Please be advised that warm weather has been making precarious high wind conditions meaning caution should be used in the waters . Call the contact person in the area you are planning on fishing for current daily information. Also use extreme caution on the water at all times. Good Luck Fishing from the Montana Outdoor Radio Crew.
***Bill -Rock Creek Marina 1-406-485-2560
Linda says , ”The fishing is still good. There are northern, perch, bass and walleye being caught with reef runners and minnows.” “Water temps are warming up. Someone even caught a saugeye,“ Linda explains. If you need reservations make them now as we are filling up fast.
***Bob-Bob’s Bait Shop
Crooked Creek Fort Peck Reservoir
“I have sad news,” Bob says. “I have closed my shop. The decision was hard. “ So if you need any supplies you will need to bring them with you.
***Gene Moore Lake ridge Motel 1-406-526-3597
Fort Peck Reservoir Dam/Bear Creek/Pines/
Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge says, “ The Dry Arm is turning on for walleye and northern. People are picking up lake trout at Hackby point and Bear Creek Island,” Gene explains. “ They seem to be catching them at 30 to 40 feet using deep diver cranks and hot lips,” he says.
***West Side Sports – Dan 1-406-654-1611
Nelson, Forchette
Dan at West Side Sports tells us.” Fishing is still slow at Nelson. They are catching them on cranks. Mostly perch but walleye is really slow. The surface temperature is going up.” He said, “Forchette is still pretty cold water and it is high. There is just nothing hitting on Forchette. It is just a matter of time and warm temperatures day and night and we haven’t had warm nights we are still having frost on the windows. ” he says. Fort Robinson Bridge is fishing well for paddlefish.
***Deadmans and Martinsdale
Justin says,” Deadmans is a slow catch. The Musselshell water is low and starting to come up .” Water is going up in Martinsdale and fishing is okay.
***Matt Stephens- Tongue River Marina 1-406-757-2225
Tongue River Reservoir
Matt says, “ Crappie fishing is a bit slow. Water temps are 55 to 56 degrees. Small mouth bass are being caught on flicker shad crankbait . I have seen a 4 ½ pounder, a 5 # 4 oz and a 5 # 8 oz. “Walleye are starting to pick up. People are catching on black jig with leash. I actually had one guy catch his limit last weekend , “ Matt explains. He tells us , ” The marina will be open daily now.”
*** Silos Marina Sharon 266-3100
Canyon Ferry
“ Fishing has been excellent. Mostly they are catching them at the ponds on the East side.” Sharon says. They are finding walleye 2 ½ to 3 feet down. Most are 15 to 17 inches and are mostly males. Mostly catching them on cranks.
***Minnow bucket Allen Camarillo 348-2440
Catfish are picking up on the Yellowstone . “The river is stained but not muddy more tea colored,” Allen says. The moss is picking up. The lower Musselshell people are catching catfish and small mouth bass. Fishing should be good for the catfish tournament this weekend on May 12th. He has applications at the shop. It is for boaters only.
***Lake Elmo Billings
People arefishing in the nice weather and are pulling rainbows and perch both by boat and shore.
***Cooney
The water level is coming up. People are catching some walleyes pulling cranks. The cottonwood and the dam are picking up trout. The water around here is still pretty chilly.
***Don’s Dave 1-800-879-8194
Lewistown East Fork Reservoir
Dave says, “Spring Creek is a blowout. They are catching paddlefish on the Missouri. They are catching catfish on stink bait and night crawlers. “ Ackley Lake is fishing well. Spin fishing, fly fishing and bait fishing are all doing well ,” he says
COMPILED BY Carol Henckel