Hi folks, Angie here from BOB WARD & SONS, with the BEST of fishing from the HELENA area!
Like MANY areas this weekend, on the MISSOURI RIVER you’ll find lower temps & high winds! Find a pocket with little to no wind, add some cloud cover (which looks pretty likely) and a dry midge emerger (we’re liking the HI VIS or HUNG LOW Emergers in size 16), and you just MAY catch some nice fish! TOSTEN, below the Dam, thru to TOWNSEND has been the stretch where we’re hearing of the best success! Get your “NYMPH” on with Pinks, Reds or Greys…a San Juan or a Glasshead PMD are some of the working Nymphs right now…
On CANYON FERRY, we’ve got 12” solid ice near the silos…rainbows (3-4 pounders), and perch fishing has been productive at the south end of the lake, in 8-10 feet of water. To nab those big Rainbow, fish about 6 feet below the ice and use a black wooly bugger jig tipped with maggots. Use extreme caution if you decide to venture out on the ice. We received reports of vehicles out on the ice crossing pressure ridges! REALLY, my friends, BE SAFE! An angler fell through the ice & got the scare of his life last weekend fishing near a pressure ridge. Please, avoid those pressure ridges!
At HELENA VALLEY REGULATING RESERVOIR, kokanee salmon are still active! We’re still suggesting the Hali spoons tipped with white corn or a cocktail shrimp! The ice is about 11 inches thick. High winds are making fishing out here tough, tho, so be aware!
If you’re hitting the slopes, Great Divide AND Showdown (heck, pretty much every ski area statewide!) are finally getting the accumulation they deserve! 7 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours at GREAT DIVIDE, and 25 inches of the fresh stuff at SHOWDOWN (I’m not even kidding) will make your ski trips well worth while!!
Come on in the HELENA STORE for WEEK 4, the FINAL week, of our annual PROGRESSIVE SALE! You can’t beat prices like these for all the sports items you need, PLUS the Spring product is coming, so check in OFTEN and see what’s new! We’ll be back next week, folks!
Follow the link to check out BOB WARDS WEBSITE!
