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EARLY RISERS
Hoot owl restrictions require fishing during coolest part of day
As we hit the heat of the summer, fishing restrictions seem to be a weekly news story, and the term “hoot owls” – referring to hoot owl fishing restrictions – becomes common in conversations about angling. A hoot owl restriction prohibits fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight daily.
The 2026 season looks a lot like 2024. Currently, there are 23 waterbodies under a fishing restriction, which equates to 1,223 stream miles. In 2024, the season included 21 waterbodies and 1,234 stream miles of restrictions. Both years experienced winters with below-normal snowpack and summers with hotter-than-normal temperatures and below-average precipitation.
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ELUSIVE CATCH
Angler snags large paddlefish that was at large for 22 years
Trevor Swisse of Sidney not only harvested the biggest paddlefish in Montana in 2026, but the nearly 117-pound female had avoided recapture by fisheries crews and anglers in Montana and North Dakota for 22 years.
“That’s the biggest one I’ve ever caught,” Swisse said.
Montana’s state-record paddlefish, caught in 1973 in the Missouri River, was 142.5 pounds, but 117 pounds is definitely on the larger end of fish harvested.
Swisse was paddle-fishing at Seven Sisters Wildlife Management Area near Sidney on June 12 with his boys, Mason, 15, and Charles, 6, when he snagged the fish.
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Send Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks your best fishing photo
Deadline is November 1
FWP is searching for a photo to put on the front cover of the 2027 Fishing Regulations. We’re looking for unique or unusual photos, perhaps a state record fish or a fish never previously seen on the cover. Help FWP show what diverse fish can be found in Montana.
- Photo must be vertical (portrait) mode, or suitable for tight vertical cropping to fit the available space on the regs cover.
- Photo must be a minimum resolution and size of 6 inches tall at 300 pixels-per-inch.
- FWP will feature your name on the front cover as credit. Please specify how you would like to be credited.
- Please include a short description of the photo, so we can provide some caption information.
- Ownership of the photo is retained by the photographer, who may use his/her image for other purposes.
- Please do not send photos of fish that have been mounted.
- Photo must be taken in Montana.
Regulation photos can be sent to fwpfsh@mt.gov
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The Great Pumpkin
New state record pumpkinseed caught in Echo Lake
Who would have thought a fish weighing 1.23 pounds would set any kind of record? When Parker Shipman reeled in the tenacious pumpkinseed sunfish, he had had an inkling.
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Take aim with a Foam Bullet (Madam X)
Do you need a universal, good to have in your box kind of fly? This Madam X variation works on rivers like the Big Hole, the Bitterroot, Rock Creek and the Blackfoot as well as on high mountain lakes. Target rising fish or work the edges of the lake where fish are cruising and hoping for a clumsy hopper or beetle to fall in. Cast it and twitch it. This fly is meant to move.
Learn how to tie this fly yourself:
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Fisheries habitat enhancement to begin on upper Madison River in September
Anglers and recreational floaters should avoid construction areas
Conservation partners are excited to announce two projects beginning in September to improve habitat conditions for trout in the upper Madison River.
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AIS Update
As of July 30, here is the latest news from AIS inspection stations from around the state:
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Over 63,000 watercraft inspected so far this season.
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23 mussel-fouled boats intercepted so far this season.
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FWP seeks public comment on proposed ice fishing contests
FWP is seeking public comment on ice fishing contests proposed for the 2026-2027 season. Participants must comply with state fishing regulations, including daily and possession limits.
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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
1420 East Sixth Avenue, P.O. Box 200701
Helena, MT 59620-0701
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