and outfitters
  • $41.9 million of personal income driven by warm-water fishing
Filed Under: environment, fishing, Montana Today
Categories: Environment
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