Catching Fish in Montana: Captain’s Column (5.15.14)
By angelamontana

Posted: May 15, 2014

The opening of Montana’s general fishing season is this Saturday. Many of the lakes and rivers are open year round in Montana, but this Saturday creeks and some lakes like Georgetown Lake and Lake Mary Ronan are open again for fishing. Georgetown Lake still has ice on it so it is doubtful that it will be available for boats this Saturday. “The lake still has ice and it is breaking away from the shore but at this point I don’t think it will be ready for boat fishing by this Saturday”, said Bill from the Sunshine Station (406) 859-3450) in Philipsburg. The forecast calls for higher day time temps this week for the Georgetown Lake area but the lows at night will still be around freezing.

Lake Mary Ronan anglers are anticipating a good kokanee salmon opener at least that is the way it has been the last couple of years on opening day. In fact last year the bite as so good on opening weekend most anglers spent only about an hour or two on the water before they caught their limit of the tasty salmon. Even though some anglers have their own set-up the standard jigging set- up for anglers on Lake Mary Ronan is a pink for green Swedish pimple with a green or red glow hook about 6 inches below tipped with a piece of white corn and maggot. Some anglers like the Lake Mary Ronan guru Jens Gran from Polson will use that set-up but tip it with a piece of raw shrimp. Last year, during opening weekend, it didn’t seem to matter because everyone was catching fish.

The featured fishing video on montanaoutdoor.com this week (CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO) is a video on fishing for salmon on Lake Mary Ronan. Don Beardsley and Steve Hellegaard from Missoula are shown catching salmon, and Beardsley even gives some valuable advice as well on what to look for in the sensitive salmon bite. The video is entertaining and might just help you catch your limit this Saturday, so check it out.

Lakes will be where I would suggest anglers put in their time this weekend. Trout are still biting at Holter Reservoir. This is what Troy Humphrey had to say in his weekly fishing report from FWP, “Really good rainbow fishing can be found while trolling orange or green crank baits throughout the reservoir.  The hot spot is from the Oxbow to Holter Dam.  Shore fishing for rainbows has slowed down considerably.  Walleye fishing is slow; however some perch are being caught in Log Gulch Bay”.

The report out of Hauser Reservoir is a little better for walleye fishing, “Rainbow fishing is good from both shore and boat.  Shore fishing is best from Black Sandy to the Dam and the Riverside area while using worms.  Boat anglers are finding rainbows while trolling cowbells or crank baits around Black Sandy and the Causeway.

Drifting jigs and worms has been catching rainbows below Canyon Ferry Dam.  Some walleye are being caught in Lake Helena when the wind is calm”. The water level on Canyon Ferry remains low limiting boat access, but if you can get a boat on the water you will probably catch fish. Spring Mack Days wraps up this weekend Cindy Benson reports that they should end up with 28,000 lake trout entered this spring in the event.

(Written by the Captain)    

 

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