Summer Conditions on the Big Hole: Fish Early, Fish Smart

July has been flying by, and we've logged plenty of miles chasing trout across Montana. While the Big Hole remains home base, it's always fun to spend some time exploring other fisheries and seeing how rivers around the state are shaping up.

Craig began early July with some long-time guests on the Smith River, which got a healthy shot of water from the early July rains. The bump in flows was welcome news for the group, and they had five awesome days of fishing and camping in the Smith River Canyon.

Afterwards, we headed to the Blackfoot, enjoying a change of scenery on the other side of the Continental Divide. A trip to the West Fork and Upper Bitterroot followed where we got to toss dry flies for hungry cutthroat, and take in some new scenery.

Craig wrapped up the road trip with three days on the Madison and then headed east to the Stillwater for a week of fishing with another group of guests. It's been a busy month, but getting the chance to fish a variety of waters around Montana reminds us just how fortunate we are. Every river has its own personality, and every mile traveled seems to teach us something new that we can bring back to our home waters on the Big Hole.

The Big Hole and much of Southwest Montana have experienced a little bit of everything over the past week. Quarter-sized hail, powerful afternoon thunderstorms, ninety-degree temperatures, and plenty of sunshine have all made appearances—sometimes within the same 24-hour period.

Despite the rollercoaster weather, river flows remain good for this time of year. Water temperatures, however, have been creeping up during the hottest parts of the day. As a result, the best fishing has been taking place during the morning hours, with an early-on, early-off approach proving to be the most productive.

Not only does this schedule put anglers on the water during the most active feeding periods, but it also helps avoid the intense afternoon heat and minimizes stress on the fish when water temperatures climb. If you're planning a trip, think coffee at sunrise and lunch at the takeout—the trout will thank you, and you'll probably be a lot more comfortable as well.

We are waiting for some anticipated hatches to arrive, but for now, there is a lack of bugs on the river. We have seen some activity on nocturnal stone patterns. Some stretches of the river have hoppers, and we are beginning to see flying ants around Divide. Anglers may also find some PMDs and/or caddis. We have also been tossing some small streamers during the cloudy weather, but its hard not to fish a dry fly in the clouds too! As the days heat up, the fish are eating nymphs underneath a chubby or hopper.

Water temperatures at Maiden Rock: lowest recordings are occurring between 7 - 8 AM.

Hoot-Owl restrictions are in the place on some sections of the river, and we anticipate further restrictions in the coming week. Hoot Owl does not mean the river is closed! Hoot Owl Fishing Restriction prohibits fishing each day between 2 p.m. and midnight, which is generally the hottest part of the day. Current hoot-owl restrictions are as follows:

• Section 1 - from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence with the North Fork of the Big Hole River starting July 15.

• Section 5 - from Tony Schoonen FAS to the confluence with the Beaverhead River starting July 15.

These restrictions go into place when water temperatures exceeded 73 degrees in this reach of the Big Hole River for three consecutive days. Head to the MT FWP website for updates on all waterbody restrictions across the state.

We hope that the current incoming heat wave is short lived, but in the meantime, remember to monitor water temperatures while you are fishing, bring fish quickly to the net, and get them back to the water just as quickly.