Eastern Montana Fishing Report for the Week of 6.17.13
By angelamontana

Posted: June 19, 2013
(photo courtesy of fieldandstream.com)
 

Report compiled by Carol Henckel

Please be advised that conditions can change daily so please call the contact person in the area you are planning on FISHING for current daily information.  Weather is changing and some days wind can be a big factor.

Keep an eye on the weather while you are out there and stay safe.

Good luck FISHING from the Montana Outdoor Radio Crew.

Rock Creek Marina-Bill 1-406-485-2560
“Bill said, “I have seen people limiting out on walleye.  Catching lots of eaters, walleye have been 18 to 22 inches. Smiley blades are working in
white/orange and chartreuse   Northern pike are biting. I have seen them bring in 35”, 36”, 43 inch pike. Last week they were biting in 10 to 20
feet.  There are still places in the Pikemasters tournament for this weekend. The small mouth  are being found on the rocky points with cranks.”

Tongue River Reservoir
Tongue River Marina  1-406-757-2225 Colton/Bob Pederson
“.Crappies are just turning on but it seems to be just in the evening.  They are getting nice size ones at 2 ½ pound. Find them in the shallows. A lot of nice walleyes being caught with night crawlers using jigs.  The water is full but it needs to warm up.  We have had sunny skies and no rain, ”Greg says. Some small mouth eaters are also being caught.

Clint Thomas- Hell Creek Marina 1-406- 557-2345
Hell Creek-Fort Peck Reservoir
“ Walleye are biting at Crooked Creek, Southerland and Snow Creek and east of  us. They are vertical jigging in 14 feet.  Some are having luck just pitching and reeling back. Jigging with  white and orange are working. Bass fishing has been excellent. She said,” you will find them anywhere there are weeds. Northern pike are biting on cranks, spoons, sometimes using a diamond spoon. They are biting on sunny days and nice weather.

Walleye fishermen are finding when the sun is up it is perfect for walleye.

Rainbow trout has not much action,“ Meagan said.

Gene Moore Lake Ridge Motel 1-406-526-3597
Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge says,” Fishing has been excellent. Walleye are really biting. Really nice ones. Everything is working minnows, cranks,
lindys, bottom bouncers and jigs and just about everywhere.  I have seen a couple 17 inch and 20 inchers.  Northern pike have been good of shore or in a boat.  Northern pike are being caught with dare devils off shore.

Just get up here!”

Lake Elmo Billings
It has been good. Lots of  catchable fish being caught off shore.  They are catching rainbows, a few catfish and lots of sunfish.  They have been
putting and plan to put some brown and cutthroat breed stock in.  I am seeing lots of fishermen.

Yellowtail has the carp tournament coming up.  Magic City Fly fishers sponsor that event. June 28, 2013 – Bighorn River Alliance Carp Festival –
Yellowtail Lake.

Fishing on the Yellowstone is still high with clearing muddy but if you are persistent with a worm and a rod you can catch some fish.

Cooney Reservoir- Jenny
People have caught decent or small 12 to 14 inch size walleye. Rainbows are being caught as well. At the dam fishermen are going deep for walleye and they are trolling for them. The walleye have lots of catching in early morning and late evening.

Deadmans/Martinsdale- Justin
“Fishing at Deadman’s is just okay not great.  A few more are being caught from shore I am being told especially rainbows.  There is water up on the ramp still. We have had a lot of wind so the water has been choppy.  They tell me they are trolling using a worm.  The Musselshell went up. A few people are catching rainbow from shore.  It can be pretty good depending on the day,” Justin said.

Don’s Lewistown- Dale
(Lewistown phone service down so unable to get a new report this is last weeks)

“Spring Creek is blown out! It looks like a coffee laate right now,’ Dale said.  Missouri is working for catfish.  Ackley Lake is taking on water
and you can launch a boat now.  Everything is working for bait right now,” Dan says.

