Hunting:

June 1st is the deadline to apply for the DeerB, Elk B and Antelope B licenses. Come into your local Bob Wards and pick up your licenses and applications forms.

Spring Turkey starts on April 11th. The Spring Bear season begins April 15th.   If you had a great season make sure to bring pictures down of your successful hunts or catches and post them on our bulletin board.

Butte Fishing:

Warmer temps the Past 2 weeks led to an early melt with run-off causing a 2 to 3 ft increase in the water level of the Jefferson River near Sliver Star. The Fishing has been good near Waterloo and East of Whitehall for Brown Trout. Bait and spin fishing have yielded the biggest catches however early mayfly hatches have been happening this past week on warmer days.

Georgetown reservoir has been fishing steady for Brook Trout and rainbow hybrids. A good freeze this winter has kept the ice plentiful well into this early spring season.

The Beaverhead has been fishing exceptionally well for all types of angling. Baitcasters are doing well with nightcrawlers, spin fishermen are reporting good catches with Panther Martin lures and Rapala jointed sinking lures. Gold has been a good color for the Rapalas but various colors of Panther Martins have shown excellent results.

Red copper johns have been a choice selection on the Big Hole above Jerry Creek, Red power worms below a prince nymph have been a good combo.

The spawn has tapered off at Tostn, Canyon Ferry, and the Upper Missouri.

Bozeman fishing:

The Gallatin has cleared up nicely. Rubber legs with a san juan behind has been good to go. This week think flashy to catch fish.

The upper Madison has improved this week and the fish are feeding. Be careful in the weeds since the Rainbows are still spawning. The Mayflies are making an appearance. The water is clear enough to streamer fish. Go black and dark green. Also, Crawfish are attracting the fish. Put a streamer behind one of those.

The Lower Madison spawning closures are in effect and will reopen on the third Saturday in May. Fishing has been very good on the areas you can fish. Stonefly nymphs, pink worms, small princes, baetis nymphs, psycho princes and spankers are are good but also try a small midge larvae or rainbow warrior nymph.

(Report by Ryan Corwin – Bob Ward’s Sports and Outdoors)