Temps force Montana fishing restrictions

FISHING – High water temperatures in Western Montana have prompted emergency restrictions on the hours fishing will be allowed on the Bitterroot, Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers starting Friday.

Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks officials said all fishing on the prized trout rivers as well as Flint and Silver Bow Creeks will close daily from 2 p.m. to midnight until conditions improve.

      The “hoot-owl” restrictions will apply to the entire stretch of the Blackfoot and Bitterroot and on the Clark Fork from the headwaters to its confluence with the Flathead.

Montana’s angling restrictions kicked in because flows have dropped and water temperatures have risen to levels that stress trout.

      The preferred water temperature for rainbow and brown trout is about 55-65 degrees. Temperatures of 73 degrees are stressful for rainbow and brown trout.  Temperatures in the mid 60s are stressful to native bull and westslope cutthroat trout.  

Spring chinook closing on Grande Ronde

FISHING – Spring chinook salmon fishing will close on the Grande Ronde River at sunset on Sunday.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the closure on Wednesday after determining the southeastern Washington river “is experiencing extremely low flows and increasing water temperatures that may affect survival of Endangered Species Act listed fish handled during this fishery.” 

The action closes the Grande Ronde to salmon fishing from the mouth of Buford Creek a half mile downstream of the Highway 129 Bridge at Boggan’s Oasis upstream to the Washington-Oregon state line.

Homeowner shoots cougar attacking goat

PREDATORS – A young female cougar was shot and killed as it attacked a goat on the porch of a home near Elk last week.

The cougar, a kitten of the year still showing spots, was able to kill the goat shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning before the homeowner got a firearm and shot it.  The homeowner reported the incident and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officer Severin Erickson responded.

Erickson said several cougars a year in Pend Oreille County find their way into residents’ yards.

“A lot of times nothing happens, but I get reports of them chasing a dog through the yard, or being up on a porch or lying in the grass of the yard,” he said.

“In this case it was a very young cat, very thin, just 30-40 pounds, and in poor condition. 

“Other litter mates may have been in the area.”