Crooked Creek-Grant
Due to low water levels no boat use at Crooked Creek. No boat access. The marina will not be open.  It is closed but cabins are still available for
other uses just call 1-406-429-2999.

Lewistown Sports-Dave
(Lewistown phone service down so unable to get a new report this is last weeks)
“Spring Creek is high and muddy and not fishing well.  Achley is fishing real good.  They are catching all rainbows.  Just troll using rapalas in
rainbow colors at a depth of 12 to 15 feet”, Dave says.

Minnow Bucket-Allen Camarillo 861-0156
“Catfish fishing on the Yellowstone River has been very good.It is clearing and the color is green right now. I think it will be clearer by the weekend.  The guys are using night crawlers and live minnows, either whole or cut bait,” Allen said. Cooney fishing is catching morning and
evening. Lots of recreational boats during the day,” Allen explained.

“I also heard that they are catching some perch at Petrolia. The spillway is running and overflowing.  I suspect it should be clearing up for
walleye maybe this weekend, “ Allen said. People are still seeing some action at Yellowtail.

Silos Canyon Ferry-Sharon
“Fishing has been excellent. They are really biting.  Water temperature is reaching 70 degrees. Fishermen are getting their limits. They are
reporting catching on both sides and going east. Last week anything and everything was working but right now no one is talking about what they are using or how big because of the tournament this weekend here”, Sharon says.

Holter
Holter fishing is still good. Walleye are being caught 16 to 20 inches, 2 to 3 pounders.  Fish the upper campground.  Try off the shore at 150 feet
deep using a rapella.  Anything that is chartreuse is working.

West Side Sports Dan 1-406-654-1611
Lots of wind and rain this week. Bottom bouncers, night crawlers and leeches are the things to use. The fish are small ones 14 to 16 inchers
are beng caught. For Nortern pike use cranks.

Forchette you can get in.  The water has been murky.  Fishing has slowed up.  They are using bottom bouncers  for walleye and cranks for pike.

Billings-Scheels Nate
“I heard fishing is good when the wind is down off shore.  Someone caught a 10 pound walleye at Cooney.

Nelson is good also when the wind is down.  They are catching nice size walleye at 14 to 18 inches.  Good eaters.

Canyon Ferry I heard is slow.

Hell Creek they tell me is on fire when there is no wind.  They are catching northern pike, walleye  and a few bass.

At Tongue River they are using slow death at 16 to 20 feet with lots of red they say.

Petolia is tough fishing as it is just too mudy right now.

At Fresno they did well on jigging for walleye using TFS,” Nate said.

Rich’s Tackle- Richard
I was up at the Dry this week.  We fished at Snow Creek and Hell Creek.

Out of 16 days only 3 days were good.  It rained constantly and the fish just would not bite. We had 6 inches of rain one day.  Minnows worked
better.  No trolling worked the. Despite all the rain the roads were really good.

I heard at Canyon Ferry someone caught 8 walleye with a size of 16 to 17 inches and one 21 incher using crank bait with worms.

Yellowtail/ Big Horn –Dave Egdorf  406-665-3489
“You can still get night crawlers by calling ahead. Someone will answer the phone for the order, “Dave says.

Stillwater Anglers-Chris 406-322-4977
The Stillwater has dropped and is more fishable. It has dropped and cleared some. The best idea is to go up higher as it will be better. It is
doable. Use girdle bugs, stonefly nymphs and bitch creek flies. San Juan worms will also work. For wet flies us nymph patterns.

The Yellowstone is dropping and clearing some. It is less clear that the Stillwater.  Go with wet flies in a nymph pattern.

Fort Smith Trout Shop 666-2375 -Steve
Fish the upper 13 miles of the Big horn.  Fishing is always good here.

Use a nymph pattern in a sow bug or a quill pattern #20.  You can also use a red larva number 18.  Streamers are working only fair.  “Some small
batties size 18 and 20 in a blue dry fly seem to work on the top of the water from noon to evening,” he said.

New Podcast!

Riley's Meats - Butte Wild Game Processing