Hoot-Owl Fishing Restrictions Begin Saturday on Lower Beaverhead, Madison Rivers

SOUTHWEST MONTANA — Anglers planning to fish Southwest Montana this weekend should be aware that new hoot-owl fishing restrictions will take effect Saturday, July 11, at 2 p.m. on portions of the Beaverhead and Madison rivers due to warming water temperatures and declining conditions for trout.

The restrictions prohibit all fishing from 2 p.m. until midnight each day and will remain in place until conditions improve.

Southwest Montana rivers affected:

Lower Beaverhead River: From Highway 41 near East Bench Road and Beaverhead Rock downstream to its confluence with the Big Hole River.

Lower Madison River: From Warm Springs Fishing Access Site to the confluence with the Jefferson River.

Madison River above Hebgen Reservoir: From the upstream Yellowstone National Park boundary to Hebgen Reservoir.

In north-central Montana, restrictions also take effect on the Sun River from the Highway 287 bridge to the mouth of Muddy Creek.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks implements hoot-owl restrictions when stream flows fall to critical levels, water quality declines, or water temperatures reach 73 degrees or higher for three consecutive days. Water temperatures of 77 degrees or higher can be lethal to trout.

According to FWP, warmer water places additional stress on fish, making them more vulnerable to disease and increasing mortality following catch-and-release fishing. Restricting angling to the cooler morning hours helps reduce that stress.

FWP reminds anglers who are practicing catch-and-release to:

Land fish as quickly as possible.

Keep fish in the water while removing hooks.

Allow fish to fully recover before releasing them.

Anglers looking for cooler conditions are encouraged to fish higher-elevation lakes and streams or larger lakes and reservoirs during the hottest part of the summer.

FWP will continue monitoring stream temperatures and flows and will adjust restrictions as conditions change.