Holter Lake is absolutely showing off right now. Despite slower flows in the Land of the Giants, the action across the board is red hot. From surface-smashing trout and aggressive walleye to hungry pike and schooling perch, there is no shortage of ways to bend a rod this week.
Here is everything you need to know from Jonathan Miller with Capital Sports in Helena (a Montana Outdoor Approved establishment!) to cash in on Holter’s multi-species hot streak:
Holter:
Flows are slow in Land of the Giants but fish are still being caught despite that. Same as usual with streamers or zonkers in brown and yellow or black and olive. There has been some decent caddis action on the surface too.
Walleye action has been good throughout the canyon with various tactics. The clay banks as well has been producing fish. I would recommend one but bottom bouncing, jigging, drop shots and slip bobbers are all working right now. As a whole, any perch pattern lure is a safe bet and leeches are the go-to if you want to use bait. Holter I guess just wants to show off for us but hey, I’m not complaining.
Trout continue to bite well in the lower portion from split rock to the dam. Most of them are being caught on kokanee rigs as by catch though. But if you want to target the trout, pull a pink, chartreuse or purple/pink squid or wedding ring behind a dodger traveling around 1.2mph to 2.0mph. Stay in the ballpark of 1.2mph for the kokanee. The trout seem to be anywhere from the surface to about 30’ of water. The kokanee seem to be more in the 25’ to 35’ range but with brighter and warmer weather they will start moving deeper. Which will at least make them easier to find.
There are starting to be good reports of perch off the weed beds. Mainly in the lower sections from cottonwood to the clay banks. But anywhere there is a weed bed it’s worth casting. And if you want to go for bigger fish, the pike have been biting well. Mainly on jigs similar to the ones used on Hauser, but running a bigger husky jerk or jerk bait along weed edges is a good tactic too.
