GAZETTE FISHING REPORT
Runoff receding; time to hit the streams
By JOHN LETASKY
Of The Gazette Staff
Water levels are beginning to drop as the warm water melts away the last of the mountain snows.
The Stillwater, Rock Creek and Bighorn are beginning to drop and fish well. The high mountain lakes are opening up, with plenty of mosquitoes for company. For trollers, Fort Peck in the dam area is producing some salmon and the walleye bite is building.
The warmer water has walleye becoming more active. Because the fish are more active in some waters due to the heat, an angler might have to speed his presentation. And if you are a catch-and-release angler, you might want to take the hot afternoons off so you don't play fish to exhaustion.
For ideas on where to fish, here's The Gazette's weekly report.
- Absaroka-Beartooth Mountain Lakes
- The snow level is well above 9,000 feet and lots of the lakes are open. We're getting good reports of some good dry fly fishing using parachute Adams and soft hackles. Fisherman using float tubes striping nymphs and buggers are also doing good. Be prepared for lots of mosquitoes. The mountain streams are starting to fish pretty good. I like a size 14 royal Wulff on these. - Jim Yeager, Old West Anglers & Outfitters, Columbus.
- Ackley Lake
- It has slowed down. Try trolling a Rapala. Shore fisherman can put a crawler on the end of the hook and toss it out there. - Dave Storfa, Don's, Lewistown.
- Beaverhead River
- The fishing is fantastic. Anglers are doing well on PMDs in the morning and early afternoon. Caddis patterns are working well into the evening. - Zack Medina, Frontier Anglers, Dillon.
- Big Hole River
- The river is dropping fast. On Monday at Melrose, flows were 900 cfs. Fishermen are doing well early in the morning and toward evening. Fishing slows dramatically during the heat of the day. Caddis and a variety of small attractor patterns, like Royal Wulfs, are working best. - Paul Redfern, Fish-On Fly and Tackle, Butte.
- Bighorn Lake
- The water temperature was 71 degrees at the marina Tuesday. A 10-pound walleye was caught on an Erie Dearie in 3-4 feet of water. An 8-pound walleye was landed on a jig close to the marina. A lot of guys caught a lot of fish this weekend. - Josh Anderson, Ok-A-Beh Marina.
- Bighorn River
- Fishing is good. Dry fly fishing has turned on this week. Flows are at 7,000 cfs and the temperature is at 65 degrees. Dry fly fishing is excellent with size 16 PMD patterns, a size 16 yellow Sally and a size 16 black caddis. Nymph fishing is hot with a red or orange San Juan worm trailed by a size 16 flashback hare's ear, a size 14 soft hackle sow bug or a size 16 black caddis pupae. - Todd Stapleton, Bighorn Fly & Tackle, Hardin.
- Boulder River
- High and clear. Fishing above McLeod seems to be a little better. In the mornings, nymphing is working well. Bitch creeks, Montana nymphs and stonefly nymphs in size 10 are working well. Beadheads are working good in sizes 12 and 14. Dry fly fishing picks up in the afternoon and early evenings. A size 16 elk hair caddis or a size 12 or 14 stimulator would be one's best bet. - Jim McCall, Rainbow Run Fly Shop, Billings.
- Canyon Ferry Reservoir
- The trout fishing is slowing, it hung on longer this year than normal, probably because it took longer for the water to warm up. Some walleye fishermen are catching quite a few trout pulling bottom bouncers in 18 feet of water. Maybe you have to fish for trout like they are a walleye. The average size walleye is 19-20 inches. Use bottom bouncers and a spinner with a nightcrawler. The fish are scattered. - Terry McArdle, Townsend Marine.
- Hauser Reservoir
- Walleye fishing is hot at the Causeway by both boat and shore anglers. Some perch are being caught. Try worms or leeches for walleyes and perch using white or chartreuse jigs. Crankbaits such as perch Rapalas are producing walleyes. Rainbow fishing is slow. - Steve Dalbey, FWP, Helena.
