Anglers are reminded that ice conditions can be extremely variable. Ice thickness can range from thick enough to support a vehicle to open water. Extreme caution should be used when accessing the ice.
Canyon Ferry: Rainbow trout fishing has been fair and fish are being caught from Pond 4 to Confederate Bay using various colors of jigs or ice flies, tipped with worms or maggots, in 10 feet of water or less. Other trout anglers are doing well fishing 10 to 15 feet below the ice in deeper water. Yellow perch and a few walleye continue to be caught between Hole-in-the-Wall, Duck Creek Bay, and Confederate Bay using Hali jigs or Swedish Pimples, tipped with maggots, in 40 to 60 feet of water. Ice conditions have been reported at 22 to 26 inches from Pond 4 to the Confederate Bay and 12 to 14 inches on the North end of the reservoir. Adam Strainer, FWP, Helena
Hauser: Rainbow fishing is good in the Causeway and at York Bridge while using jigs and maggots or worms 5 to 10 feet below the ice. Rainbows are also being caught in open water below Canyon Ferry Dam on worms. A few perch and small walleye are being caught while jigging in 20 to 25 feet of water around Black Sandy. The ice in the Causeway is 10 to 14 inches. At Black Sandy there is 16 to 20 inches of ice. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Holter: Perch fishing continues to be inconsistent with those that are finding the schools doing really well. The best perch catches are occurring around the Boat Loft, the prairie dog town and near Split Rock in 15 to 25 feet of water on jigs and maggots or worms. These areas plus the Gates of the Mountains are producing a few rainbows as well on jigs and maggots or powerbait in 10 feet of water. There is about 14 to 20 inches of ice around Log Gulch, Departure Point and Holter Ramp. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Kokanee action picked up again with best action occurring while using ice flies or jigs and maggots or corn 20 feet below the ice. Perch are being caught just off the bottom in 15 to 40 feet of water with an occasional ling being caught as well. Most perch are small. There is 18 to 20 inches of ice. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
