A creel clerk will be present during autumn of 2001 to observe how many anglers actually waded in the stream. He will repeat the process following the Sept. 1, 2002-Jan. It'll give us an idea whether this kind of regulation could be valuable for other waters as well. This issue of disrupting spawning fish has become more critical in Colorado with the impact of whirling disease, which has decimated natural reproduction of rainbow trout on many streams. The notion is to protect those populations still reproducing, which includes nearly every place where brown trout are prevalent.
Browns are more resistant to the disease and their progeny are vital to maintaining wild trout.
The Wildlife Commission also approved spawning closures, effective this season, on a number of tributary creeks to the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers to protect rainbow trout. Dry and dryer Anglers anticipating a summer excursion to the rivers of southwestern Montana should expect another dry season with the prospects for extremely low water. Still reeling from the 2000 drought that promoted devastating forest fires and forced closure of certain rivers, the area now must endure a low runoff caused by yet another sparse snowpack. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parksofficials have developed contingencies to deal with extreme low-water conditions, which seem a certainty unlessrelief comes with rain. Information on water conditions may be obtained at the fwp.state.mt.us Web site.