A Few More Options to Catch Fish: Captain’s Column 4.19.17
By angelamontana

Posted: April 20, 2017

Anglers that fish on shore or on a boat in lakes and reservoirs in Montana now have a few more options to catch fish. This is the time of the year that trout fishing picks up. Some of the more popular lakes for trout are Browns Lake, Holter, Hauser, and Canyon Ferry Reservoirs.  If you are after some giant trout then grab your fly rod and head to Browns Lake. Fly fishing from shore on Browns requires some patients but you will see some of the largest trout imaginable cruising the shore line at Brown’s, the trick of course is trying to get one hooked, if you do hold on. Boat anglers that troll the lake for trout have said it has been a little slow but that trout action can pick up anytime from day to day. If you are a shore or boat angler and you are after a little more consistency in your trout catch rate then the reservoirs over by Helena might just be your best bet.

On Canyon Ferry, the rainbow trout are cruising shorelines throughout the reservoir.  Shoreline anglers are having success at traditional access points using worms, spawn sacks or various nymph fly patterns. Boat anglers are catching a few trout while anchored and casting to shore or trolling attractors at shallow depths according to Adam Strainer of FWP . Sharon from the Silos RV on the south end of the lake reported that anglers were starting to catch some small walleyes trolling Berkley Flicker Shad’s on the east side of the reservoir by Pond One in about 4-8 feet of water.

Troy Humphrey of FWP had this fishing report from Hauser, rainbow trout fishing is very good from both shore and boat.  Shore fishing is best at York Bridge while using flies and at Riverside while using jigs tipped with a worm.  Boat anglers are finding rainbows while trolling crank baits around York Bridge and White Sandy.  Humphreys also reported on Lake Helena  that anglers are catching a few walleye while trolling blue & gray or perch colored rapalas. Trout are also being caught by the shoreline and by the boat ramps at Log Gulch and Holter Lake Campgrounds.

I have been  asked when the docks will be in at the campgrounds on both Hauser and Holter and this is what I know so far.   The Butte office of the Bureau of Land Management is in t20he process of getting the docks in at Hauser and Holter Reservoir and as of Monday the docks were in at Devils Elbow Campground on Hauser and they were in the process of working on White and Black Sandy Campgrounds docks. I was told that the docks on Holter should be in at the latest Friday April 28 or sooner. This Friday I will have an update on the dock situation on both Hauser and Holter and will announce what I know on this Saturday’s Montana Outdoor Radio Show and then post it on montanaoutdoor.com. Also as part of FWP’s invasive mussel response program on Canyon Ferry Reservoir there are only two boat ramps currently open to all boaters unless you are officially certified as a local boater for only using Canyon Ferry, those boat ramps are the Silos on the southwest side of the lake and Shannon on the north end near the dam.

(Written by Mark Ward – aka the Captain)
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