Bozeman/Butte Recreation Report Bob Ward's Sports and Outdoors

Bozeman/Butte Recreation Report by Bob Ward’s Sports and Outdoors (10.24.14)
By angelamontana

Posted: October 24, 2014

Hunting:    

Big Game General Season Opens October 25th and we can’t wait! Be sure to check your pack for gear that is out of shape. Use our handy checklist in the ad this week so you don’t miss a thing. Have fun and good luck! Come in and share your adventure with us.

Bozeman Fishing:

The fall name of the game is nymph and streamer fishing. Focus on reddish-brown colored streamers and zonkers that mimic little brown trout and use a dead drift or stripping technique. Nymphing right now is phenomenal, they are really moving around and feeding.

Heading to the Gallatin? Bring the black woolly bugger with green legs and a spruce moth with a dropper such as a prince nymph or copper bob.

On the Lower Madison go with red color crayfish and sculpins in brown.

The Upper Madison is liking copper bobs in any color and prince nymphs.

Finally, on the Yellowstone you can’t go wrong with san juan worms and copper johns.

Butte Fishing:

Late October into mid-November is prime fishing in Southwest Montana. Trout feed heavily during this time to put on weight before the onset of winter. Brown trout will spawn in November and will be actively and aggressively feeding before they spawn.

The Beaverhead River flow rate has been cut back now that irrigation is over and the trout are laying up in undercut banks and deeper pools. Clouser minnows and large streamers have been most effective on the Beaverhead for larger brookies. Brown and tan or white are good colors so try several until you find the right color combination. Small 16-18 prince nymphs or Zebra chironomads are also catching the bottom dwellers. Warm overcast days will bring out the active fish and dark mahogany duns. October caddis and blue wing olives can still draw nice strikes.

The Bighole is fishing best on the lower end of Maiden Rock to Glen. Streamers are your best bet presently. Purple Psycho prince nymphs fished as a dropper to October. Caddis are still drawing Brown out from their cover but big streamers provide the best action. We noticed some sickly looking browns in the Divide Canyon and have heard rumors of parasites hitting some of the fish.

The Jefferson River is providing most of it’s action to bait casters throwing nightcrawlers. The Browns are moving upstream to the lower Ruby in preparation for the spawn. A few fish are biting the rubber legged brown or Golden stones.

Georgetown Reservoir is still active for spin fisherman casting spoons or powerbait jigs. Orange is a good choice of color.

(Report by Ryan Corwin-Bob Ward’s Sports and Outdoors)

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