State may change bull trout closures

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission this week will consider extending several stream-mouth fishing closures to protect vulnerable bull trout in Northwest Montana.

“These are existing closures but they are being extended in distance to provide more protection for bull trout,” said Tom Weaver, a state fisheries biologist based in Kalispell.

The proposal is for extending the closures from a radius of 100 yards to 150 yards from the confluences of several streams and major rivers in the region. The extended closures would apply to Big Creek on the North Fork Flathead River, Bear Creek on the Middle Fork Flathead River and Woodward Creek on the Swan River.

The 100-yard closures are in effect from June 1 through Aug. 31. The extended closures would be in effect from Aug. 31 through Sept. 30.

Weaver explained that those streams were selected because they meet with river channel sections that have large pools “where bull trout tend to hold and stack up” prior to spawning upstream.

“The bull trout are really vulnerable” to anglers in those pools, Weaver said. “And we have some evidence of anglers targeting those fish just after Aug. 31.”

The commission meets at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Helena.