Montana Alternatives?

SurfnSully

SurfnSully

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I am supposed to head out Saturday for a week long Mancation XVI in Montana but the hoot owl restrictions and forecasted weather in the high 90's and low 100's I was thinking maybee I should change my plans?

What are your thoughts on trout fishing on the Skagit or up in BC on the Squamish? Would Campbell River area be a better spot for trout fishing than these two areas?

Any help would be appreciated. I just want to avoid the high heat since I had heat stroke once and don't want to limit my fishing before 2 pm...

Thanks,
 
Thinking out loud---> Vancouver Island?

Cooler temps - 70's. Fresh and salt water.

Maybe ask @Herkileez for insight...

Edit: it is so beautiful up there! One of my best friends meat fishes up there this time of year. Limits of salmon, cod and halibut brought back every year.
 
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I would say the Skagit would have the best water conditions, with decent trout populations(not Montana #s) and cool water.

Campbell would be ok but low I would think, but it is dam controlled so should be cooler water, might be a bit early for cutthroat, but beautiful area worth exploring as there is a lot more than just the Campbell.

The drive over to Gold River from Campbell will give you dozens of options, plus you can visit Roderick Haig Browns house!
 
Am I the only one to find it a little odd to be comparing the quality/opportunity of trout fishing on the Skagit as an alternate to the entire state of Montana? Even if you throw in char, which are not trout, it still seems like an unfair comparison. I love the Skagit for a lot of reasons. But I would not plan a week long vacation for the trout fishing if BC, Alberta, Idaho, Oregon, or the non-hoot owl rivers still open in Montana were an option.
 
SW Montana is not very hot this week, I'm there now. 88 - 92 degree highs, 59 degree lows. Not every river (or river section) is under a hoot owl. A bit smokey, not bad though. Lots of folks fishing. It is July.
 
BDD said:
Am I the only one to find it a little odd to be comparing the quality/opportunity of trout fishing on the Skagit as an alternate to the entire state of Montana? Even if you throw in char, which are not trout, it still seems like an unfair comparison. I love the Skagit for a lot of reasons. But I would not plan a week long vacation for the trout fishing if BC, Alberta, Idaho, Oregon, or the non-hoot owl rivers still open in Montana were an option.
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I figured the Skagit reference was for the B.C. portion of the Skagit
 
BDD said:
Am I the only one to find it a little odd to be comparing the quality/opportunity of trout fishing on the Skagit as an alternate to the entire state of Montana? Even if you throw in char, which are not trout, it still seems like an unfair comparison. I love the Skagit for a lot of reasons. But I would not plan a week long vacation for the trout fishing if BC, Alberta, Idaho, Oregon, or the non-hoot owl rivers still open in Montana were an option.
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I don't disagree but the hoot owl restrictions are growing and the forecast is not looking good beginning this weekend :(
 
Thanks for the ideas. I wont make up my mind until Friday as we watch the weather and restrictions. Whatever we do I will post pictures.
 
If you go to Vancouver Island, the Cowitchan is closed through August. Make sure that you check the regs wherever you go. The entire Skagit is open in BC after some closure for a few years following road washout.
 
RCF said:
Thinking out loud---> Vancouver Island?

Cooler temps - 70's.
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I wish! No, we have 80’s and 90’s, or as we say, 30’s (C). Here on the island, we’re in a heat wave; low 30’s. (A lot of mainland B.C. is in the high 30’s.). Similar to western US, we’ve had a lot of drought the last few years. 157 wildfires burning in BC as of today. Steady winds don’t help. Assistance has been arriving from eastern Canada, Australia and N.Zealand. If you visit, watch for updates from BC Wildfire Service.

A good part of southern Van. Is. has summer stream closures now, thankfully. One river I fish has water temps around 23-24 C (75-ish F). Not good for trout survival. The Campbell is still open, I believe. I don’t know about mainland rivers, but here are the regs:

Freshwater fishing regulations in B.C.

BC's freshwater fishing is managed through the Freshwater Fishing Regulation Synopsis which is published every two years and describes fishing opportunities throughout the province. Regional in-season regulation changes provide information to the public regarding changes to fishing...
www2.gov.bc.ca

Some weather sites:

Canadian Weather - Environment Canada

Current conditions and forecasts for selected Canadian cities
weather.gc.ca weather.gc.ca

Canadian Weather - Environment Canada

Current conditions and forecasts for selected Canadian cities
weather.gc.ca weather.gc.ca
https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-31_metric_e.html (Hope Slide area, close to Skagit R.)

