This is the Last Ice Fishing Report being sent out this year. We will begin sending out reports for the open water fishing season once the ice goes away.

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: Fishing is good around Broadwater Bay and south of the Silos for rainbows, perch and walleye while using white, red, yellow, or green colored jigs tipped with maggots or nightcrawlers in 13-15 feet of water.  An occasional burbot is being caught on the bottom as well. Be careful around the pressure ridges on the south end of the reservoir.  There is 18 inches of ice from the Silos down to the ponds. Other areas of the reservoir to the north of the Silos are starting to get soft 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. The ice is getting soft and beginning to open up along the shorelines but can still be accessed at the Lake Helena and Black Sandy boat ramps. Open water can be found at the Causeway, York Bridge, Devil’s Elbow and Riverside.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: The rainbow bite has been great near the shorelines while using pink jigs, nightcrawlers or spawn sacks in 4 to 10 feet of water out from most of the public access points. Perch fishing has been awesome on the lower end of the reservoir while using Hali jigs, Swedish Pimples, or other jigs and maggots near the bottom in 20 to 40 feet of water. Ice is getting soft and upper Holter has very little ice and is cracked and broken. The lower end of the reservoir still has ice and is accessible at Indian Trail and Log Gulch boat ramps but is becoming more difficult to access as the shorelines open up. There is a plank being used to access the ice near the Prairie Dog Town.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: The Kokanee bite has been great lately while using pink, or green Hali jigs, tipped with maggots or corn in 25 to 35 feet of water. A few perch are being found while using the same equipment near the bottom. The ice is beginning to open up along the shorelines but can still be accessed in certain spots.  Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena