The Whitehall Ledger - Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

New emergency fishing regulations are in place for the Big Hole, Beaverhead and Ruby rivers.

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted the new regulations during its June 8 meeting. These restrictions limit angling during the brown trout spawning season and harvest in some stretches of the rivers.

Trout abundances in several areas of the three rivers have steadily declined since 2011 and are at or near historical lows. Meanwhile, fishing pressure in these areas has increased. The emergency fishing regulations aim to be responsive to fish populations in accordance with Montana’s dra...