Bozeman/Butte Recreation Report by Bob Ward & Sons-1.3.14
By angelamontana

Posted: January 3, 2014

Hunting:

Migratory Birds

Pacific Flyway (duck and goose) will close down for 4 days form Thurs Jan 6-9 and then reopen for the last part of the season Jan 10- 14.

Central Flyway (goose) will be closing down Jan 6-9 and reopen as week for the remaining days Jan 10-14. Duck season close Jan 2 –there is not a split season.

Bozeman Fishing:

Nymph fishing is still your best bet. Focus on using larger patterns and use smaller midges and nymphs as a dropper…this is especially successful on the Gallatin. As for the other water ways focus on using stoneflies, midges, sow bugs, prince nymphs, san juan worms, and egg patterns. Streamer fishing can still be effective but has not been as much as of late. This time of the year the fish are slowing down and you may have to change your technique some to accommodate their slower movements and metabolism. Focus on the deeper slower waters and think about using indicators. Some times their strike is almost imperceptible to your eye and the indicator will help with that.

Hyalite-ice is pretty good at 9 – 10 inches. Fishing has been better towards the dam. Definitely use worms and maggots right now along with the tear drop jigs in bright colors.

Bozeman Pond has good solid 5 to 6 inches. Use maggots and the tear drop jigs and Swedish pimples.

Butte Fishing:

The fish calendar showed poor to fair fishing last week and proved true east of the continental divide.

The Ruby was slow last week with few fish caught despite the hundreds of holes drilled in the ice. We threw everything in the tackle box at them and despite the 5 hours spent on the ice, we came home empty handed.

Georgetown reservoir is hot fishing for Kokanee and trout. Vertical jigs or glo hooks in size 12 or 14 are ideal for the salmon. Glo hooks with maggots or night crawlers work ideally for the trout in size 8 or 10. Hot orange or red have been good colors.

The ling fishing has been fair at Clark Canyon with sucker meat for bait. Deep water fishing near the bottom of the reservoir has yielded the bigger ling. Trout are also being taken on the south western end of the lake on Rapala vertical jigs and nightcrawlers with marshmallows fished about a foot off bottom.

The fishing calendar shows excellent fishing everywhere this week so get out and drill some holes!

(Report by Ryan Corwin-Bob Ward and Sons)

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