Butte/Bozeman Fishing and Recreation Report by Angie of Bob Ward’s
By angelamontana

Posted: January 7, 2013

Hi, Angie here from Bob Ward & Sons, reporting on Butte & Bozeman fishing!

Here’s what we have for Bozeman rivers:

  • On the Lower Madison, hit the SUN, SUN, SUN!  Crayfish, Worms, Egghead Stones are all luring in the Rainbows.
  • On the Upper Madison, hit the DEEPS, DEEPS, DEEPS!  Caddis Patterns & Mega Pheasant Tails are choice, or strip a Hairy Sculpin or Conehead JJ in the pools.
  • On the Gallatin, fish the Canyon or Valley ONLY, it’s too ice-packed at the source.  Nymph San Juans or Attractor Nymphs with a smaller trail, or feed the Rainbows a Sculpzilla or Black Bugger Streamer.
  • As for Lakes, Ruby Reservoir has been pretty good, decent 6-8” ice, using maggots & worms on a Glo Hook.
  • Daily Lake, the Bozeman folks hear, is GOOD, but no word on what exactly has been used…however, we’re seeing maggots FLY out of the Bozeman store, so that’s gotta be working!
  • On Georgetown, try suspending into 7-10 ft of water, using tiny jigs.  Or for Brookies, try 10 ft with maggots & a small Chartreuse/Silver jig.

If you just gotta SKI, you’ve got Moonlight at 39” w/one inch of new snow in the last 48 hours.  Or Big Sky with a 37” base & 8 inches of new snow in the last 48!  Or Bridger Bowl, with a depth of 37” & no new snow currently, but that’s due to change!

Butte says fishing in SW Montana has been good this past week with anglers reporting good success on Georgetown Lake using Glo Hooks w/Maggots.  The most success seems to be out in front of the Pump House & at Denton’s Point.  The suggestion is the earlier you get on the ice, the better the fishing has been.

The Big Hole river is still producing some fish using stripped Streamers & some San Juan worms.  Go easy on the slush & ice, though!

Smith River permits are available until Feb 15th—go online @ fwp.mt.gov.  If you’ve never floated the Smith, the fishing is out of this world…not to mention the sights, downright gorgeous!

Discovery Basin Ski Area by Anaconda is reporting great groomed runs all over the mountain.  Discovery is reporting a 16” base depth w/36” at the top.

Back next week with more, friends.

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