Northern Pike Ice Fishing Derby

Helena Area Reservoirs Fishing Report 1.21.20
By angelamontana

Posted: January 21, 2020

Canyon Ferry:  Rainbows are being caught in 7 to 8 feet of water from White Earth south to the Ponds and in Confederate Bay while using jig heads or wooly buggers tipped with a worm or maggots. The morning hours are working best for trout. A few walleye are being caught in the river channel between the ponds on jigs and maggots or worms. Perch are starting to show up in Beaver Creek Bay and a few burbot were caught out from the Silos. The reservoir is mostly iced over now, but the north end is still very thin. Ice conditions have been reported as 6 to 8 inches in Confederate Bay, 8 inches at the Silos and closer to the Ponds there is 12 to 14 inches. Hole in the wall and White Earth have 3 to 4 inches of ice.  Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser:  Anglers are picking up some nice Rainbows at the Causeway. Most are having luck fishing various ice jigs with maggots 6 to 8 feet below the ice. The Power Line area of the Causeway Arm is producing a few Walleye and Burbot, jigging near the bottom with crawlers. Rainbows are also showing up out from Black Sandy. Ice conditions have been reported as 4 inches at the Causeway and 8 inches out from Black Sandy.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena    

Holter:  Rainbows and Perch are being picked up out from Log Gulch and Departure Point areas.  Using various ice jigs or flies with maggots or crawlers 10 feet below the ice has been working well for Trout. Anglers targeting Perch have been doing well with Hali type jigs tipped with maggots. Ice conditions in the Lower part of the reservoir have been reported as 6 inches near the BLM Boat Ramp. The Prairie Dog Town has 4 to 5 inches. The Log Gulch area has 4 to 8 inches. Departure Point Campground area has 5 to 6 inches of ice.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena  

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir:  The Kokanee bite continues to be great. Using Hali or Swedish Pimples and maggots or corn in 40 to 45 feet of water has been working well. Lots of small perch are also being picked up just off the bottom in around 20 to 30 feet of water with similar ice jigs. There is around 10 to 12 inches of ice.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

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