Big Hole River Currently Closed to All Fishing

The entire Big Hole River closed to fishing at midnight on August 30 due to low flows, high water temperatures, and an unseasonably warm and dry forecast.

Fishing restrictions and closures like these are designed to protect fish that become more susceptible to disease and mortality when conditions such as low flows and high water temperatures combine with other stressors, including catch-and-release fishing.

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

Along with monitoring stream temperatures, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks also monitors stream flows and, in some streams, holds instream flow water rights. When appropriate, FWP’s water program can issue a call on junior water users to contribute to stream flows through the late summer and early fall. For more information on FWP water rights, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/fisheries-management/water-management.

For a list of current drought-related fishing restrictions and closures, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions/waterbody-closures.