- Holter Reservoir
- It's walleye and perch time on Holter Reservoir. Fishing has been excellent with fish being caught off BLM ramp, Oxbow Bend and split-rock area using jigs, perch crank baits, and bottom bouncers and chartreuse worm harness. Rapalas (black and silver) are a good bet for a mixed creel of trout and walleye. - Steve Dalbey, FWP, Helena.
- Clark Canyon Reservoir
- The reservoir has kind of shut down. It usually goes into a lull and then picks back up a bit later in the summer. - Zack Medina, Frontier Anglers, Dillon.
- Upper Clark Fork River
- The spillway is still fishing pretty well, but water levels are beginning to drop. Make sure you bring your mosquito dope. The pesky critters are out in force throughout Southwest Montana. - Paul Redfern, Fish-On Fly and Tackle, Butte.
- Cliff & Wade Lakes
- It is so hot, the fish are starting to go deep. - Gordon Bennett, The Tackle Shop, Ennis.
- Cooney Reservoir
- Fishing is fair. There is still plenty of action on smaller walleye and trout. We're starting to hear some reports of larger walleye being caught in the late evening. Those fish are 3-4 pounds. Jig with leeches and working crankbaits in chartreuse, orange and gold colors. - Dan Montoya, Cooney Dam Country Store.
- Deadman's Basin
- A friend of mine was up there this weekend and he said it was so hot that he didn't even try to fish. - Tracy Goffena, Roundup General Store.
- Fort Peck Reservoir: Big Dry Arm
- Most walleyes are being caught on worm harnesses. Try chartreuse, deep green or a hammered brass color. The bass fishing is better than normal. We are seeing quite a few bass and they are good-sized. The northern fishing is slow. We had a 17-plus pound northern, which measured 45 inches, caught July 8 by Sharon Garrison. - Kim Whiteman, Rock Creek Marina.
- Fort Peck Reservoir: Crooked Creek
- We had some northerns come in over the weekend off the bank. Quite a few walleyes are being caught at night off the bank. The boat fisherman aren't doing too great. The bigger walleyes are running in the shallow waters. The small ones are running in 20 feet of water, but the larger ones are in 4 feet of water. - Ron Ronningen, Fort Musselshell Marina.
- Fort Peck Reservoir: Dam Area
- There have been several salmon caught. They are in anywhere from 50-100 feet of water. Anglers are using squids and flashers and picking up some 8-10 pound salmon. The big walleye are around, but no one is catching them in great quantities. We heard of a 28-pound lake trout caught Monday. - Donna Moore, Lakeridge Motel, Fort Peck.
- Fort Peck Reservoir: Fourchette Bay
- They are doing really good pulling crankbaits. They caught a lot of fish and most were good-sized. - Robert Twiford, Malta Marine.
- Gallatin River
- It is fishing good. It is clean and coming down from the spring runoff. In the evenings, try caddis and PMDs. During the day, try princes, soft hackle peacocks and hare's ears. - Brian Wainright, Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman.
- Georgetown Lake
- Fishing has been fairly good on large caddis flies in the evening. Damsel flies have been working well also. - Paul Redfern, Fish-On Fly and Tackle, Butte.
- Jefferson River
- Need some good cloudy days to fish streamers for the big browns lurking here. - Paul Redfern, Fish-On Fly and Tackle, Butte.
- Madison River: Ennis
- The salmonfly hatch is over. There is a lot of caddis in the evening. The best way to fish that is using an emerger. The fishing is better than it has been in the past four or five years. - Gordon Bennett, The Tackle Shop, Ennis.
- Madison River: Lower
- It is pretty warm. Fish it early to avoid stressing fish in the heat of the day. - Brian Wainright, Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman.
- Madison River: Upper
- Between Quake and Hebgen Lake they are starting to see some salmonflies. - Rob Orsini, Jacklin's Fly Shop, West Yellowstone.
