BILLINGS – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has issued hoot-owl fishing restrictions on the Yellowstone River from the Highway 89 Bridge Fishing Access Site (FAS) east of Livingston to the Highway 212 bridge in Laurel due to high water temperatures and low flows. The restrictions will go into effect Saturday, July 27, at 2 p.m. Hoot-owl restrictions prohibit all fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day. The restriction will stay in effect until conditions improve.  

FWP's drought policy provides for angling restrictions when flows 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 United States Geological survey stream gauge at Big Timber has recorded water temperatures above 73 degrees for at least three consecutive days and water flows in both the Yellowstone River and area tributaries are significantly below average.  

These restrictions are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when conditions like this exist. One short-term strategy to address heat-induced stress in Montana's wild trout is to reduce catch-and-release mortality by alerting anglers to fish only in the morning.  

If high temperatures and extremely low flows persist, anglers may want to consider fishing areas with less stressful temperatures and conditions, such as larger lakes or reservoirs, or higher elevation waterbodies. 

Along with monitoring stream temperatures, FWP also monitors stream 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. 

For the latest waterbody restrictions and closures, click here. 

Under Stage I restrictions, building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire at FWP sites is not allowed. Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is cleared of flammable materials. Recreationists may cook on a liquid petroleum gas or propane stove that can be turned on and off.

These restrictions at FWP sites will be in place until further notice. Due to dry conditions and high fire danger FWP urges people to use caution while they are out recreating.

Learn more about wildfire prevention and the latest information on fires in Montana at www.mtfireinfo.org.

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BOZEMAN — Yesterday, Bozeman City Commission voted in favor of putting the First Responder Levy and Fire Station 4 Bond on the November 2024 ballot. Bozeman citizens will now have the opportunity to decide whether they want to fund more firefighters and police officers along with building a new fire station on the west side of the city.

“We’re excited to see this issue be placed in the voter’s hands to decide,” Interim City Manager Chuck Winn stated. “The fact is that we haven’t meaningfully added staff in these departments since the 2007 mill levy and we’re still operating with that same capacity even though Bozeman has nearly doubled in size. We also knew when we relocated Fire Station 2 we would need to fill the gap in service on the west side with a new fire station. These are important things for residents to know and weigh as they make their decision.”

Bozeman voters can expect to see one question on their ballot related to the hiring of 30 new police officers and 22 new firefighters, plus eight new non-sworn positions in Police and three new non-sworn positions in Fire. Hiring will happen in phases with the goal of hiring all positions by fiscal year 2030. The new positions in Fire will be used to staff Fire Station 4 and implement a quick-response vehicle program, while the new Police positions will allow the department to create a dedicated traffic unit and increase crime prevention.

The second question on the ballot is related to the construction of a fourth fire station. Currently, the layout of the three fire stations leaves a gap in service for those on the west side of town, resulting in longer response times for those who live in the southwest corner of the city. If voters support this bond issue in addition to the mill levy, the City will be able to build, equip, and staff Fire Station 4.

Those interested in learning more about the ballot issues can visit the City’s website or call 406-582-2322. City staff will also be giving educational presentations on the issues to any interested group in Bozeman. To request a presentation, email tclark@bozeman.net.

HELENA – Furbearer and wolf hunting and trapping regulations for the 2024-2025 season are on the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission agenda for Aug. 16. To give Fish, Wildlife & Parks additional opportunity to assess wolf trapping dates and where those dates would apply, agenda discussion and decision on those specific aspects of the wolf trapping regulations will be postponed until the commission meeting on Oct. 10.   

All other elements of the 2024 wolf harvest regulations including hunting dates, harvest quotas, bag limits, trap setbacks, harvest reporting and proposed amendments will remain on the Aug. 16 meeting agenda. 

By postponing commission action only on the trapping dates and where they apply, the wolf hunting regulations would be publicly available after the Aug. 16 commission meeting, before the start of the wolf hunting season. 

The proposed trapping dates and where those dates apply will be posted on FWP’s website before the October meeting for the public to review and provide comment. After the October meeting, a supplement outlining trapping dates and where they apply would be available before the start of the wolf trapping season.

To see the full slate of topics on the agenda for the Aug. 16 meeting, click here.

HELENA – Full fishing closures at the mouth of some tributaries of the Clark Fork River take effect at midnight tonight, July 23. Full fishing closures prohibit any fishing at all. Hoot-owl restrictions take effect tomorrow, July 24, at 2 p.m. on the entire North Fork Flathead River and sections of the St. Regis River and Rock Creek. Hoot-owl restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight each day. These closures and restrictions will stay in effect until conditions improve.

Full fishing restrictions: 

• Clark Fork River in the mainstem at the mouths of these creeks
  • Within a 100-yard radius of the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek at the Clark Fork River confluence
  • Within a 100-yard radius of the mouth of St, Regis River at the Clark Fork River confluence
  • Within a 100-yard radius of the mouth of Fish Creek at the Clark Fork River confluence

Hoot-owl restrictions:

• Rock Creek
  • From Stoney Creek to the confluence of the West Fork Rock Creek and Middle Fork Rock Creek (formation of Rock Creek)
• St. Regis River
  • Twelvemile Creek to the confluence with Clark Fork River
• North Fork Flathead River
  • Entire river – from the Canadian border to the confluence with the Middle Fork of the Flathead River

To view a full list of restrictions, click here.

FWP's drought policy provides for angling restrictions when flows 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.

These restrictions are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when conditions like this exist. One short-term strategy to address heat-induced stress in Montana's wild trout is to reduce catch-and-release mortality by alerting anglers to fish only in the morning. 

Anglers can reduce stress on fish at all times of the year by getting fish to the net or in hand quickly, keeping them in the water and reviving them prior to releasing them back into the river.  

If high temperatures and extremely low flows persist, anglers may want to consider fishing areas with less stressful temperatures and conditions, such as larger lakes or reservoirs, or higher elevation waterbodies.

Along with monitoring stream temperatures, FWP also monitors stream 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.