Ruby River

State biologists have been tagging trout across southwest Montana to better understand the population’s health after years of declines. They report encouraging signs, but populations are still below average due in large part to an extended drought.

Fishing closures on the Jefferson. Arctic grayling escape fish hatchery. Bison management comment period extended. Dueling wilderness bills advance. Oil & gas cleanup funding for tribal nations.

The first rivers in Montana have been closed to fishing due to hot dry weather.

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks biologists say historically low water levels and hot temperatures may severely impact cold-water fish in the region.

Montana wildlife officials will begin studies this year to get to the bottom of a historic trout population crash in the Jefferson Basin. Montana wildlife officials have also created a new web portal for residents to submit reports of dead and diseased fish.

The director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) committed the full resources of the department in response to a historic population crash in some of southwest Montana’s most iconic trout fisheries.

Warmer than normal temperatures last month resulted in rapid snowmelt throughout much of the state. That has some experts hoping for a very wet June to help bolster projected streamflows as we head into the drier summer months.

Outfitters, conservationists and citizens have been sounding the alarm about rapidly declining trout numbers in southwest Montana’s Upper Missouri Headwaters for years. But demands for the state to dedicate more resources to studying the problem largely fell on deaf ears.

A prominent Montana fishing guide says climate change is already impacting his business, and that statewide, tens of millions of fishing tourism dollars…

A lawsuit concerning a bridge on a county road could lead to major impacts on Montana’s stream access law in a case pitting private property advocates…