- Martinsdale Reservoir
- Try dragging lures. The average rainbows are running about 1-1/2 pounds. There aren't too many bigger browns biting. - Dan McLaughlin, Mint Bar, Martinsdale.
- Missouri River: Below Holter
- Fishing really well. Was running at 5,200 cfs Tuesday. We are seeing PMDs and caddis and some tricos. Try elk hair caddis, parachute PMDs and parachute Adams in sizes 14-16. A PMD transitional will also take fish. On dry flies we are dropping a small MFG or pheasant tail. - Garry Stocker, Montana Fly Goods, Helena.
- Missouri River: Fred Robinson Bridge
- The fisherman are catching a few. The mosquitoes are keeping a lot of people away. - Tammi Combs, Bohemian Corners Cafe.
- Musselshell River: Lower
- It's still up and murky. They are probably still letting water out of Deadman's. - Tracy Goffena, Roundup General Store.
- Musselshell River: Upper
- All of the dry fly patterns will work. The hoppers are out. It is getting a little mossy. Sutherland and Bair Reservoirs are low, but the fishing is good. - Ron Hinand, Ray's Sport and Western Wear, Harlowton.
- Nelson Reservoir
- The water temperature is 76 degrees. Try crankbaits and speed up the presentation. Crawler harnesses should work. Use big chartreuse blades with red or orange tips. - Robert Twiford, Malta Marine.
- Poindexter Slough
- Fishing has been excellent with PMD spinner falls. Look for action using grasshopper patterns to get under way in the next few weeks. - Zack Medina, Frontier Anglers, Dillon.
- Rock Creek
- It is high, but clear above Red Lodge. Most anglers are nymph fishing with bitch creeks and beadhead hare's ears or beadhead prince nymphs. Fish are starting to look up at a size 10 Jack Cabe or size 12 royal Wulff. - Todd Stapleton, Bighorn Fly & Tackle, Hardin.
- Smith River
- It is unfloatable at 116 cfs as of Tuesday. Waders are doing fine above the boat ramp with golden stones and caddis. - Garry Stocker, Montana Fly Goods, Helena.
- Spring Creek
- It is doing well. The Quill Gordon and caddis and Adams are working well. On wet flies, try hare's ears and a beadhead pheasant tail. - Dave Storfa, Don's, Lewistown.
- Stillwater River: Lower
- The river is fishing hot, with great dry fly fishing. We've got about four different bugs coming off, and this has the fish looking up. Stimulators, Jack Cabes, and parachute Adams are all good patterns. Prince nymphs, stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails can be used as a dropper. The river is still running somewhat high, with just a little color. - Jim Yeager, Old West Anglers & Outfitters, Columbus.
- Stillwater River: Upper
- It's still seeing some high flows, but the water is clear above Absarokee. Nymph fishing is good on beadheads. Prince nymph, hare's ear and pheasant tails, sizes 12-14, are all working well. In the afternoon there is a good caddis hatch, some small stoneflies and an occasional PMD. A good imitation would be a size 16 elk hair caddis and size 14 yellow stimulator and a size 16 light Cahill. - Jim McCall, Rainbow Run Fly Shop, Billings.
- Tongue River Reservoir
- The fishing and camping area by the dam has opened up. There are wonderful reports of sauger and catfish in the area. A 4-pound rainbow was also landed near the dam. Kevin Stevenson of Billings caught a 7-pound walleye on a perch Rapala. People are limiting out on walleyes. A lot of people are using crawler harnesses. For crappies, try small minnows. For walleye, fish the south end of the reservoir and get into the stumps and willows. The walleye will be in 5-10 feet of water. Medium minnows and crawlers are working the best. For crappies and smallmouth, try around the island. - Kelly Eliason/Mary Madrid, Tongue River Marina.
