Dry Arm on Fort Peck Fishing Well: Eastern Montana Fishing Report
By Matt Schauer

Posted: November 7, 2012

Good Luck Fishing from the Montana Outdoor Radio Crew.

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

”There has not been a lot of fisherman out. We had a windy week. The northern pike fishing continues to bite if you can handle the wind,” Bill reports. “Lake trout are being caught at Haxby point and at the dam.”

***Grant-Crooked Creek Marina 1-406-429-2999

Crooked Creek Fort Peck Reservoir

Slower fishing is beginning to happen. Go out a couple miles out from shore for walleye. Cranks are working better. Boats have to be really careful between the ramp and past Anderson point. Word has it the Corp plans on dropping the water level which will impact Crooked Creek.

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

“Fishing has stayed the same and is good,” Clint reports. “Walleye are still up in the bays. They are looking for cooler water. Depths for fish are 10 to 12 feet deep using jigs. Perch are being caught in the bay. The color brown with crankbaits is still working on northerns.”

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

Fort Peck Reservoir Dam/Bear Creek/Pines/

Gene reports,”lake trout fishing is good. They are biting at Haxby Point, in the 15 to 30 feet range, using tail wobblers or cranks dive at 20 to 25 feet,” he says. “Walleye fishing is good down below in the river. And northern pike fishing is still good too. It is good on all the major points where there are willows.”

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

Nelson, Forchette

Dan at West Side Sports tells us,”you have good days fishing when the wind isn’t blowing. This week not much fishing was going on. Few people catching on Nelson using jigs and minnows for walleyes.” Cranks are catching Northerns.

“Forchette is the same. The guys are using bottom bouncers on walleyes . Some jigging going on. Not much talk about how they are doing there. Just dragging nightcrawlers is also working,” Dan explains.

***Deadmans and Martinsdale

Martinsdale: Shore fishing is producing rainbows no browns. Cool temps and wind is changing things. Water is very low and makes fishing difficult.

Deadmans is low and the dock is pulled. Few fishermen out so information is tough to get. Although a few decent reports on trout fishing.

*** Tongue River Marina & Scheels

Tongue River Reservoir

The bass fishing is the primary bite. Tongue is low but rising. Watch the weather as cold will push them deep so if you are going to fish do it now. They have pulled the docks. Check conditions before you go. Right now they are catching them in shallows.

The marina is closed for the season.

*** Silos Marina Sharon 266-3100

Canyon Ferry

Sharon says, “fishing isn’t half bad. Walleye fishing is at Hole and Confederate. I hear some perch are being caught. Walleye are deep 30 to 50 feet deep and the bite is off and on. We are seeing more shore fishermen for trout. It isn’t over yet. If you haven’t winterized your boat yet, get out on Canyon Ferry, there is still fishing,” Sharon reports.

*** Minnow bucket Allen Camarillo 348-2440

“The river is good. The bite is good going east for sauger and walleye. They are using minnows jigging,” Allen explains. “Locally people are catching lots of brown trout. Big ones 22 to 24 inches from Laurel to Huntley. That is not the norm, so it is a surprise but a nice one, ” Allen says.

***Lake Elmo Billings

Due to cool weather fishing some days is slower . Shore fishermen are catching off shore. The changing temperatures change fishing conditions.

*** Cooney

Allen at the Minnow Bucket says he knows of several people who have been shore fishing off the dam and they getting a few walleye. Night fishing is still happening.

Nate from Scheels says Cooney is very low and he has not heard of many fishing there.

***Don’s Charlie 1-800-879-8194

Lewistown East Fork Reservoir

Dale tells us, “there is good catching using Bluewings on Spring Creek. Snow and cold predicted for the weekend will change that some. They are using standard nymphs as well.”

On Missouri River minnows are still working . You can get live minnows at Don’s now.

Achley is working well using a leech pattern fly. Bait fishing is working some but fly fishing is definitely better.

Fort Peck Crooked Creek is seeing walleyes being caught. Fishermen are using bottom bouncers and jigs both with minnows. Casting cranks in the brush is picking up Northern Pike.

***Scheels Nate

Martinsdale has had some good fishing from shore for trout using night crawlers.

On the lower Yellowstone River bass, walleye, sauger and catfish fishing is doing well. The methods vary as much as the fisherman. The water is rising.

Yellowstone Lake sauger towards Wyoming are being caught. The bite is on right on the border of Montana and Wyoming. Only a few bass caught.

Cooney is very low and I have not heard of many fishermen going.

“I hear the Dry Arm at Fort Peck is very, very good. Both casting and trolling spoons or crankbaits are working,” Nate says.

The Eastern Montana Fishing Report for the week of 11/5/2012 was compiled by Carol Henckel

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