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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Hot weather prompts Montana trout fishing restrictions

Fly fishers release a brown trout caught in the Big Hole River of Montana. (Rich Landers)
Fly fishers release a brown trout caught in the Big Hole River of Montana. (Rich Landers)

FISHING -- Fisheries are heating up in Montana, but not in the way anglers would prefer.

"Hoot-owl" fishing restrictions will be enacted on many western Montana rivers and streams beginning Friday, July 29, because of warm and rising water temperatures, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials said today.

The restrictions will close fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight until conditions improve on the following stretches of water in west-central Montana:

  • Blackfoot:  Entire length
  • Blackfoot tributaries:  North Fork and Copper, Monture and Morrell Creeks
  • Bitterroot: Tucker Crossing, downstream to confluence with Clark Fork (~47 miles)
  • Upper Clark Fork:  From headwaters where Silver Bow and Warm Springs Creeks join to Rock Creek (~100 miles)
  • Silver Bow Creek: From the confluence with Blacktail Creek to its mouth and confluence with Warm Springs Creek.

“Limiting fishing to the cooler morning hours is very important to reducing stress on fish right now, especially with a weather forecast that continues to be hot and dry,” said Pat Saffel, FWP Fisheries Manager in Missoula.

Saffel says that it is a good idea to limit fishing to the coolest hours of the day, even in stretches that are not under restriction, when possible. FWP will continue to monitor temperature, flows and fish mortality on rivers and streams and reevaluate the need for additional restrictions, as early as next week.

For up-to-date information on restrictions related to drought, visit fwp.mt.gov/news/restrictions/.
 



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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