COMPILED BY Carol Henckel

The summer weather means you should stay aware. The weather and water levels can be very unpredictable. Enjoy yourself but remember alcohol alters your judgment. So use it sparingly while enjoying the outdoors. Keep an eye on the weather as conditions such as temperature, wind and precipitation can change quickly. This report is compiled on Monday and Tuesday and reflects conditions and results of fishing from the past week. If you wish other information feel free to contact most parties for current daily information. Good luck fishing from the Montana Outdoor Radio Crew.

***Please be aware that there are many waters that have been placed on hoot owl restrictions. Check the FWP site for further information as waters may be placed on or off restrictions after this report is submitted. ***

Rock Creek Marina-Bill 1-406-485-2560

“Bill says,”
At Rock Creek the fishing is good for walleye northerns . The walleye are at 20 to 30 feet depths. The northern pike fishing seems to be good right now. Try using cranks at 20 to 30 feet deep. You can catch bass on the rocky point using cranks. At the dam guys are looking for salmon and finding them. The salmon are biting as are the lake trout . Head towards Hacksbee.”

Tongue River Reservoir /Bob
Bob says,” People are catching and we have all services at the marina trailer except licenses . The fishing seems to be decent.”

Tongue River Marina 1-406-757-2225 Wade Stephanie /Warden Jordan Straley

“ Things are looking up. My mobile stories stocked with anything you need. We have ice, beer, pop and groceries. We have inventory. The fuel is on. We are ready to serve our customers. We are not hooked up yet to sell a license. That will come. We had a full park this last weekend on Saturday. The bass fishing is good . I talked to a lady today who caught a 16 inch, 2 ½ pound crappie. One guy went out and caught 15 walleye. Many were 1 ½ pounds. He was pulling cranks going 1 ½ miles mph. He also said flicker shads with some weight. There is no doubt the crappie bite is still on. Some northern pike are still being caught. The fish can be anywhere right now and are not in one area,” Wade says.

Clint Thomas- Hell Creek Marina 1-406- 557-2345 Marina Matheson-Park Office Hell Creek-Fort Peck Reservoir east to
Clint says,” Pike and bass are being caught. Try cranks on the pike at 14 to 18 inches in the main water. The bass are biting. Go to the long points and the islands. Use jigs with a crawler. The walleye for this time of year is not bad. August is usually slow. It is slow but they are catching if they work at it. Go to depths of 22 to 30 feet. If it is windy go to depths of 22 feet and if it is choppy try at the 30 feet. “
We are open 7 days a week, 7 am to 6 pm now.”
The new park manager for Hell Creek State Park is Marina Matheson. “

Lake Ridge Motel Eddie and Carrie Mindt 1-406-526-3597
Eddie says, ”It has been really busy for salmon. Fishing is phenomenal for salmon right now. They have really been whacking them. They are nice size. Lots of high teens and low 20’s. . They are using a flasher and squid or a flasher and a bucktail fly. They guys looking for walleye are getting them. Not much action with pikes. For bass try slip bobbers at the base of the dam. “

Lake Elmo Billings FWP-Bob Gibson
Others say fishing slowed with the heat. Come and try fishing early in the morning and late in the day. Fishermen are using power bait, lures or worms.

Cooney Reservoir Glenis-John
Walleye are still being caught. Shore fishing brings a few walleye being caught. They are catching a few small perch. The water level is down. You can still get on the water with a boat.
The new Park Ranger is, Skylar Mitchell a transfer from Dillon.

Deadmans Tony Stefani
Tony says, ” They are catching 1 to 1 ½ pound salmon.Also a fw rainbow trout. It is hard to get big boats in. You have to go through the mud to get to the water. The lake is very low. The dock has been pulled. The end of the boat ramp is muddy. If you try fishing you are wading in the mud . The water is still dropping and will be until November . It is dropping every day as the DNRC are working on the dam. The islands are showing now. I was told Deadmans is 48% of normal right now. Bair is 35% of normal. “
Campers remember it is now a pay site.

Deadmans/Martinsdale Cozy Corner Bar Lavina 406-636-22
According to Tony at Deadmans Martinsdale is 40% of normal. That is what he was told by DNRC. Some people are catching some decent brown trout. They are using rapellas from the boa.t they are using rapelas and they are working. They said they are catching trout with them.

Don’s Lewistown-Dale 1-800-879-8194
Dale explains, “ It is a good day, the weather is nice. Spring Creek is doing well. Hoppers are working on Spring Creek. Nymphs work well.
Achley is also doing well from the boat. Mostly anything is working.
The Missouri river is too mossy.
On the west end of Fort Peck guys fishing is pretty solid. Use bottom bouncers at 12 to 15 feet depths. A few people are cranking and having look. “

Crooked Creek-Grant
Walleye are being found by Crooked Creek . Decent size ones are being caught. Please Call for information. The number is 1-406-429-2999.

