FWP lifts fishing restrictions on North Fork Flathead

Cooler weather and some rain led Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on Tuesday to rescind fishing restrictions on the North Fork Flathead River in late July and loosen some of the restrictions that went into place on the Big Hole River late last week.

Starting Wednesday, the “hoot-owl restrictions” on the North Fork Flathead River were lifted. The restrictions, which close fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight, had been in place since July 24 and were the first-ever hoot-owl restrictions ordered in the Flathead drainage.

FWP said the restrictions were being lifted because air temperatures in the area have cooled, short-term forecasts show cooler nights and wetter weather, and water temperatures have gone back below the threshold by which restrictions are triggered for westslope cutthroat and bull trout.

The restrictions had been in place on the North Fork of the river from the U.S.-Canadian border to the fork’s confluence with the Middle Fork Flathead River.

FWP also Tuesday modified some of the closures and restrictions on various sections of the Big Hole River.

It put a new fishing closure in place from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence with the North Fork of the Big Hole. It also lifted some of the closure above the Tony Schoonen Fishing Access Site, also known as “Notch Bottom,” though hoot-owl restrictions remain in place from the river’s confluence with the North Fork down to the Tony Schoonen Fishing Access Site.

The Big Hole will remain closed to fishing from Tony Schoonen Fishing Access Site to the river’s confluence with the Jefferson, which is also closed to fishing for the time being.

The restrictions and closures are put in place based on water temperatures and river flows. If temperatures go above a certain threshold for three days in a row, hoot-owl restrictions go into effect to protect cold-water fish like trout that can make them more prone to disease and death, while flows below certain thresholds trigger full fishing closures to protect the health of the fish.

There remain hoot-owl restrictions and some closures on many rivers across Montana despite the recent cooler weather. Find all fishing restrictions and closures on FWP’s website.

Blair Miller is a Helena-based reporter. The Daily Montanan is a nonprofit newsroom.