Cooney Reservoir Fishing Well: Eastern Montana Fishing Report
By Matt Schauer

Posted: September 5, 2012

Please be advised that the extremely hot weather has been making precarious high wind conditions as well as potential for heat stroke. Please use caution while on 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 said the fishing is still good. “Lots of northern pike, small mouth and walleye are being caught. People are using worm harnesses and bait. The water temperature is 74 degrees,” Linda explains.

***Grant-Crooked Creek Marina 1-406-429-2999

Crooked Creek Fort Peck Reservoir

“The walleye bite is a bit slower this week,” Grant said. Fishermen are catching about 5 to 8 walleye on a trip. Northern pike are still biting. They are using a lot of crawlers and crankbaits in a lot of different areas. “We moved the main dock out and the boats should have no problems launching,” Grant tells us. The water depth there is 8 to 9 feet depth.

 ***Clint Thomas- Hell Creek Marina 1-406- 557-2345

“Walleye are picking up. People are using crawlers and bottom bouncers at 25 to 30 feet. Northern pike and bass are biting good,” Clint explained.

***Gene Moore Lake ridge Motel 1-406-526-3597

Fort Peck Reservoir Dam/Bear Creek/Pines/

Gene says, “the spillway below Fort Peck dam was opened Tuesday afternoon and will be open until Friday. It will be open only four days. They are catching salmon at the dam. Walleye are biting as well. The lake trout bite has been pretty good. The walleye are being caught at Grave Point, Bell Point and the pines. Guys are using flutter spoons and squids.”

***West Side Sports – Dan 1-406-654-1611

Nelson, Forchette

Dan at West Side Sports tells us, “Nelson is working with bottom bouncers, and crank baits. Crawlers are working for northern also right now.”  Dan said, “They seem to bite pretty easy.”

Forchette is a bit slow. The guys are using bottom bouncers on walleyes there too. Pike are biting on cranks. “The heat is always a factor,” Dan explained.

***Deadmans and Martinsdale

All fishing is definitely slower this week. Martinsdale’s worm fishing is okay from shore. Boat fishing is okay and people are catching rainbows. The river is producing browns. It is low but if you find the right spot worms work.

Deadmans trout fishing is about the same. Sunday night someone from Harlowton caught a tiger Muskie weighing 38.75 pounds and 50 to 51 inches. It is on its way to be checked against the state record.

***Matt Stephens- Tongue River Marina 1-406-757-2225

Tongue River Reservoir

Colton said, “fishing is still great. The water is low but not low enough to stop fishing. Crappie, walleye and small mouth are all biting,” he said. Night crawlers, worm harnesses, and bottom bouncers are all working.

*** Silos Marina Sharon 266-3100

Canyon Ferry

Good fishing this week. “People are still fishing the Hole in the wall. Usually they’re found at 6 to 20 feet depth ,” Sharon says, “ The catch often is northern pike. People are jigging and bottom bouncing for them. They are biting on whatever your poison is right now.”

*** Minnow bucket Allen Camarillo 348-2440

“The river water is clearer and there is less moss. It is definitely lower. “ Smallmouth and sauger are being caught on crankbaits , ” Allen says. He has heard that they are catching big walleye at Hysham and Custer. “Check out the Minnow Bucket facebook for pictures of the nice fish the guys have caught,” Allen says.

***Lake Elmo Billings

Fishing is good. Not many people out fishing in the warmest part of the day. Trout are being caught .

***Cooney

Fishing is really good right now. Trout, walleye, perch are being caught. One of the crew caught a 21 inch trout the other day. They are not seeing any fish under 14 inches except perch of course. They are using worms and leeches. The Marshall Cove boat ramp is closed because of low water.

***Don’s Charlie 1-800-879-8194

Lewistown East Fork Reservoir

Charlie says, “Spring Creek fishermen are using hoppers or Adams. They are working well. On the river the catfish are biting as are the sauger on worms. On Crooked Creek people are trolling with Bottom bouncers and worm harnesses. They are in 14 feet deep water.” “ They are pitching cranks on the surface for northern and bass,” he said.

The EASTERN MONTANA FISHING REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF 9/2/12  was compiled by Carol Henckel

New Podcast!

Riley's Meats - Butte Wild Game Processing