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.

Rock Creek Marina

Bill (406) 485-2560

Bill said, “the water temperature is 72 degrees. They are catching walleyes on crankbaits in 10 to 20 feet of water.” Also catching them on bottom bouncers and worms. I have seen one fellow who caught 20 walleye the biggest 22 inches. The pike are still biting and the small mouth bass are biting on the points.

Bob’s Bait Shop

Crooked Creek on Fort Peck Reservoir

Bob said, “my shop is closed. So if you need any supplies you will need to bring them with you.”

Hell Creek Marina

Clint Thomas (406) 557-2345

Clint said, the walleye fishing is really good. The best bite is at Snow Creek West. Nice eating sizes at 16 to 22 inches. Clint said, “the East bite has not turned on yet, so I think we will have a long season. The bite going west is still moving west and going strong.” The northern pike bite is good in 6 to 12 feet and of average size. The small mouth bass is good at the rocky points. It is also good at Timber Creek East or West and it doesn’t really matter, usually in 6 to 10 feet of water. They are liking the shallow areas.

Lake Ridge Motel

Gene Moore (406) 526-3597

Fort Peck Reservoir Dam/Bear Creek/Pines

Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge said, “the lake is really turning on. It is fishing well at Duck Creek, the pines, Gilbert, Bell Point, and gray point. The walleye are definitely turning on with water temps of 71 degrees, he said.

West Side Sports

Dan (406) 654-1611

Nelson, Forchette

Dan at West Side Sports tells us, “Nelson is fishing good. They are using bottom bouncers for walleye and northern. They are also taking them on crankbaits. Perch are really on the bite.”

Cooney

Fishing is picking up. So far they are catching off shore with leeches. Fishing is best at night and sometimes early morning.

Deadmans and Martinsdale

Martinsdale is slow. It is better from a boat. Fishing from shore is mediocre. Please be reminded that Martinsdale is a fee camping area. The Musselshell is good depending on whether the flows are dropping or rising and lately it is often fluctuating.

Tongue River Marina

Matt Stephens (406) 757-2225

Tongue River Reservoir

Matt said, “People are catching 5 ½ and 8 ½ pound walleye on crankbaits . The crappie bite is so so right now. People are using jig and crawler and jig and minnow. Small mouth bass are biting on a jig and crawler or crankbaits. Steve Ewing caught two 10 pound brown trouts below the dam on a fly.

Silos Marina

Sharon (406) 266-3100

Canyon Ferry

Fishing is excellent on South side of the reservoir.  Toward pond 4 in shallow water the fish are definitely doing well.  People are having an excellent day of fishing  catching 8 to 12 a piece mostly 14 to 20 inches in length.  Water temperatures are in the mid 60’s.  We have had lots of carp for those fishermen too.

Minnow Bucket

Allen Camarillo (406) 348-2440

People are catching  catfish and small mouth bass.  The water is definitely becoming clearer.

Lake Elmo, Billings

A 8.4 pound largemouth bass just missed the state record by two tenths of a pound.  Fishing has been good and consistent in the deeper areas.  The dock and deeper areas of shore are helping the fishermen catch fish.  Non gasoline boat fishermen are also catching.

Don’s

Dave 1-800-879-8194

Lewistown East Fork Reservoir

Dave said, “Spring Creek is doing well on dry flies with elk hair caddis and yellow sallies in 16 and 18 sizes.” The East Fork Reservoir, at 10 mile, is fishing well.  It is good in a small aluminum boat.  The fishing is good for pike and perch.  They are trolling with fire tigers and flicker shads.

Big Horn Lake

Word has it that they are “slaying “ fish on the Big Horn. Even though the lake has lots of forage and weeds the fishing has been really good. With the heat, fishermen fishing catch and release must be very gentle and quick in their release of the fish as they struggle more than at other times.

The Eastern Montana Fishing Report for the week of 7/6/12 was compiled by Carol Henckel