Montana considers scrapping walk-wade compromise.

During the course of the season, Montana’s Madison River is pounded by hundreds of recreational and commercial anglers. The system is being loved to death.

Montana’s Fish and Wildlife Commission worked with commercial outfitters and interested anglers to craft a compromise solution: closing some sections to commercial boat traffic on a rotating basis, allowing DIY walk-wade anglers to practice their sport in solitude.

Those regulations are now under fire, as the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission looks to scrap the compromise, arguing- oddly enough- due to a lack of public support. Officials don’t provide anything in the way of corroborating evidence for that claim, and it’s odd to think these regulations went into effect without some public support in the first place.

Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission is taking comments on the proposal, and will host a remote public hearing via Zoom on December 15th. Deadline for public comments is December 17th. You can learn more about how to and where to send comments, and how to participate in the online hearing, by following this link.