(Report compiled by Carol Henckel)

Please be advised that conditions can change daily so please call the contact person in the area you are planning on FISHING for current daily information. Weather is changing and some days wind can be a big factor.

Keep an eye on the weather while you are out there and stay safe.

Good luck FISHING from the Montana Outdoor Radio Crew.

Rock Creek Marina-Bill 1-406-485-2560

“Linda said, “Fishing continues to be good here. Northern pike are still running strong. Todd Kleppelid caught a 38 ½ inch Northern Pike. Green seems to be the color to use right now. They are using worms and leeches trolling and using jigs. People are heading to around Prairie Dog island, Big bug creek and McGuire Creek.”

Tongue River Reservoir

Tongue River Marina 1-406-757-2225 Colton/Bob Pederson

“Fishermen are getting catchable walleye. Someone caught a 10 ½ pound walleye and someone else caught a 31 incher. We have seen more northern pike being caught this week. People are using the ultralite crappie rig and igging in the trees at 14 feet. The water is 78 degrees. The water has dropped but it still is pretty full, ”Colton says. Some small mouth eaters are also being caught.

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

Hell Creek-Fort Peck Reservoir

“Lots of walleye are being caught. Lots in numbers but not as many big ones. A lot of eaters. Bottom bouncers with crawlers and leaches are working. Ceankbaits are working on northern pike and now we are seeing more bass. The fire tiger in orange and green are working for pike.

Walleyes are biting on white, anything with white on.”

Gene Moore Lake Ridge Motel 1-406-526-3597

Gene Moore, of Lake Ridge says,” Fishing has slowed down because of the heat this week. Small mouth and northern pike are being caught at the base of the dam. Some walleye are being caught around here but not as many as a couple of weeks ago. Find rainbows fishing at 80 feet deep.

Minnows, cranks, lindys, bottom bouncers and jigs are working.

Lake Elmo Billings

Fishing both in a small boat and off shore is producing fish. As many know people know we had a sad fatality this week on the water at Elmo. Safety should always be a factor in using any waters in Montana. Equipment checks are a necessity every time you go out. Prepare yourself for the heat and stay hydrated as you recreate. Trout are being caught but the heat is slowing the action a little.

Cooney Reservoir Jenny/ Maleri

Lots of eat this week. The fishing has slowed because of the heat. Shore fishermen are catching mice size fish. For rainbow trout they are using Power bait seems to be working. The water level is dropping some.

Deadmans/Martinsdale Justin

“Trout fishing at Martinsdale in mornings seems to be working. Trout fishing has picked up some. The water is definitely lower and so fishing has slowed,” Justin explains.

“Deadmans is still pretty tough with low water. The bite is slow with the heat, “he said. The Musselshell is dropping.

Don’s Lewistown- Dale

“Fishing is very good here. Fishing is better.

Spring Creek is having lots of fly rod action. The flies working during the day are the Adams, the Caddis and the yellow sally. Nymphing is strong right now. Use a bead head nymph in the evening. Mepps are also working.

Ponds around here are doing well trolling and from shore using power bait and worms. Use those mepps they are working.

On Crooked Creek by Winnett, the small boats can be launched. They are catching catfish and a few walleye.

Forchette Bay on Peck has been good by jigging at 10 to 15 feet for walleye. We are seeing some black crappies as well for the first time this year.

On the Missouri by the Fred Robinson catfish are really biting. Night crawlers are really working. Only a few walleyes being caught,” Dale said.

Ackley Lake is good and the water has gone up. You can launch a boat now.

Panther martins and Mepps in colors are working. They are trolling with a boat or fishing from the bank. Worm fishing with a bobber is good as well,” Dan says.

Crooked Creek-Grant

A small boat can be launched as there is some water at Crooked Creek now. The marina will not be open. It is closed but cabins are still available for other uses just call 1-406-429-2999.

Minnow Bucket-Allen Camarillo 861-0156

“The cats on the Yellowstone river are biting. The river keeps trying to clear The Small mouth are starting and are good to catch. The Big Horn is good fishing right now. The guys are using night crawlers and live minnows, either whole or cut bait,” Allen said. “Perch at Petrolia are biting, “Allen said.

Silos Canyon Ferry-Sharon

“ Fishing this week has been very good. Lots of walleyes being caught in 6 to 12 feet. Both east and to the west They seem to be catching on pink colors right now. Some perch are finally showing their pretty face. I am finally seeing more walleye being caught than trout. Everything is working, bottom bouncers, and cranks and jigging with glass minnows, “Sharon said.

West Side Sports Dan 1-406-654-1611

The fishing is good at Nelson. They are using bottom bouncers, night crawlers and leeches for walleye. The fishing is good. They are running about 14 to 16 inches. Cranks are working for fish but go deeper to 12 to 20 feet.

At Forchette the fishing is good. They’re using worms and bottom bouncers for walleye. For northerns they are using cranks and rapellas, shad raps and flicker shads but not going as deep. Try using flicker shad and a lure by Bill Lewis called a rattletrap to catch pike. Cranks are working on walleye right now.

Billings-Scheels Nate

Fort Peck “I fished Peck last week and it was great. The winning weight was 43 pounds for the Governor’s Cup. There were 119 teams. One of the winners in the top 10 had luck n copper smiley blades. Copper, smiley blades and slow death rigs were working well. The heat has slowed down the walleyes some.

At Tongue River walleye fishing has been good. For northern pike everything is working it seems.

Cooney Night fishing I hear is good jigging at 5 to 12 feet.

Canyon Ferry Cory from Scheels went fishing and caught nice eater walleyes. Some people are using lead core line and trolling. Crank baits are working at 30 feet.

On the Yellowstone the water has cleared higher up.

Rich’s Tackle – Richard

The rivers of the Madison, Gallatin and Jefferson have gotten really mossy. The Gallatin I hear is the best of all of them.

Guys are telling me catching on Canyon Ferry has been off and on.

The Missouri River seems to be really bad. It has lots of weeds making fishing real hard. They are catching some rainbows.

Petrolia

Petrolia is better for fishing these days. Fishing has been decent from the shore. Jigging is producing fish off and on.

Stillwater Anglers-Chris 406-322-4977

Fishing has been amazing from Absarokee to Columbus on the Stillwater and Yellowstone. Use surface patterns like bushy golden stone patterns, fat Franks, Chernobyl hoppers and stimulators in any color. People are having good luck on the Stillwater with green copper John’s.

For dry try bushy stones. Not much is happening right now. Use small attractors in the evening. Some flies that you should try are small attractors, purple haze, elk hair caddis, PMDs and parachute Adams.

If you are spin casters try using the stimulate patterns they have been working.

Fort Smith Trout Shop 666-2375 – Steve

“Fishing is good right now. We are in a transition. Fishermen are nymph fishing these days and it is excellent. They are biting on badis and midges. We have seen people using yellow sallys and PMDs. Water is at 1850 cfs right now,” Sharon said. Dries are not as strong. They are still good. I want to remind people to be safe while fishing on the river. Enjoy the time on the water.

(Cover photo courtesy of headhuntersflyshop.com)