Bozeman/Butte Recreation Report by Bob Ward & Sons (5.30.14)
By angelamontana

Posted: May 30, 2014

Hunting: 

June 2nd is the due date for deer, elk, and antelope special permits. Mark your calendars!

Don’t forget if you did not draw your dream tag you still have a chance by buying a $5 supertag.

Spring Black Bear season closes on May 31-June15th depending on the area. Make sure you know what the closing date is for your favored stomping grounds.

Fishing:

Upper Madison-still some visibility but the water is high. Fishing with streamers has been working well, also nymphing with stoneflies still paying off. Also try soft hackle flies.

Lower Madison-the water is pretty muddy with low visibility try fishing with woolly buggers and streamers

Gallatin-not a good option to fish right now

Yellowstone-The water is running really high and approaching unsafe conditions. If the water levels lower a bit streamers are always a sure bet.

Hyalite-road is now open.

Paddlefish Harvest season will close at Intake Fishing Access Site and in the Yellowstone River and the Missouri River below Fort Peck Dam effective Friday, May 23, 2014 at 9:00 p.m. But you can still catch and release at the same site until June 2nd.

Fishing:

Pocket Water on the Boulder River is giving up some Brook Trout to Holo Panther Martins in size 4 Rainbow Trout patterns. The Slower water was good fly fishing on Beaded Flashback Prince Nymphs size 12 and size 10 Orange Stimulators.

The smaller lakes around SouthWest Montana are opening up to bait fishing. Nightcrawlers always work well on the Brookies and Cutthroat Trout. Smaller Damsel fly nymphs (Size 10) have been a good choice for fly selection.

The Big Hole, Jefferson, and Wise river are blown out and flowing deep this week. Tributaries of these rivers are fishable and offer great fishing to both spin and fly anglers.

The Beaverhead River has been good fishing to fly anglers using Pale Morning Dun, or Blue Wing Olive patterns. The Upper Beaverhead has been fishing well on Scuds and Sow Bugs. Spawn bags or nightcrawlers below the spillway of Clark Canyon have drawn a few large Rainbow.

Clark Canyon has been fishing well to suspended bait. Trolling Gold Rapalas midway between shoreline and the island is yielding daily limits. Lone Tree area is fishing well this past week.

(Report by Ryan Corwin – Bob Ward & Sons)

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Riley's Meats - Butte Wild Game Processing