Eastern Montana Fishing Report for the Week of 7.8.13
By angelamontana

Posted: July 10, 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, “Fishing continues to be absolutely awesome here. A group pulled in at two and came back at four and caught forty two. One was really nice size. They are still catching northern pike. Green seems to be the color to use right now. They are fishing at 8 to 15 feet using worm harnesses. People are heading to around Prairie Dog island, Big bug creek and McGuire Creek. They are trolling at .8 mph. Water temperature is 70 to 72 degrees.

 

Tongue River Reservoir

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

“Fishing is pretty good and walleye have been 2 to 3 pounds. A few northern pike are also being caught. Mike went out and they caught 5 species of fish on their trip. Walleye are biting on jigs and night crawlers. A bonehead jig works pretty well. Lots of medium size pike.

Crappies have been hit and miss this week. You still find them in the shallows. Fish are being caught mornings and evenings when it is cool,”Colton 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 really well. People are limiting out. The walleye Seem to be eater size usually 13 inchers. When there is a storm afterwards the bite is hard to get. Ceankbaits are working on northern pikes still and bottom bouncers for walleyes. Just mess around and try anything. The fire tiger in orange and green are working on northern pike. Walleyes are biting on white, anything with white on. Water temperature is 72 degrees and pretty good clarity. The fish are pretty scattered right now many people are staying close to Hell Creek but Sutherland is still good,” Brett said.

 

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

Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge says,” Fishing has been really, really good this week. The walleye are the hot fish right now. Walleye are really biting especially at Crooked Creek and hell Creek. Just about everything is working. Minnows, cranks, lindys, bottom bouncers and jigs and just about everywhere. Lake trout are biting at 80 feet at Hacksbee and Bear Creek.

The pines have been good for northerns and walleyes. They are catching walleyes and northerns there. The sizes are running 12 to 13 pounds.”

 

Lake Elmo Billings

Fishing both in a small boat and off shore is happening. Trout are being caught but the heat is slowing the action a little.

 

Cooney Reservoir Jenny/ Maleri

The weather has been stormy Friday and Saturday. One boat had caught 69 fish. The walleye were small and they caught trout also. Actually there are fishermen who are fishing from shore and catch mice size fish. For rainbow trout they are using power bait and it seems to be working. The water is going down and the logs have moved to the edges instead of in the main water. Maleri Schultz is the new Cooney State Park Warden and started this week. She said she was already giving tickets on Saturday. Here are a few reminders from her. Cooney does have no wake zones that are marked.

People need to watch their speed and reckless driving. Remember to have life jackets in your boat as well. “We just want people to be safe,” she said.

 

Deadmans/Martinsdale Justin

“At Martinsdale fishing mornings from shore is working. They are catching a few more trout than before. To fish from a boat you have to go deep.

The river is too low so it is hard to get on the bite right now,” Justin explains.

“Deadmans is still pretty tough. The river is too low. Hard to get on a bite, “he said.

The Musselshell is getting lower and lower. People are finding it is hard to get a bite on,” Justin said.

 

Don’s Lewistown- Dale

“Fishing is very good here in central Montana. The weather has improved.

Fishing can only get better, Spring Creek is having The blue wing hatch is going on at Spring Creek.

Use a bead head nymph in the evening. Mepps are also working.

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

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

Night crawlers are working at Kips on the Missouri by the Fred Robinson.

Only a few walleyes being caught,” Dale said.

Ackley Lake is good and 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.

 

Lewistown Sports-Dave

The Spring Creek and the Missouri are fishing well here. Achley is fishing real well people say. Lots of rainbows being caught. Fort Peck is good right now. I hear People are using crankbaits, leeches, and worms and jigging.

 

Minnow Bucket-Allen Camarillo 861-0156

“The cats on the Yellowstone river are still biting. The river keeps trying to clear but then we have a storm and it gets dirty again. If it clears the small mouth should be good to catch. The Big Horn I am told is clearer than the Yellowstone. 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 as well,” Allen explained.

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

 

Silos Canyon Ferry-Sharon

“It has been excellent fishing this week. The size of walleyes being caught has gone up. Some walleye are being caught above the average weight. They seem to be catching on pink colors right now. They are catching everywhere. The perch catching is good and so is the trout. Everything is working, bottom bouncers, and cranks and jigging with glass minnows, “Sharon said.

The Rod and Gun tournament is July 13th this weekend. It is here at the Silos not at Goose Bay. You need to register on line to get on the board no drop in entries will be taken. You can pay when you get there.

Any questions call Doug Breker at 266-3102.

 

West Side Sports Dan 1-406-654-1611

At Nelson they are using bottom bouncers, night crawlers and leeches for walleye. The fishing is good. They are running about 14 to 16 inches.

Cranks are working for pike but go deeper.

At Forchette the fishing is fairly good. They’re using worms and bottom bouncers for walleye. For northerns they are using cranks and rapellas, shad raps and flicker shads. The guys are actually doing pretty good on walleye too on cranks.

 

Billings-Scheels Nate

Fort Peck “The guys are doing really well. The walleyes have slowed down some. Spoons are working in the weeds.

At Tongue River walleye fishing has been good. For northern pike everything is working it seems.

Cooney Night fishing I hear is good jigging at 5 to 12 feet.

Canyon Ferry According to the guys the bite has been good. They are using lead core line and cranks trolling. Guys are using red going deeper than 20 plus feet. Catching lots of walleye.

The Stillwater is clearer right now than the Yellowstone.

On the Yellowstone the water is clearing higher up.

The Big Horn people say it should really clear up in the next two weeks.

They figure it will turn on then.

 

Rich’s Tackle Richard

The river has been good for catching trout. The stone flies are out. They are using spinners.

Guys are catching fish on Canyon Ferry. The fellows I talked to caught nice size ones on the South end. They caught like 25 to 50 of them using spinners and crawlers. They seem to be working more than other things.

Some guys are saying the Madison got muddy yesterday afternoon. It seems to vary daily and from morning to afternoon. I don’t know why but it just seems to be happening.

The Madison River seems to be really bad. The fishermen I talked to caught some nice fish in the 18 to 24 inches.

 

Petrolia

Petrolia is z bit better for fishing right now. Fishing has been decent from the shore. Jigging is producing fish off and on. Nothing is consistent right now.

 

Stillwater Anglers-Chris 406-322-4977

People are having good luck on the Stillwater with green copper John’s.

They are also using PMD size 14 inch. Fishing noon to early afternoon is working. The stone flies are starting but the guys are saying they are taking it but then spitting them out. Try stimulators in yellow olive and Jack Cabes. The upper Stillwater above Absarokee is high and very clear.

The lower Stillwater is okay and has high volume. It has a bit of color.

The Yellowstone will be muddy for the next 3 to 4 days. There was a major rock slide in the Lamar Valley which will affect it. Use stoneflies, nymphs and streamers.

If you are spin casters try using the stimulate patterns they have been working.

 

Fort Smith Trout Shop 666-2375 Steve

“Fishermen are nymph fishing right now. It is mostly nymphing patterns working. We are between hatches. The flashback quill nymph is working with pink soft hatching, Anything pink is working right now. Water is at 2000 cfs right now,” Donna said. Dries have been spotted. We are not sure what they are eating yet. The Big Horn is 2000 cfs. The water temperature is a cold 43 degrees and clear.

(Cover photo: guideline.no)

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