Silos Canyon Ferry-Sharon
Eatter size walleye are being caught and they are average size about 14 to 18 inches. For the Camp-mak-a-dream walleye benefit people were heading north and catching. The perch are also biting. Try at 30 feet. Trout are also being caught. The father and the 10 year old son , a part of the winning 2nd place team , went out on Sunday and caught a 22 ½ inch walleye on Sunday after the event was over.
The Marina is open. Hours are 7 am to 7 pm.

West Side Sports Jim Mayer 1-406-654-1611

“The water is low on Nelson. They are catching at Nelson. Launching is difficult. The road is closed going north over the dykes. Fishing is good even with low water. There are gravely shore lines. It is a bit tricky to get on. The water is low because of the continuation of the dike work.” Jim said.
Shop hours are 8 to 6 Monday to Saturday and closed on Sunday.

Billings-Scheels Dan , McCahen
McCahen says,” For Yellowtail bass fishing is good. Use tube jigs. Some small gulp minnows are working.
On the Yellowstone the bass fishing is fair. They are also catching sauger using plastic.
On Cooney fishing is okay in the morning and evening. Use flicker shads or the walleye assassin.
Fort Peck fishing at the dam is doing real well. Guys are catching salmon. “

Rich’s Tackle Richard 406-285-4540
Rich says, “It is 94 degrees today. Fishermen at Canyon Ferry are catching decent walleye. They are beginning to catch bigger walleye. Like they do in the fall.
The rivers have weeds and are mossy . It appears to be rising. night crawlers , spruce moths and grasshoppers are working. Don’t forget the hoot owl rules .

Stillwater Anglers-Chris 406-322-4977

Here is the latest news from FWP:
Bill says,” the nights being cooler is helping the fishing. It is better fishing. On both rivers try hopper droppers, fat Frank peach or chernobyls. The hoot owl restrictions are still in effect on the Yellowstone River from Carter Bridge south of Livingston to the confluence with the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone east of Laurel. The hoot owl is also on the Stillwater River downstream of Cliff Swallow fishing access site and the Boulder River downstream from the Natural Bridge. Go with a longer line from 18 to 3 feet between the hopper and the nymph. T he cfs is 350.
Floating the Stillwater is poor . You will have to drag the boat in some places. The floating is better on the Yellowstone. The volume is down. Fish with a Jack Cabe or Wholly bugger, “ Bill says.

Montana Adventures and Angling in Fort Smith Beau McFadyean 406-855-3612

“Fishing is still good. Use tricots or black caddis in the morning. Try nymphing as it seems to be a better presentation. The water is 60 degrees. There are some hopper action. For hoppers there is action but you have got to stay committed. There are nt the numbers right now. Try shallow ripples and corner pockets. The float is grassy from 3 mile down . The caddis are out in the evening. For dry fly action use black cadis and grasshoppers. After that use nymphs and grasshoppers. We are attracting some big browns and lots of rainbows,” Beau says.

Steven Caldwell guide
“ The water temp is up so it is warmer than it has been. Fighting fish in this dry weather is tough on the fish. Get the fish back in the water soon. Even if doing that means dropping the fish it is better for the fish. The tricot and hopper vary daily. The canyon water is grassy. The dam water is okay. Something to remember is if what you are using is not working don’t change the bug switch the depth. That seems to be working. Due to the fact that it is August fishing is decent. Juan worm and go slow and deep and alternate with shallow and fast. Just don’t expect the 30 fish day, it is still good fishing just slower and with less people. Try a San Check your bugs and nymph in the morning . The key is to try fishing right now is using the rule early on and early off. Try in the afternoon up at the dam to the Craig. “ Steven explains.

Big Horn Trout Shop Fort Smith 666-2375

The cfs is at 2200 it has not changed .Water temp is 59 degrees. When nymphing try tan and gray rays in size 16 to 18. Another bug to try is a soft tackle sow bugs or flashbacks size 16 to 18. Try PMD’s or a black caddis in the evening for drys or a tricot early in the day. People are also throwing hoppers. Try thin mints on the streams. We have some moss on the bottom. Black caddis are also working. Between 13 and mallard one guy used hoppers and got 15 to 20 fish in a short time. Try bigger bugs after 3 mile as the bugs are bigger.
Our shop hours are 7 am to 7 pm now Monday to Sunday.

Riverside Anglers in West Yellowstone : Alice Owsley, fishing guide and outfitter 406-640-1698

Madison
Alice says,” Madison

Nymphing has been good in the mornings with smaller dark caddis patterns. There are a few Pale Morning Dun mayflies still around. Terrestrials are the name of the game for fishing on the surface. Hoppers are good on the breezy afternoons, we have also had fish eating ants and beetles in the middle of the day.

Yellowstone National Park
Hike to cooler water and take your bear spray. Small streams have been fishing well with attractor patterns and hoppers. Look for most of the hatch activity on the larger rivers in the park to happen in the mornings. Stage I FIre Restrictions in place, educate yourself before heading out.