Fishing restrictions to be lifted on some rivers in west-central and southwest Montana

HELENA – Recent cooler temperatures will allow hoot-owl fishing restrictions to be lifted Tuesday, Aug. 27, on sections of Bitterroot River, the Clark Fork River and Silver Bow Creek in west-central Montana, and a section of the Big Hole River in southwest Montana.  

Bitterroot River: Restrictions lifted from Clark Fork River to Veteran’s Bridge. 

Clark Fork River: Restritions lifted from the mouth of Rock Creek to its origin at the mouth of Warm Springs Creek. 

Silver Bow Creek: Restrictions lifted for its entirety.  

Big Hole River: Restrictions lifted from the Tony Schoonen Fishing Access Site (also know as Notch Bottom) to Maiden Rock FAS. 

The restrictions were put in place earlier this summer. Hoot-owl restrictions are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when low flows and high water temperatures combine with other stressors, including catch-and-release fishing. 

Anglers can reduce stress on fish at all times of the year by getting fish to the net or in hand quickly, keeping them in the water, and reviving them prior to releasing them back into the river. 

Along with monitoring stream temperatures, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks also monitors stream flows, and in some streams, holds instream flow water rights. FWP’s water program can issue a call on junior water users, when appropriate, to contribute to stream flows through the late summer and early fall. For more information on FWP water rights, click here. 

For a list of current drought-related fishing restrictions and closures, click here.