EASTERN MONTANA FISHING REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF 6/24/13
By angelamontana

Posted: June 26, 2013

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

“Linda said, “We had the Pikemasters tournament last weekend with 39 teams.  The first day was better fishing and the second day was definitely slower when you look at the final results. The winners weights were really impressive. First place had a weight of 106.9 pounds for 2 days and the winning team was Mr. and Mrs. Larsen. Their weight on the first day was 55.7 pounds and 52.2 the second day.  Second  place had a weight of 04 pounds for 2 days and was the team of Smith, Baker, Baker and Hansen. The largest pike was caught by Nilson and Nilson with a pike 41 inches. 

The Big walleye on the first day was won by Goodman and French with a 26 incher and the second day the big walleye was 28.5 inches. It was caught by the team of Sadore, Garvis and Heiser.  The big bass was 17.75 inches caught by Morton and Morton for the first day. The second day winners for bass were Lindell and Lindell with a 17.25 inch fish.  Actually since the tournament they are still catching nice fish.  The weather has been good and pretty much anything you put in the water seems to be catching.  They are using crankbaits with worms or a minnow.  All colors seem to be working right now.”

Tongue River Reservoir

Tongue River Marina  1-406-757-2225 Colton/Bob Pederson

“.Crappies are being caught but success is limited to real early morning and in the evening. They are getting nice size ones at 2 ½ pound. Find them in the shallows. The water is full and it is warming up.  Greg and Brian from the marina went out on the weekend and caught their limit of walleye with five nice ones.  Sizes seem to be either 19 to 21 inches or 28 to 31 inches. Pike are also being caught as well.

Many are using night crawlers, worms and jigging.  That seems to be bringing success, ”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 anywhere from Snow Creek to Crooked Creek.  Hit the main points as they are working well. They are usingbottom bouncers in 8 to 16 feet of water. The guys are catching lots of eaters 18 to 22 inches with a few 30 inchers being caught using crawlers and leeches mainly.

Northern pike are biting on cranks, spoons, sometimes using a diamond spoon. I am seeing some nice ones,“ he  said.

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

Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge says,” Fishing has been pretty good this week.

Walleye are really biting especially at Crooked Creek and hell Creek. I have seen a lot of good ones being caught. Everything is working minnows, cranks, lindys, bottom bouncers and jigs and just about everywhere. You can find lake trout which are biting at 80 feet at Hacksbee and Bear Creek especially. ”

Lake Elmo Billings

Fishing has been good. Fish are being caught off shore.  They are catching rainbows, a few catfish and lots of sunfish.  Lots of fishermen out there so they are biting.

Cooney Reservoir – Jenny

People have caught some nice walleye. Rainbows are being caught as well.

At the dam fishermen are going deep for walleye and they are trolling for them. The water is definitely high and you need to be careful for driftwood right now.

Deadmans/Martinsdale -Justin

“Fishing at Deadman’s is okay. Rainbows are being caught from shore.

There is water up on the ramp still. They are trolling using a worm.

 The Musselshell went up. A few people are catching rainbows from shore.

It can be pretty good depending on the day,” Justin said.

Don’s Lewistown- Dale

“Fishing is good. Spring Creek is high but the edges are clearing up.  Any flashing nymph is working.  Success is happening using baetis and PMD.

 Ponds around here are doing well using power bait and worms.  Crooked Creek here you can launch boats.  They are catching catfish and northerns.

 On the Missouri people are bank fishing and doing well with dead minnows.

 They are catching more walleye but also pike and only a few sauger,’ 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

 “Spring Creek is high and muddy and the Missouri is too.  Achley is fishing real good.  They are catching all rainbows.  Fort Peck right now is  a “world class water” right now. I hear people are using crankbaits, leeches, worms and jigging,” Dave says.

Minnow Bucket-Allen Camarillo 861-0156

“The river is starting to clear from Huntley on down. Small mouth and catfish are definitely biting. The guys are using night crawlers and live minnows, either whole or cut bait,” Allen said. I have had people heading to Yellowtail and Big horn Canyon for some fishing,” Allen explained.

“I heard they are catching some perch at Petrolia. The spillway is running and overflowing,“ Allen said.

Silos Canyon Ferry-Sharon

“Fishing has been excellent of course it improved the days after the tournament. They are really biting left and right. One fisherman came in today with a walleye over 7 pounds.  The winning team for the tournament   was Dennis Willert and Mike Crider with a 19.54 pounds with a total of 5 walleye. The second place team was William and Marvin Monroe with 19.5 pounds of walleye”, Sharon says.  There were some 4 foot waves for this event which did not help I was told.

West Side Sports Dan 1-406-654-1611

We had rain every day this week. On Nelson they are using bottom bouncers, night crawlers and leeches  for walleye right now. The fish bite is slow.

Forchette got more rain than we did and access may be tough. It is going to be tough because it is wet.  We have Camp Walleye there this weekend and we are going to go in for that.  The water has been murky a well.

Billings-Scheels – Nate

“Fort Peck fishing right now is incredible.  It is world class right now.

Anything you throw in is working.  Bottom bouncers and orange color is working for walleye.

Word is Nelson is fishing rally well.  They are catching nice size walleye.  Good eaters.

At Tongue River I hear walleye and crappie fishing is fairly good.

Cooney according to guys who fish it a lot is fishing real well some days.

One friend caught 12 walleye in one day in the 14 to 16 inch range and he caught lots of small ones as well.

The Yellowstone levels are going down and with that the bass fishing should be picking up and getting good.  The catfish fishing is still really good  right now.

Rich’s Tackle – Richard

The weather here was windy and rainy the weekend so not many fishermen out here.  They are catching a few trout on the rivers but it is slow. The Madison is definitely clearer than last week.

 Stillwater Anglers-Chris 406-322-4977

The Stillwater is pretty good. Nymph fishing is good because the water has dropped and cleared some. The best idea is to go up higher as it will be better fishing. Girdle bugs, stonefly nymphs, wooly buggers, batmans, princes and bitch creek flies are what to use.

The Yellowstone River needs to be fished carefully. There is less action there. It is less clear than the Stillwater but more clarity than last week.  Go with wet flies in a nymph pattern.

Fort Smith Trout Shop 666-2375 Steve

The Big Horn River is up 20.50 from the 18.50 from last week. You can do well nymphing. The water is mossy and the top three miles are clearer.

Fish the upper 13 miles of the Big horn.  Use a nymph pattern in pinkies, flash backs, and quill wonder nymphs.  For soft tackle try fire beads, zebra midges, tan cream midges as they are working.  In dry flies, try the student, sparkle dun, Adams flies, parachute, CDC batis and small midges as they are all working.  For streamers, try the Big Horn special or a black olive.  On the Big Horn Lake the cicadas have hatched so people are catching nice trout.  This weekend the Big Horn River Alliance is holding their Big lip carp festival come join the fun.  The have lots of nice prizes and some neat activities so come join the fun,” Rick Law said.

(photo: funroads.com)

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