Helena Area Reservoirs Fishing Report 3.20.23
By angelamontana

Posted: March 20, 2023

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: The Silos area continues to produce the best fishing for rainbows, perch and walleye while using pink, chartreuse or perch colored jigs tipped with maggots, wax worms or nightcrawlers in 10-20 feet of water.  Spawn sacks and salted dead minnows are also producing a few fish with an occasional burbot being caught on the bottom as well. Be careful around the pressure ridges on the south end of the reservoir.  There is over 20 inches of ice from the Silos down to the ponds, 18-20 inches of ice around Duck Creek and the north end has 3-5 inches of ice. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser: A few rainbows are hitting on leech or egg pattern flies in open water near the Causeway Bridge and out from Black Sandy while using green or pink jigs tipped with maggots or crawlers 6 to 10 feet below the ice. 15 to 18 inches of ice has been reported and is accessible at Black Sandy, the Causeway and Lake Helena.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: Perch fishing has been great and good numbers continue to be found all over the lower end of the reservoir while using Hali jigs, Swedish Pimples, or other jigs and maggots near the bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water. An occasional walleye is being picked up while searching for perch. The rainbow bite has been good, and fish are hitting pink jigs, nightcrawlers or spawn sacks in 4 to 10 feet of water along the shorelines near most of the public access points. Up to 15 inches of ice has been reported but some of the shorelines are beginning to break up, so use caution.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: The Kokanee bite has been pretty good while using pink, or green Hali jigs, tipped with maggots or corn in 15 to 40 feet of water. A few perch are being found while using the same equipment near the bottom. The ice is beginning to melt along the shorelines, but there is still plenty of ice if it can be accessed.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

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