EASTERN MONTANA FISHING REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF 1/15/13

COMPILED BY Carol Henckel

Please be advised that ice conditions can change daily so please call the contact person in the area you are planning on fishing for current daily information.  Also, use extreme caution on the ice at all times. Good luck fishing from the Montana Outdoor Radio Crew.

BiII -Rock Creek Marina 1-406-485-2560

“We have ice. The Back Bay has 11 inches and the front bay now has 11 inches. The weather was miserable last week so no fishermen out.  A few walleye are being caught. There is 4 inches of snow on the ice.   You can use a  4  wheeler,” reports Bill of Rock creek Marina.

Bob Peterson-Tongue River Reservoir

Lots of  fishermen out here these days.  It is good for crappies, walleye and they are catching a fair amount of perch.  Ice fishing is strong on the South end. Rattlesnake to mine office has been catching crappies.

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

Hell Creek-Fort Peck Reservoir

The northern pike fishing is really good.  The main bay has 8 to 12  and Hell Creek Bay  has 10 inches. Hell Creek west to Timber Creek has 9 to 12 inches.   And East to Southern and to Little Duck just not good yet. Actually we found some spot with ½ inch.  The main lake is just not good ice.  “They are catching nice walleye at 12 to 16 ft. Nice eatters.” Clint said.

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

Fort Peck Reservoir Dam/Bear Creek/Pines/

Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge says ” We finally have ice on the lake.  It is not very thick.  You can fish Nelson Creek, McGuire Creek, Duck Creek Bay, and Flat Lake. There is a small ice at the dredge cut.”

Lake Elmo Billings

There is ice on Elmo and people are “fishing the far side on the North and West part of the lake. The ice is good.  They are catching rainbows.

Cooney Reservoir – Jenny

The whole “Willow Creek Arm is 18 inches.”. The dam, towards the face is a little over a foot of   ice, Where ever you fish  be careful .  Trout and ling are being caught.

Deadmansl Martinsdale – Justin

Martinsdale  has   good ice. A few browns are being caught but mostly rainbows. They are catching 1 to 2 pound trout and many are limiting out some days.

Deadmans  has a little better ice but there are strange ice conditions so you must be very careful.  Be observant of the look of the ice.  There has been some real weird thawing and freezing going on.  The edges are often soft.  It is walk ONLY.

Don’s Lewistown – Dale

Dale says,” Ackley Lake has good ice.  Trout fishing is steady. We have had more snow so it is covered more. They are using maggots and worms. Walleye fishing is successful  at 35 ft depth using mostly miliworms.   Places like Hansen and Carter’s are good.  At Fort Peck the ice is good  They are catching walleyes at 35 to 45 ft.  If you go shallow you can catch Northern Pike.”

At Forchette and down from Crooked Creek there is some fishing.  The road is fair.  They also got some snow.  You can find Northern Pike in the bay and  then go further out for walleye.

Crooked Creek – Grant

Ice on Ackley  is  really good.  The river is accessible  Grant says.  According to fishermen they are catching.  The water is shallow but good to walk on.

No supplies available.

Lewistown Sports – Dave

“Ackley is  fishing really  well.  They are using glow hooks and power bait. They are knocking ‘um dead,” Dave says.  It is just really really good.

Minnow Bucket-Allen Camarillo 861-0156

I am hearing fishing at Tongue on the Southend is good.  They are saying the whole place is covered with ice.  At Cooney  they are catching a few ling.  At Castle Rock they are  using minnows and getting smaller northerns.  Petroulea is slow although some have caught a fair size perch.

Silos Canyon Ferry-Sharon

The perch fishing is good.  They are catching more walleye through the ice than we have seen in a couple of years.  People are catching their perch limits some days.  Even some perch over 12 inches. The ice average depth   is 11 inches.  The trout I have seen have been 2 to 4 pounds   with many over that. Call for an ice report at any time.

Tongue-Bob Pederson

It’s cold here!  We have seen lots of people.  They are generally going to a depth of 20 to 30 feet. They are using 4 wheelers as well as walking. Bob said he is watching the inversion areas and says you should watch on the edges as they are somewhat soft

West Side Sports Dan 1-406-654-1611

Nelson has ice.  The fishing is breaking.  They are catching perch, northern pike, but walleye is slow going..  Minnows are the choice of bait.

Forchette has ice but not much talk about success.

Billings-Scheels

Nate says, “The ice is good everywhere I hear.   Crooked Creek you can venture out 10 miles all the way and fishing is  good.   I have heard of a 16 pounder, two 14 pounders and one 13 pounder walleye caught.  Not in the main bay but outside the musselshell arm. “ Hell Creek you still have to be careful in parts.  Nelson is outdoing everywhere.  It is just plain good.  Tongue is doing well with crappies using a minnow and a jig.