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FWP announces fishing restrictions on Fish Creek, St. Regis River


Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is advising anglers on sections of Fish Creek and the St. Regis River will close to fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight starting August 3, due to warming water temperatures. Photo: Dana Frederiksen
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is advising anglers on sections of Fish Creek and the St. Regis River will close to fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight starting August 3, due to warming water temperatures. Photo: Dana Frederiksen
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Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is advising anglers that sections of Fish Creek and the St. Regis River will close to fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight starting Aug. 3 due to warming water temperatures.

The following was sent out by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks:

Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks is advising anglers that portions of Fish Creek and the St. Regis River will close to fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight, starting today, August 3, 2021 due to warming water temperatures in these important bull trout tributaries.

In addition to the stress of warmer water temperatures, fish tend to congregate in cooler parts of the water during these conditions, making them more vulnerable to angling pressure.

With these latest additions here are the current, west-central Montana “hoot owl” restrictions:

Fish Creek–From the mouth to the South Fork near Forks.

St. Regis–From the mouth to Twelvemile Creek near De Borgia.

Bitterroot– The entire main stem (which excludes the East and West Forks).

Clark Fork–The entire river from its confluence with the Flathead River upstream to the confluence with Warm Springs Creek.

Silver Bow Creek, including Warm Springs Ponds–From the creek’s confluence with Warm Springs Creek to Montana Street in Butte.

Limiting fishing to the cooler morning hours helps to reduce stress on fish. Anglers can also help reduce stress and mortality for fish by following these practices when catching and releasing fish:

Fish during the coolest times of the day, where permitted.

Keep the fish in water as much as possible.

Remove the hook gently. Using artificial lures with single and barbless hooks can make hook removal faster and easier.

Let the fish recover before releasing it.

Consider fishing areas with less stressful temperatures and conditions, such as larger lakes or reservoirs, or higher elevation waterbodies.

FWP continues to monitor conditions on rivers and streams and may add other restrictions. Before heading out, review a full list of restrictions at fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions



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