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Hoot-owl restrictions go into effect on southwest, central Montana rivers • Daily Montanan [1]
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Date: 2025-07
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is instituting new hoot-owl restrictions on rivers in the southwest and central Montana beginning Thursday, in response to warm temperatures and low streamflows across the state.
The fishing restrictions prohibit angling on the designated stretches of river from 2 p.m. to midnight each day and will remain in place until conditions improve.
The new restrictions are as follows:
Ruby River — lower stretch, from the confluence with the Beaverhead River to Duncan District Road
— 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
— 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), and from Tony Schoonen FAS to the confluence with the Beaverhead River (Section 5)
— from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence with the North Fork of the Big Hole River (Section 1), and 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
– 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
Hoot-owl restrictions are already in place on the upper Madison River above Hebgen Lake, and on the lower Madison River from Warm Springs BLM day-use area downstream to the confluence with the Jefferson River near Three Forks. On the Sun River, the restrictions are in place from the mouth of Muddy Creek to the Highway 287 Bridge.
To check for other restrictions, click here.
In accordance with the department’s drought policy, FWP institutes angling restrictions when streamflows 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.
The restrictions are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when water temperatures warm and can help reduce catch-and-release mortality by restricting fishing to only cool morning hours.
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 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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