Heat Causing Havoc with Anglers on Popular Montana Rivers

Hot enough for you?  Many people love the heat, and Montana is seeing some of the hottest on record for the summer of 2026 so far.  The weekend's forecast calls for even more hot temperatures, some hovering near triple digits in areas across the state.

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It's great weather for recreational activities in the state, but one pastime and for many enthusiasts an infatuation, is taking the brunt of that heat.  Fishing access in some of the most popular river locations are now under stress, triggering Hoot Owl Restrictions.

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Heat Causing Havoc with Anglers on Popular Montana Rivers

As temperatures cruised to 115 degrees in areas of Montana, the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) instituted the restrictions beginning on July 11, 2026.  Hoot Owl rules are identified as "prohibits fishing each day between 2 p.m. and midnight" and used to "limit fishing to the cooler morning hours or close specific stretches entirely when conditions become too stressful for fish".

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Those restrictions included the Sun River in Central Montana, with rules in place from the Highway 287 bridge to the mouth of Muddy Creek.  Other limited access was placed on rivers in southwestern Montana, including two locations on the Madison River and one for the lower Beaverhead River.

New Restrictions and Closures Now Affecting More Rivers in Montana from Heat

MFWP has now announced new added river restrictions for several other rivers in the state as of July 16, 2026.  Those include the Big Hole, Gallatin and East Gallatin, Jefferson and Ruby rivers.

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Fishermen are also being advised that as of July 15, 2026, access to the Blackfoot River is "closed to floating from Weigh Station Fishing Access Site downstream to the point where the river crosses under Interstate 90, due to construction on a railway bridge."  You can learn more about Hoot Owl restrictions here.