Warm water is causing fishing restrictions on the Blackfoot, Bitterroot and Clark Fork Rivers, along with Flint and Silver Bow Creek.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials will close fishing daily from 2 p.m. to midnight, starting Friday, July 3.

FWP drought policy calls for restrictions when water flows drop below certain levels and when water temperatures increase to levels where fish are stressed for three consecutive days.

The preferred water temperature for rainbow and brown trout is 55-65 degrees, according to Pat Saffel, Region 2 Fisheries Manager. The temperatures have been above 70 degrees this week.

The 2 p.m. to 12 midnight restriction is for all of the Bitterroot and Blackfoot Rivers, on the Clark Fork from its headwaters to its confluence with the Flathead. The Flint Creek restrictions are below the Highway 1 bridge near milepost 53, downstream to the mouth of the creek. Silver Bow Creek is affected from its confluence with Warm Springs Creek to the confluence with Blacktail Creek in Butte.

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