- West Rosebud River
- The river is running high and just a little off-color. Fishing has been fair, using Wulffs and stimulators on the surface and beadhead nymphs as your trailer. Best fishing is below Emerald Lake. - Jim Yeager, Old West Anglers & Outfitters, Columbus.
- Yellowstone National Park
- Rusty spinners are working every evening on the Madison and Firehole. The Gibbon is starting to see some salmonflies. The little streams are fishing good with caddis flies. There's brookies on Indian Creek. Duck Creek is also producing fish. From Yellowstone Lake's bank, anglers are catching a lot of cutthroats with a woolly bugger. - Rob Orsini, Jacklin's Fly Shop, West Yellowstone.
- Yellowstone River: Billings
- Shrimp is the hot bait for catfish. The average cat will be 2-3 pounds. Minnows aren't really working. Shrimp and cut bait is the way to go. - Will Suralski, Minnow Bucket, Huntley.
- Yellowstone River: Columbus
- We're getting some visibility along the banks and shallow riffles. Buggers, big nymphs and maybe some attractor patterns should start working. It looks like we are just days away from some clear water. - Jim Yeager, Old West Anglers & Outfitters, Columbus.
- Yellowstone River: Livingston
- It is running fast and visibility is down to 2 feet. It is starting to become fishable and salmonflies are in Yankee Jim Canyon. Some caddis flies are out. We are starting to see some gray and green drakes. - Mike Smith, Dan Bailey's Fly Shop, Livingston.
- Bighorn Mountain Creeks
- The water is coming down pretty good and they are starting to catch fish. Hopper patterns in the lower elevation creeks should do well. Up high, try a mayfly imitation. - Ken Kucera, The Outdoorsman, Worland.
- Bighorn Mountain Lakes
- Adams and different caddis patterns are working. The hoppers are starting to appear. - Linden Maker, Just Gone Fishing, Buffalo.
- Bighorn River
- It is still high. They are catching some sauger and catfish by Worland. By Thermopolis, it is really high. It is around 6000 cfs around Thermopolis. The water is murky, but it's just too high. - Ken Kucera, The Outdoorsman, Worland.
- Buffalo Bill Reservoir
- It is off-color but fishing well. Try trolling Krocodiles and Rapalas. The bank fishing is decent. Throw lures off the bank. The whole reservoir opens today for fishing for the summer. - Scott Aune, Absaroka Angler, Cody.
- Boysen Reservoir
- Walleyes and saugers are still biting. The fish are in close during the mornings and evenings and suspend deeper during the middle of the day. Boat fishing is the way to go. Small trolling bells and crawler harnesses are working. Troll the presentation faster than normal. Shad Raps and Thundersticks are the hot lures. Use jigs early in the day. - Gary Hackett, Boysen Lake Marina.
- Clarks Fork
- The upper end is clear and fishing well. Golden stones and caddis flies are hooking fish. - Scott Aune, Absaroka Angler, Cody.
- Lake DeSmet
- Fly and bait fishermen are catching fish. - Linden Maker, Just Gone Fishing, Buffalo.
- Middle Fork Powder River
- Stonefly patterns are working good, especially later in the day. - Linden Maker, Just Gone Fishing, Buffalo.
- North Fork of the Shoshone
- It is clear and very fishable. The further one goes up, the clearer it gets. Large stonefly nymphs seem to be the key. Caddis flies are also working. - Scott Aune, Absaroka Angler, Cody.
- Ten Sleep Creek
- It is good up high. Try hopper and mayfly imitations. In some areas, try a girdle bug, Rio Grande King or hare's ears. - Ken Kucera, The Outdoorsman, Worland.
Perry Backus of the Montana Standard contributed to this report. The Billings Gazette Fishing Report runs each Thursday in The Gazette and billingsgazette.com. For comments or questions, contact Gazette outdoor editor Mark Henckel by phone at: (406) 657-1395, or by e-mail at: henckel@bsw.net
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