Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced hoot owl restrictions (no fishing after 2pm) on Big Hole River Sections 1 and 5, effective July 10th, due to high water temperatures.
Read the press release from FWP, here:
New hoot-owl restrictions go into effect on some rivers in southwest, central Montana
Jul 9, 2025 4:03 PM
HELENA – Hoot-owl restrictions take effect Thursday at 2 p.m. on sections of the Ruby, Jefferson, Big Hole, Beaverhead and Smith rivers. Hoot-owl restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day. These restrictions will stay in effect until conditions improve.
These new restrictions are as follows:
Ruby River – lower stretch, from the confluence with the Beaverhead River to Duncan District Road
Jefferson River – entire river, from the confluence of the Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers to the Missouri River
Big Hole River –
- from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence with the North Fork of the Big Hole River (Section 1)
- from Tony Schoonen FAS to the confluence with the Beaverhead River (Section 5)
Beaverhead River – lower stretch, from Highway 41 near East Bench Road and Beaverhead Rock to its confluence with the Big Hole River.
Smith River – from the confluence of the North and South forks of the Smith River to Eden Bridge.
To check for other restrictions, click here.
FWP’s drought policy provides for angling restrictions when flows drop below critical levels for fish, when water quality is diminished or when maximum daily water temperatures reach at least 73 degrees for three consecutive days. Water temperatures of 77 degrees or more can be lethal to trout.
These restrictions are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when water temperatures warm. Restricting angling to only cool morning hours can help reduce catch-and-release mortality.
Catch-and-release anglers can reduce stress on fish by getting them to the net or in hand quickly, keeping them in the water and reviving them prior to releasing them back into the river.
As the summer warms, Montana offers many other angling options with better conditions for fish, including larger lakes or reservoirs, or higher elevation lakes and streams.
Along with monitoring stream temperatures, FWP 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.
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