Montana trout woes

[afishinado]

Articles about the problems of the Montana rivers and new fishing restrictions >

https://news.orvis.com/fly-fishing/wednesday-wake-up-call-07-21-21?fbclid=IwAR2BNMp3G2KFqgseiXxm_Au460fhHDZBNj7uN0Af81Q9PcwED5cWGtYtfSI

https://www.hatchmag.com/articles/montana-enacts-dramatic-fishing-closures-due-diverted/7715312

 

[DaveS]

Rough Summer for the western fishes. Even more crowding in Summers to come for western fishers?

 

[JeffK]

PA has been good to me lately, but don't tell anyone. Send them out West.

 

[Sylvaneous]

My friend who lives out there and guides called it over a month ago. It's going to be a tough summer.

 

[jrcll]

making me rethink my Montana trip for next year....

 

[wbranch]

jrcll wrote;

making me rethink my Montana trip for next year....

It is premature to be having any thoughts about your 2022 Montana trip. Water levels in Montana are predicated more on snow pack than rain. There are government web sites that will graphically depict snow pack for all of Montana. There are other web sites that will discuss reservoir levels for every major drainage in Montana. Couple that data with the USGS river levels and you will be better able to determine water levels for summer 2022.

 

[tomgamber]

lived in Idaho for the last 5 years of a 7-year drought. Worked though 4 crazy fire seasons and fished 200 days a year. Never fished skinny water. No you can;t fish the lower elevation, easy access waters. But if you go up you can find cold streams and lakes and all summer long. Its as bad as it was then, now. The snow pack will tell the story of next year. In one year I fished lakes that didn't exist for the last 3 years and with plenty of very large fish. You just have to be patient and mindful.

 

[dwa111]

I cancelled my trip in NW Montana in September, although when I called the cabins they said they have 40 degree mornings which is not normal for this time of year. She said the locals are speculating on a full return of winter in October.

 

[DaveS]

Not gonna dip into the climate change stuff. Was in Wolf creek last year. Same ( roughly) time as this year. Last year 11 K CFS. 51 weeks later, 3 K CFS.
FWIW some locals were bitching about the damn operators ( ACoE ?) dumping water they could have held. I can’t imagine you want to hold the pools too full, but they have a pretty good idea how fast the snake pack erodes.
Obviously, scant snow evidence anywhere, landing June 25 in Great Falls this year.

 

[DaveKile]

A good piece from friend of the site Montana Angler and their article - "Hoot Owl" Summer Fishing Q and A.

"What are hoot owl restrictions?
Hoot Owls are put in place to encourage fishing in the early half of the day when water temperatures are best. Fishing is allowed from midnight until 2pm but after 2pm fishing is restricted."

"How common are hoot owl restrictions?
Hoot owl evening restrictions are very common and used every summer. Sections of rivers like the Lower Madison and Jefferson are almost always hoot owled in mid summer. Other river sections like the Upper Madison which are below bottom release dams are rarely hoot owled. Hoot owl restrictions are also commonly used in Yellowstone Park on lower snowpack years."

 

[Mike]

If the situation on bigger, more famous waters in Montana is affecting your plans, fish medium/smaller (narrower, cooler) waters in Montana, Idaho, etc or go to B.C. and Alberta. Still plenty of great fisheries to be had.

 

[timmyt2]

Can't imagine why my comment in this thread would have been removed...

 

[shakey]

timmyt2 wrote:
Can't imagine why my comment in this thread would have been removed...

Mine was too.

But, I would imagine climate change is a little too scientific ????

 

[timmyt2]

You were calling people stupid and talking politics, which supposedly isnt allowed here. I'm surprised you didnt get a special message from a mod like i did, i guess thats only for people with right leaning opinions as opposed to left

 

[shakey]

Science shouldn’t be seen as political.

 

[wildtrout2]

timmyt2 wrote:
You were calling people stupid and talking politics, which supposedly isnt allowed here. I'm surprised you didnt get a special message from a mod like i did, i guess thats only for people with right leaning opinions as opposed to left

That's exactly why they were deleted. They won't tolerate that here. It's a good thing.

 

[timmyt2]

But all i said was that calling people stupid was not nice and that there were many facets to the problem if the poster had read the article.

My special message was from a different experience and i have not and will not talk politics here as i gave Mr Kile my word that i would not

 

[shakey]

I did not mention politics at all. Not even remotely.