Increasing Open Water Opportunities in the Eastern Montana Fishing Report 3/22/2012
By Kjel

Posted: March 22, 2012

Please be advised that warm weather has changed   ice conditions making them precarious  and  high wind  conditions mean caution should be used in partially open waters  so please beware.   Call the contact person in the area you are planning on fishing for current daily information. Also use extreme caution on the water   at all times. Good Luck Fishing from the Montana Outdoor Radio Crew.

***Bill -Rock Creek Marina   1-406-485-2560

Bill says “ ice is off  except for the bay.”   No one has been up fishing.    He says “Time to make your reservations now for the spring fishing season.”

***Bob-Bob’s Bait Shop 1406- 429-2086

Crooked Creek Fort Peck Reservoir

“We   have 6 inches of snow.  We have  no ice.”  Bob says, “  The  Missouri is open ,” he tells us, and  the Musselshell has no ice.  The force of the water seems to have eliminated the tree line .”  Now is the time to fish for the big fish.     My shop will now be closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

***Clint Thomas- Hell Creek Marina   1-406- 557-2345

Hell Creek-Fort Peck Reservoir

According to a Jordan resident fishing is slow.  Still  a bit of ice in some areas so putting a boat in means you will run into chunks.   Lots of wind .  Saw a 4 pound walleye , some perch and northern  taken.

***Gene Moore   Lake ridge Motel    1-406-526-3597

Fort Peck Reservoir Dam/Bear Creek/Pines/

Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge says, “   Fishing the river is good.   The lake is turning on. They are catching trout on KO  wobblers, cam loopers and shad raps.   The marina bay   has a bit of ice.  Duck Creek and Flat lake are open.  ”  “The river is good and they are,” Gene explains,” catching walleyes, sauger, lake trout and rainbows.”   They are catching walleyes on lindy rigs.

***West Side Sports –Dan 1-406-654-1611 

Nelson, Forchette

Dan at West Side Sports tells us.”  Nelson has some ice but for safety reasons fishermen are backing off and not going . “      Forchette Bay is not safe or  good.  He says it is  not good to go yet   There is no fishing right now.

***Deadmans and Martinsdale

Justin says,” Martinsdale   is  open. They are catching rainbows on worms and marshmellows.  ” I have seen only a few caught.  Some are using jigs and minnows.

The Musselshell has started but it is slow.

*** Silos Marina Sharon  266-3100

Canyon Ferry

“  Trout fishing from the bank is good.”, Sharon says.  “Ice fishing is done,   You can launch.  It is open at White Earth, “ Sharon tells us.

Sharon says, “ winterize  your  boat.  Check your spark plugs,   Check your batteries so you won’t have to buy your battery on your first trip out.”

***Minnow bucket  Allen Camarillo  348-2440

Allen Camarillo says,”   On the Yellowstone   fishermen   are   catching ling, catfish, small mouth, walleye  and sauger.  They are using jigs and minnows on sauger and some crank baits on walleye.  A young girl caught a nice 4 pound brown trout under the Huntley bridge.  Fishing is real  good.

***Lake Elmo  Billings

Lake Elmo  h as open  water.    People   are  fishing from shore and  the dock and catching a few fish.   Lake Elmo was stocked 3,000  trout fingerlings  last week.

***Cooney

                 They are catching rainbows from shore.  Not a lot of rainbows but a few.  The walleye are not active   yet.

***Don’s      Dave  1-800-879-8194 

Lewistown East Fork Reservoir

Dave says, “The weather is really bad.  Lots of   high winds.  We got quite   a lot of snow.  It is bad enough I would say stay home don’t go out.”

***Bob Peterson-

Tongue River Reservoir

Bob says, “The ice is off.  There is a little ice on the south end.  People haven’t been out much yet.  The marina will be open this weekend.”

 

EASTERN MONTANA FISHING REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF 3/21/12 COMPILED BY Carol Henckel

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