FWP lifts some fishing restrictions on rivers, creeks in SW Montana

After a round of cooler temperatures and rain in recent weeks in much of southwest Montana, state officials are removing some fishing restrictions and closures that have been in place for much of the back half of the summer.

On Friday, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks lifted hoot-owl fishing restrictions, which limited fishing hours to before 2 p.m. each day, on stretches of Silver Bow Creek and the Bitterroot, Clark Fork, Beaverhead, East Gallatin, Gallatin, Madison, Ruby and Smith rivers. Most of those restrictions had been in place since early July.