I first heard about a voluntary Hoot Owl Closure a few years back. I started to see fly fishing posts mention this and heard it kicked around in conversations. It wasn't until I saw a reputable guide on the Truckee River post and discuss this on his blog that I understood and took the closure seriously.
The basics of a Hoot Owl Closure:
Stop Fishing at noon. You will see this vary with 2pm being the latest I have seen.
Stop fishing when the water temperature hits 67°
With the low water and high temperatures we are seeing across the West consistently the last few years it is critical that we follow these basic Hoot Owl rules and follow the voluntary water closure guidance. As water levels drop and the temperature increases there is less dissolved oxygen for our trout. Hooking, playing, and landing trout when the water temperature is above 67° leads to a high mortality rate. You may do the 'grip and grin' and release the fish, but chances are it will be a floater in a few hours...
Water Temp Guide
55° - 65° - Ideal conditions for trouts
68° - 70° - Stressful conditions for trouts
70° and above - Letha conditions for trouts
Why Hoot Owl?
The term “Hoot Owl” comes from logging operations in the early 1900s. During the summer months, western forests typically are extremely dry and hot and fire potential is correspondingly also very high. Loggers working in the forests to cut and move trees used a variety of equipment that generated sparks (chain saws, vehicles, metal on metal contact between chains, chokers, and similar). To help prevent fire when conditions were extreme, loggers would stop operations in the afternoon to avoid working in the driest and hottest parts of the day. Morning hours were somewhat safer because of dew and cooler temperatures. Working in these early hours, people would encounter owls that were also active in the morning. Their calls (hooting) lead to reference to the morning work window as the “Hoot Owl.” The term stuck and later came to be associated with human activity conducted only during early hours of the day. At FWP, we use the term “Hoot Owl” to reference drought-related restrictions that allow anglers to fish in the morning (for reasons similar to why loggers would work in the morning incidentally), but not in the afternoon. - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
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