Helena Area Reservoirs Fishing Report 3.8.21
By angelamontana

Posted: March 8, 2021

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:  Rainbows are being caught around Hole in the Wall, the Silos and the ponds in less than 15 feet of water while using silver or white jigs or spoons and worms or maggots.  Hole in the Wall continues to produce perch and an occasional walleye in 30 feet of water while using green glow hooks or jigs with maggots or worms.  A few walleye, perch and burbot are still showing up at Duck Creek.  Ice conditions have been reported as a consistent 16 to 20 inches from Hole in the Wall to the Silos and around the Ponds.  Duck Creek has 20 inches of ice. Ice is pulling away from shore in spots.  Use caution with ATVs around the Hole in the Wall and Duck Creek pressure ridges. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser: Rainbows are still on the bite at the Causeway. Some anglers are having success fishing open water with flies or eggs sacks and some are using various colored jigs tipped with maggots or crawlers 6 feet below the ice. A few burbot are being caught around Black Sandy while using cut bait near the bottom. Anglers are finding some nice perch on Lake Helena. Try using small green, orange or pink Hali jigs or Pimples tipped with maggots. 10 inches of ice has been reported at Black Sandy. Use caution as more open water is starting to show near the shorelines.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: Rainbows are still being caught near the shorelines in shallow water at the Gates of the Mountains. There’s still ice out to about 100 yards from shore. Most are being caught while using small jigs or egg sacks with maggots. Green, orange and pink have been popular colors for ice jigs. Not many perch were caught over the weekend. The lower end of the lake is becoming hard to access as ice is beginning to break up along the shorelines. Use Caution while accessing the ice.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: The Kokanee bite decent over the weekend. Most fish were showing up between 20 and 25 feet of water. Using green or pink Hali or Swedish Pimple type ice jigs and maggots or corn has been working well. A few small perch have been found around 25 feet of water or less while using the same equipment near the bottom. 10 inches of ice has been reported. Use caution while accessing the ice.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

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