Heat brings fishing restrictions on Clark Fork River
Hoot Owl restrictions are in affect with no fishing after 2pm on many rivers in Montana. Some streams and rivers have full closure 100 yards from the tributary. The entire Clark Fork River above between Lozeau and Superior is under Hoot Owl with full closure at the mouths of Fish Creek, Cedar Creek and the St. Regis River. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
Fishermen have been expecting the hoot owl fishing restrictions with this intense heat, but now there are also closures on the Clark Fork River.
Full fishing closures prohibit all fishing. Hoot-owl restrictions close all fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight. The restrictions will stay in effect until conditions improve.
Last week, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks made the announcement that the entire Clark Fork River from the confluence with the Flathead River to the confluence of Warm Springs Creek and Silver Bow Creek are on hoot owl rules. However, full fishing closures are in effect within a 100-yard radius of the mouth of the St. Regis River, Cedar Creek and Fish Creek on the Clark Fork River.
Steve Temple and his wife Peggy have owned Clark Fork Trout out of St. Regis and have been guiding since 2007.
“We have actually been taking trips at 5:30 a.m. each morning and getting off the water at 2 p.m. anyway. So, it is not a big deal for our customers,” Steve said. “We are being very careful to adequately revive each fish before release which is important in the heat. The closure of the stream mouths is not a new idea and designed to protect the spawning fish, bull trout and I think is a good idea.”
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park's drought policy provides for angling restrictions when flows drop below critical levels for fish, meaning water quality is diminished or when maximum daily water temperatures reach at least 73 degrees, or 60 degrees for streams that hold bull trout for three consecutive days. Water temperatures of 77 degrees or more can be lethal to trout.
“As long as FWP sticks with the 73 degrees rule, they will get a lot of support from outfitters. But there are those that want to drop the restriction number to an unworkable mid 60s number which would kill outfitted fishing in Montana,” Temple stated.
The primary sport species that anglers are targeting and catching on this river are rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and their hybrids in the Clark Fork River between Missoula and the Flathead River. Northern pike, which were illegally introduced years ago, have made this stretch a pretty decent fishery and many anglers are after these exclusively today.
“It is very unlikely that the main stem river would be shut down completely. We are not currently close to a situation that would warrant a full closure on the Clark Fork River below Missoula,” shared Ladd Knotek, FWP Fisheries Management Biologist. “Creeks and larger streams are inherently cooler and currently do not have special drought-related restrictions on them with the exception of the 100-yard tributary into the Clark Fork.
These streams and mountain lakes currently provide a good alternative for trout anglers,” Ladd said.