A significant outcry created a massive uproar last year — comparable to a strong brown trout chasing a salmonfly. The commotion and frustration were centered on the decline of trout populations in the nationally renowned Big Hole River since 2011.
In May 2023, over 30 fishing outfitters and guides in Montana urged Gov. Greg Gianforte to promptly utilize state resources to investigate the reasons behind the decreasing trout populations in the river.
More than two months later, Gianforte organized a roundtable discussion in Wise River involving fishing guides, irrigators, agriculture producers, and biologists, with a majority of attendees having agricultural interests.
On Wednesday, Gianforte returned to the Wise River area to receive an update from Jim Olsen, a fisheries biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, focusing on the Big Hole River. FWP Director Dustin Temple was also present.
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The latest report from the governor’s office on Thursday highlighted good news from electrofishing sampling conducted this spring by Olsen and his team, demonstrating an overall increase in juvenile fish, indicating better recruitment of younger fish for the future.
However, the not-so-good news was the low numbers of brown and rainbow trout in all four sampled sections of the river compared to long-term averages, with some sections showing declines.
Olsen mentioned that favorable water levels in 2023 likely contributed to the improved survival of juvenile trout, with most of the population increase observed in 2-year-old fish.
Not counting chickens
Wade Fellin, an outfitter and co-founder of Save Wild Trout, responded cautiously to the population numbers, emphasizing the need for a balanced environment to sustain healthy trout populations.
Fellin highlighted persistent pollution and warmer temperatures as major threats to waterways, advocating for a collaborative effort to protect rivers like the Big Hole.
The Big Hole River Foundation has been actively collecting water quality data to inform conservation efforts in the region.
