Eastern Montana Fishing Report for the Week of 7.29.13
By angelamontana

Posted: July 31, 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

“Bill said, “It has been busy here. They have been catching the heck out of fish this week. The water temp is 70 to 71 degrees. They have been catching northerns, walleye and some bass. The walleye are moving in and out. I’ve seen 8 pound walleye caught in the rocks and then the next day away from the rocks. The water temp is 70 to 71 degrees.”

 

Tongue River Reservoir

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

“Try fishing a bit deeper. They are 15 to 25 feet deep and trolling with a crank bait and some bottom bouncers with a worm harness. A variety of colors are working. The walleye bite seems to be better than northern pike. ”Colton says.

 

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

Hell Creek-Fort Peck Reservoir

“The walleye fishing has been a bit slower. They are 10 to 25 feet deep so you just have to work a bit harder for them. The water temperture has been 75 degrees. Bottom bouncers with leaches and crawlers are working.Bass have been eater size. They are anywhere from Snow Creek to Crooked Creek,” said Clint.”

 

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

Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge says,” Still catching lots of northern pike and small bass at the dam. Fishing has slowed down because of the heat this week. Some walleye are being caught around here but not as many as a couple of weeks ago. Find rainbows fishing at 80 feet deep. Minnows, cranks, lindys, bottom bouncers and jigs are working.

 

Lake Elmo Billings

Fishing both in a small non-motorized boat and off shore is producing fish. Trout are being caught but the heat is slowing the action a little at times. Check the water you are going to as some waters have restricted times to fish because of the heat.

 

Cooney Reservoir Jenny/ Maleri

The water level is down. The fishing has slowed because of the heat.

Shore fishermen are catching nice size fish it seems to be better than boat Walleye seem to be small and slow catching because of the heat. For rainbow trout the fishing sseems to be slim. The water level is dropping some.

 

Deadmans/Martinsdale Justin

“Trout fishing at Martinsdale in mornings and evenings is best but slow fishing. Trout fishing you can pick up some. The water is definitely lower and so fishing has slowed,” Justin explains.

“Deadmans is still pretty tough with low water. It is definitely slow. The heat is not helping. Go to the higher waters in the mountains, “he said.

Don’s Lewistown- Dale

“They are catching fish here. Spring Creek ha had good dry fly fishing.

Dry flies are definitely working. is having lots of fly rod action. Use Adams, yellow sally and BMD’s. Darker caddis are also working. East Fork is thin. They are draining and there is not much action.

Ponds around here are doing well trolling and from shore using power bait and worms. Use Mepps as they are working.

On Crooked Creek by Winnett, the small boats can be launched. They are catching catfish and a few walleye.

Forchette Bay on Peck has been good jigging at 10 to 15 feet for walleye. Catching some black crappies too.

On the Missouri at the Fred Robinson catfish are really biting. Night crawlers are working. Only a few walleyes being caught,” Dale said.

Ackley Lake is good use leaded line with a night lure. The water has gone up. You can launch a boat now. Panther martins and Mepps in colors are working. They are trolling with a boat or fishing from the bank. Worm fishing with a bobber is good as well,” Dan says.

 

Crooked Creek-Grant

A small boat can be launched as there is some water at Crooked Creek now. The marina will not be open. It is closed but cabins are still available for other uses just call 1-406-429-2999.

 

Minnow Bucket-Allen Camarillo 861-0156

“The river has dropped and is clearing a bit but still has some moss. We had rain this week so clarity changes with new weather happenings. Catfish are being caught on the Yellowstone river. The Small mouth are being caught. I’ve heard of a few sauger being caught in the Custer area

 

Silos Canyon Ferry-Sharon

Fishing was good this week. On the south end lots of walleyes. People are limiting out. Pink colors are working right now. A few perch are showing up. Nice size ones 19 inchers. Everything is working, bottom bouncers, and cranks and jigging with glass minnows. Don’t forget to sign up for the Camp-mak-a-dream walleye benefit is on August 3, 2013. You can get an application at the Silos or call Peggy at 406-855-8432 to sign up

 

West Side Sports Dan 1-406-654-1611

The fishing is again good at Nelson. Use a bottom bouncer, night crawlers and leeches for walleye. They are finding they need to go deeper 12 to 20 feet. The fishing is good. They are running about 14 to 16 inches.

Cranks are working for northerns but go deeper to 12 to 20 feet.

Forchette fishing is good. They’re using worms and bottom bouncers for walleye. For northerns they are using cranks and rapellas, shad raps and flicker shads but not going as deep. Flicker shad and a rattletrap works to catch pike. Cranks are working on walleye right now but the heat determines the catch.

 

Billings-Scheels

Fort Peck It has slowed for walleye this week. Try a copper smiley blade and slow death rig. The heat has slowed down the walleyes some.

Tongue River Crappie fishing has picked up using a slow trolling motion.

Walleye fishing has been good.

Cooney Evening fishing is better jigging at 5 to 12 feet. Crank baits are working on walleye . Fish off the shore for some nice fish.

Canyon Ferry Trout fishing has been good using crank baits at 30 feet.

Walleyes have been caught. Don’t forget the Camp-mak-a dream walleye benefit at Canyon Ferry on August 3rd.

On the Yellowstone the water has cleared higher up. The Yellowstone at Huntley has again been good for catfish. Use cut bait and minnows. They are catching bass around Pompey Pillar.

Yellowtail Nice fishing at Yellowtail. Bass are biting. Sizes have been about 1 ½ pound.

Hebegan has started to be good for brown trout. Use orange and yellow color lure.

 

Rich’s Tackle- Richard

The rivers of the Madison, Gallatin and Jefferson have gotten really mossy. The Gallatin I hear is the best of all of them.

Canyon Ferry People are catching small walleye. Still catching nice trout, some northern pike and a few bass. Having a bit wind. They were using slow death trolling.

Missouri River seems to be really bad. It has lots of weeds making fishing difficult. Rainbows are being caught.

 

Petrolia

Petrolia is just okay. It is still spotty. Fishing has been decent from the shore. Jigging is working at times.

 

Stillwater Anglers-Chris 406-322-4977

Use dry large patterns on the river right now. Stillwater doing pretty well using big attractors, hopper flies and dropper nymphs. On the whole river stimulators are working as well PMDs, fat franks and Jack Cabes.

The Yellowstone has cleared but we had rain again. Fish are starting to bite on hoppers in pink, peach and purple. If you are spin casters try using the stimulate patterns they have been working. On both rivers the temperature is up so be aware of how you handle the fish you catch. Do as little handling as possible.

 

Fort Smith Trout Shop 666-2375 Steve

Nymph Fishing is excellent. Use battas for dry they are working. PMDs are showing up on the lower part 6 miles down. Also seeing Sally’s. The water is warming,” Hale said. Not much action on hoppers right now.

Big Horn Lake has been average fishing for small mouth bass and walleye right now.

(Cover photo: djc.com)

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