FWP opens fishing season this weekend
by JENNY HARRIS - Ravalli Republic
This Saturday, Montana’s general fishing season officially gets underway.
While Bitterroot Valley fishermen will certainly be anxious to dip their lines in many of the smaller tributaries that open this weekend, rising temperatures and a melting snowpack could making fishing challenging and even dangerous.
State FWP officials urged caution for anyone “venturing out on the water or along the banks and to check for possible site closures” due to high water.
“If forecasts for above average river levels hold true, we are expecting flooding at some of our access sites this weekend or early next week,” said Mack Long, FWP Region 2 Supervisor. “We will be monitoring our sites closely and may need to put closures in place to address safety concerns.”
FWP will list any closures for west-central Montana on the Web at www.fwp.mt.gov/r2 and will post closures with signs and barricades.
Sites will be open to camping and day-use along stretches of rivers that are not impacted by possible flooding.
Rivers will also remain open during high water, but FWP reminds boaters and floaters to use caution on the swift, cold water and to watch out for floating debris and logjams.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Fisheries Biologist Chris Clancy said the season often opens during high spring run-off.
“I’ve been watching the gauge, and the river is definitely rising,” Clancy said. “The season opens up some of the Bitterroot’s smaller tributaries, but at this point, I’m not sure they’ll be fishable with the current water levels.”
Not only does the weekend open up smaller tributary waters, it also signifies the beginning of catch and keep fishing for some species of trout. Anglers need to remember that bull and cutthroat trout are protected and need to be released.
Clancy said with new waters opening up, it’s important to be aware of state fishing rules and regulations.
“Each tributary and section of the river has different regulations regarding what you can and cannot keep,” Clancy said. “It’s a good idea to pick up a copy of the FWP map and regulations to be aware of legalities.”
According to FWP, there’s been a few significant changes to the fishing regulations which affect anglers this year.
In the Little Blackfoot River and its tributaries, new regulations require catch-and-release fishing only for cutthroat trout. The standard Western District stream limits remain in place on the Little Blackfoot for rainbow and brown trout, five trout daily and in possession, only one longer than 14 inches.
Anglers in FWP’s Western District Region 1 and 2 will be allowed this year to use two rods with two hooks per line on lakes.
For more information on state fishing law or to obtain a copy of Montana 2008 Fishing Regulations, contact FWP Region 2 headquarters in Missoula at 542-5518 or visit www.fwp.mt.gov/fishing.
Reporter Jenny Harris can be reached at 363-3300 or at jharris@ravallirepublic.com
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