New emergency fishing regulations are in place for the Big Hole, Beaverhead and Ruby rivers.
The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted the new regulations during its June 8 meeting. These restrictions limit angling during the brown trout spawning season and harvest in some stretches of the rivers.
Trout abundances in several areas of the three rivers have steadily declined since 2011 and are at or near historical lows. Meanwhile, fishing pressure in these areas has increased. The emergency fishing regulations aim to be responsive to fish populations in accordance with Montana’s draft statewide fisheries management plan.
The current fishing regulations for the three rivers are as follows:
Big Hole River
Entire river
Catch-and-release for Arctic grayling
Headwaters to Dickie Bridge
Combined trout: five daily and in possession
Dickie Bridge to the mouth
Open April 1 through Sept. 30
Catch-and-release only
Artificial lures and single-pointed hooks only. No treble or double hooks. Anglers may remove treble or double hooks from the lure and replace them with a single hook, or the shanks may be cut off the other hook points to leave a single hook. Lures with multiple hook attachments may still be used but any treble hook must be replaced by a single hook.
Beaverhead River
Entire river
Catch-and-release for rainbow trout
Artificial lures and single-pointed hooks only. No treble or double hooks. Anglers may remove treble or double hooks from the lure and replace them with a single hook, or the shanks may be cut off the other hook points to leave a single hook. Lures with multiple hook attachments may still be used but any treble hook must be replaced by a single hook.
Clark Canyon Dam to Pipe Organ Bridge
Open third Saturday in May through Sept. 30
Clark Canyon Dam to High Bridge
Catch-and-release only
High Bridge to Barretts Diversion
Five brown trout daily and in possession; all fish must be less than 18 inches
Pipe Organ Bridge to Barrett’s Diversion
Open all year under standard Central District regulations
Barrett’s Diversion to mouth
Open April 1 through Sept. 30
Catch-and-release only
High Bridge FAS to Henneberry FAS
Closed to float fishing by nonresidents and float outfitting on each Saturday from the third Saturday in May through Labor Day
Henneberry FAS to Pipe Organ Bridge
Closed to float fishing by nonresidents and float outfitting on each Sunday from the third Sunday in May through Labor Day
Highway 91 South Bridge (Tash Bridge) to Selway Bridge
Closed to float outfitting from the third Saturday in May through Labor Day
Ruby River
Upstream from Ruby Reservoir
Combined trout: all may be cutthroat trout
Downstream from Ruby Dam
Catch-and-release for rainbow trout. Angling is closed the entire year just below Ruby Dam, from its confluence with Ruby Dam outlet channel upstream to the dam, including the outlet channel.
From Ruby Dam to Alder Bridge (Ruby Island FAS)
Catch-and-release for brown trout
Open April 1 through Sept. 30
From Alder Bridge (Ruby Island FAS) to the mouth
Brown trout: one daily and in possession, must be less than 18 inches
For more information, visit fwp.mt.gov/fish.
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