In response, FWP set a two-trout limit, of which only one can measure over 13 inches. But the special feature which the Stillwater displays even more than the Gallatin or Boulder is the boulder-pocket. Like the fellow who orders a hamburger in a restaurant famous for its prime rib, many an angler misses the most exciting part of the Stillwater by dismissing its boulder-pockets. To the inexperienced eye, whitewater breaking around and over the boulders looks much too fast and shallow to hold trout. Yet, as a wade into the midst of one of these boulder fields will prove, there are many quiet, deep holes, or pockets, behind the current-braking boulders.
Trout feel secure beneath the fractured water surface.
The aeration of whitewater makes these areas veritable food factories. Once an angler discovers the concentration of trout around these boulders, that person begins to seek this kind of water which so many anglers shun. The hydrology of these boulder-pockets creates problems for spin and bait anglers. The washing machine action of the water behind the boulders wraps the hardware around unseen tree branches or wedges the hooks between rocks. Even though skillful anglers could catch lots of trout in these spots, the bait and spin anglers usually gravitate to the pools where they feel more comfortable.