I don’t know the Skagit personally, but I’ve heard there are still repairs happening. Maybe to bridges and roads washed out? If you check BC forums, you might find recent intel.

Tight lines, wherever you go!
 
Oof


Can't really help much except that it sounds like you're set on trout, no? If that's the case, find a spring Creek somewhere that's going to be frigid. Even then, a full week on some place like that seems like it would get a bit boring....unless it's got char AND trout! 🤔

Otherwise, there are lots of fun fish to catch that don't fall under that trout holy Grail.
 
SEA-ANC r/t this weekend is about $550, rental car is probably the same for a week all-in. Bring a sleeping bag and a tent, buy some grub n bear spray in town, head to the peninsula or parks hiway for a week of kickass fishing, bring home a dozen sockeye to top it all off. Makes Montana look like single A ball by comparison.
 
Maybe look at the source, the Missouri around Craig would be an option as fed by a dam so cooler water but a guess as not expert and likely other rivers in MT that are lake fed. Also likely a zoo in the accessible areas as likely many are doing that.

I’ve heard good things about the Skagit but seems to be a boat affair but again ignorant beyond that.

Dave
 
Cooler weather is gonna be tough in July and August, but there's a ton of options if you're willing to fly and try new things. You could wet wade the heat and humidity of the NC/TN mountains in the Smokies or maybe find some cooler temps in northern Maine for brookies and landlocked salmon (beware the bugs).
 
I just checked the MT DFWP for hoot owl closures and see about a dozen rivers closed mostly in the hotter parts of the state or in the main stems below major trips. I don't see any of the places that most attract me to MT under hoot owl restrictions. I suggest taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by these closures to broaden your perspective on MT fishing.
 
Otter said:
I wish! No, we have 80’s and 90’s, or as we say, 30’s (C). Here on the island, we’re in a heat wave; low 30’s. (A lot of mainland B.C. is in the high 30’s.). Similar to western US, we’ve had a lot of drought the last few years. 157 wildfires burning in BC as of today. Steady winds don’t help. Assistance has been arriving from eastern Canada, Australia and N.Zealand. If you visit, watch for updates from BC Wildfire Service.

A good part of southern Van. Is. has summer stream closures now, thankfully. One river I fish has water temps around 23-24 C (75-ish F). Not good for trout survival. The Campbell is still open, I believe. I don’t know about mainland rivers, but here are the regs:

Freshwater fishing regulations in B.C.

BC's freshwater fishing is managed through the Freshwater Fishing Regulation Synopsis which is published every two years and describes fishing opportunities throughout the province. Regional in-season regulation changes provide information to the public regarding changes to fishing...
www2.gov.bc.ca

Some weather sites:

Canadian Weather - Environment Canada

Current conditions and forecasts for selected Canadian cities
weather.gc.ca weather.gc.ca

Canadian Weather - Environment Canada

Current conditions and forecasts for selected Canadian cities
weather.gc.ca weather.gc.ca
https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-31_metric_e.html (Hope Slide area, close to Skagit R.)

I don’t know the Skagit personally, but I’ve heard there are still repairs happening. Maybe to bridges and roads washed out? If you check BC forums, you might find recent intel.

Tight lines, wherever you go!
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Thanks for the nice information. We will decide Friday night and for 14 of the last 16 years we have gone to MT. Once we went to Fernie and once the Yakima. Someplace new would be great but we always look forward to MT and hope to make that happen again this summer.
 
SurfnSully said:
I don't disagree but the hoot owl restrictions are growing and the forecast is not looking good beginning this weekend :(
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On a related note there is hoot owl on the mt. streams around greater yellowstone. The Id. streams also in greater yellowstone don't have hoot owl because Id fish and game say while mortality is high with fish caught at high temps the fish don't bite so less are caught meaning the fishery is not negatively effected regarding numbers killed. In essence two different management styles with similar outcome. That said even if a place does not have hoot owl I'd be looking at (predicted) water temps because high temps mean less fish caught so fish not biting might have a result similar to fishing hoot owl anyway....so find cold...water go there.
 
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