The first rivers in Montana have been closed to fishing due to hot dry weather.
Fishing restrictions on rivers across the state have been steadily increasing this month as hot, dry weather continues to lower water levels and stress out fisheries.
Montana wildlife officials closed fishing Wednesday on the Madison River from the Madison Dam to the Warm Springs boat launch near Norris.
Mike Marcum, co-owner of The StoneFly fly shop in Butte, said restrictions like this are an annual occurrence in recent years and fly shops like his often educate customers on the latest rules.
“It’s even hard for us here with things on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis happening,” Marcum said.
Starting Wednesday, officials are also implementing partial restrictions on stretches of the Clark Fork, Big Hole and Gallatin rivers, with restrictions already in place on the Beaverhead, Ruby, Bitterroot, Jefferson, Sun and Yellowstone rivers. These restrictions prohibit fishing between 2 p.m. and midnight.
Additional full closures to protect native bull trout are also in effect on the mouths of St. Regis River and Fish, Cedar and Rattlesnake creeks in the Clark Fork watershed around Missoula.
Marcum said when closures start hitting main stem rivers, he advises anglers to fish during the mornings and seek out smaller mountain streams and lakes to help spread out the stress on fish and waterbodies.
“If you fish early, early morning, water temperatures are good, and always carry a thermometer with you, and watch those water temperatures, and when it does hit 68 degrees, head to the mountains,” Marcum said.
He said even with the closures there’s still many places to fish, you just have to find them.
