The announcement Tuesday by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks struck some river watchdogs as puzzling.

They wondered about FWP’s decision to reopen sections 3 and 4 of the Big Hole River to fishing on the cusp of spawning closures. The reopened sections, which stretch from Dickie Bridge to the Tony Schoonen Fishing Access Site, had been under hoot owl restrictions, which prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight.

The Big Hole, like other freestone rivers in the region, and its users have suffered through a grueling summer of low flows, warm temperatures and fishing restrictions.

Spawning-related fishing closures for the Big Hole, stretching from Dickie Bridge to the river’s confluence with the Jefferson River, are roughly two weeks away.

Paul Siddoway is an avid fly fisherman, a landowner

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