Bozeman/Butte Recreation Report by Bob Ward and Sons 12.20.13
By angelamontana

Posted: December 20, 2013

Hunting:

Our gun liquidation sale is going on now!

Even if your preferred season is over you can still hunt for great deals in our hunting department.

Mountain lion season (with hounds) is in full swing and ends April 14th.

Wolf hunting season is still going through March 15th. (Wolf trapping ends on February 28)

Duck and Goose runs though the first part of January.

Please review your regulations for specific details on the areas you plan on hunting.

Make sure to bring pictures down of your successful hunts and post them on our board!

Bozeman Fishing:

Winter fishing can be a challenge. A few things to remember; fish are more lethargic-when giving action to your fly rig slow down, target the deeper waters rather than the faster-shallower areas, size down what you are using-smaller tippet and smaller flies, and lastly move more slowly when near the water.

The name of the game for a while is going to be nymphing. Head out with copper bobs, rubber legs, san juan worms, lighting bugs, bh prince nymphs, and egg patterns. Definitely go for some thing larger on top to attract the fish and user a smaller pattern trailed about a foot to a foot and a half behind the attractor fly.

Streamers will work in some deeper pockets along with sculpins (try the dead drift technique) and definitely pair some of the worms with smaller stone flies.

Right now nothing to report on lakes but we will keep you posted as the season progresses. We have heard that Hyalite was progressing quite nicely but with the warmer weather to have set it back a bit. Please use caution when out on the water and walking on ice.

Butte Fishing:

The northern end of Clark Canyon Reservior is fishing well this week. Rainbow trout in the 3.5-5lb range are being taken on vertical jigs or glo hooks and maggots. The ling activity has been hit and miss for the night fisherman. Sucker meat fished in the southern river channel or in deep water in the northern bug has proven best results.

Smaller rainbow trout are active on the Ruby Reservoir this past week. Zinc Blan Swedish Pimples in size 3 are a good bet on the Ruby. Garlic marshmallows with nightcrawlers or glo hooks with maggots are good live baits.

Georgetown Lake has thickened with the colder temperatures this past week. Salmon are being taken at the pumphouse with maggots or shrimp fished on glo hook. Eagle Lake reservoir hybrids and brook trout are being taken on various vertical jogs and baits.

Delmoe Lake has been slow this year mainly due to lower fish numbers. The lake was drained and repaired this summer.

(Report by Ryan Corwin-Bob Ward and Sons)

New Podcast!

Riley's Meats - Butte Wild Game Processing