Hauser is playing a bit of hard-to-get right now, but if you know the right speeds, depths, and how to avoid losing your favorite tackle to a pike, there are still plenty of fish to be had. Jonathan Miller with Capital Sports in Helena has your tactical playbook for navigating the bays, the crowds, and the current bites in Hauser, Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir, and Lake Helena:
Hauser:
Below Canyon Ferry Dam has remained slow for walleye and mediocre for the trout. Zonkers still work but a worm under a bobber or on the bottom is your best bet. If possible though I would head down to Spokane bay before starting to fish. If you want to troll, my go-to is a black/gold crankbait but a rainbow or brown trout pattern can be very effective. I normally don’t troll into the bay very far. Just stay outside of it and down towards Lakeside and just go back and forth at 2.0mph to 2.5mph. Otherwise, heading down towards White and Black sandy and trolling from there to the dam can be very effective this time of year as well. Same colors and speed. Though down in that stretch a perch pattern can produce too.
Walleye are showing up fairly regularly in the stretch from York bridge to Hauser dam. Best luck I have had is off the weed edges or good rock structure. Mainly using a jig with a perch, sungill or smelt color pattern. When possible an 1/8oz jig head is my preferred weight but usually with the wind I am using a 1/4oz jig head. The hard part with fishing this zone is all the pike. To mitigate the loss of my tackle I usually tie on a 12lb+ fluorocarbon leader. It minimally affects my walleye fishing while still giving me a chance to keep my jig and maybe catch a pike.
Speaking of pike, they are more active. Saw more willing to chase our baits and a bit more willing to bite. But they are still being finicky. That being said, I happened to look down the lake at one point and noticed a line of about 4 other boats all on the weed edge. So I guess cat is definitely out of the bag now. With the extra pressure those pike will get a bit weary. So be ready with various baits as it can be a mystery what they are biting on that day. Spinner baits in black and orange or black and gold can be very effective. Silver, Gold or perch pattern husky jerks are some of my favorite baits. The other thing to try is a small glide or swimbait. Fire tiger, rainbow trout and perch are my top picks but a bright white or bone color on the right day can be good too.
The causeway is still holding walleye throughout the arm. So there is still a good chance to catch one from shore by the bridge. Bobber and a leech is the classic go-to but I still like fishing a chartreuse and green or pumpkin and orange ribbon tail on a 1/4oz jig head.
Lake Helena:
Unfortunately, the weed growth has grown to a point where trolling is not possible. With temps also coming in this week and holding the lake will most likely get too warm for the walleye to remain in the lake.
Regulating Reservoir:
Unfortunately, I have not been talking to many folks fishing on the Regulating Reservoir. But typically trolling a wedding ring behind the kayak in the deeper part of the reservoir is the effective strategy. Troll your bait somewhere between 25’ and 35’ around 1.2mph. Chartreuse, orange or pink are the standard colors or there. If you want to mix it up a little a chartreuse and black can be deadly. If you have a fish finder and can locate the schools I prefer vertical jigging with a small pink or silver Swedish pimple tipped with scented corn.
If you’re looking for gear for any of these three bodies of water, head over to Capital Sports at 1092 Helena Ave in Helena, and tell them the Captain with the Montana Outdoor Radio Show sent you!
