Fishing Roundup June 8, 2006

Fishing Report for June 8th - June 14th, 2006

Thursday, June 08, 2006
Fishing

This article was Archived on Saturday, July 08, 2006

June is a magic month for fishing in Montana.    Whether you like floating a big river in a raft, trolling a sprawling reservoir for walleyes and pike, or just quietly enjoying the solitude of a small creek and the company of some brook trout, this is one of the very best times of the year to get in on some great action.   Be sure to set aside some time to enjoy a little fishing with family & friends.

Some of the best fishing bets right now:

Bighorn River – The cloudier the day, the better the odds of finding some good fishing on dry flies.   On sunny days, lures and nymphs are still productive.

Big Hole River – Salmonfly reports are starting to trickle in, and as flows drop, the fishing will improve.

Bitterroot River – While the main river is very high and off color, the upper forks have been fishing quite well.

Canyon Ferry Lake – The walleye bite has improved, and trout can usually be caught by pulling a crankbait.

Fresno Reservoir – High spring water a few years ago resulted in great spawning conditions for northern pike, which are now providing some fast action on this reservoir near Havre.

Fort Peck Reservoir  – This is a great time to be fishing Fort Peck, for pike, but especially for some of the biggest walleyes anywhere.

Madison River – The river is fishing better near the bottom than in the upper stretches, and improving quickly.

Lower Missouri River – Paddlefishing is still good, and should remain as long as flows stay high.   The Missouri is one of the best places in Montana to catch a native sauger, which is a member of the perch family and closely related to the walleye.

Upper Missouri River – With cooler and maybe wet weather forecast, the Missouri would be a good option for a variety of fishing techniques, dry flies, nymphs, or lures.

Rock Creek near Missoula – Salmonflies.   Enough said.

More Information

• Local fly shops, bait stores, or boat marinas are a good places to find information about particular waters.
• For river flow details visit USGS Gauging Stations.
• Plan a fishing trip using the Montana Fishing Guide.
• FWP’s Fly Hatch Chart. 
• View past Fishing Roundup reports:
  • May 26th - May 31st
  • June 1st - June 7th

This is a brief synopsis of fishing conditions and reports from select waters across the state.