Fishing Roundup June 22, 2006
Fishing Report for June 22nd - June 29th, 2006
By Mark Henckel of the Billings Gazette
Madison River
Madison River from the Cougar Creek bridge looking into Yellowstone National Park.
Big bugs on the march up Madison. Now, it’s the Madison River’s turn. The annual salmonfly hatch is done on Rock Creek. It has come and gone on the Smith River. And it’s pretty much just a memory on the Big Hole.
The big bugs are popping on the Madison, however, and that’s good news for anglers on this famous Montana river. As of this writing, the hatch was above Ennis and moving upriver as waters warm there.
No word of salmonflies on the Gallatin or Yellowstone rivers yet. But look for them to start soon. The big question for fishermen will be what the water conditions are when the hatches come off there. So far, they’re still high and brown and moving a lot of waters.
Beaverhead River: Pale Morning Duns and Caddis are providing the bulk of the action on top with some good dry fly fishing. Beadhead nymphs are working well down under
Big Hole River: The salmonflies are pretty much all gone. That’s the bad news. The good news is that with their passing, the big crowds of anglers has dwindled, too. Fishing remains very good with caddis and golden stones on the water. Nymphine with beadheads is also very effective.
Bighorn River: The good news is that the weeds are starting to back off, making it easier for anglers to fish nymphs. There’s a good underwater biting going on with sowbugs, scuds, tan and dun-colored Ray Charles, all fished with a red or black midge pupa.
Blackfoot River: The salmonfly hatch is in the uppermost reaches of the river, but there are good hatches of pale morning duns and caddis behind them. Fishing is good. You’ll find some green drakes and golden stones in the mix of hatches, too.
Bitterroot River: It’s still high, but flows are dropping. Be careful if you wade, but you’ll find the floating conditions just fine. Yellow sallies are out and about, providing one option for you. You’ll find some pale morning duns on the water, too, along with a few drakes.
Castle Rock Lake: Bluegills are up in the shallows. Fishing is good for bluegills and walleyes.
Canyon Ferry Reservoir: The biggest tournament of the year will be held here on June 24-25 when 150 two-person teams compete in the annual Walleye Festival. Fishing has been a bit spotty with variable weather conditions. The best walleye bite is on the south end of the lake near the dikes. Rainbow fishing has been good trolling cranks between Hole in the Wall and White Earth.
Clark Fork: The big news on the river is the evening caddis hatch. It’s fishing very well with some dandy trout being taken. You’ll find other hatches going on as well including pale morning duns, golden stones and some drakes. Fishing is good.
Flathead Lake: The perch bite has started at Elmo Bay on Flathead Lake. Anglers have been catching perch in 15 feet of water with the bigger ones lying in 30-40 feet of water. The Blue Bay area has been very good for lake trout.
Fort Peck Reservoir: Strong June winds have bedeviled anglers on Fort Peck in the past week with big waves and lake wind advisories. When they could get out on the water, fishing has been good. A lot of small walleyes are being caught on jigs and minnows or spinner rigs and leeches. Every so often, anglers hit a big walleye, with quite a few 10-pound-plus fish taken this year so far.
Fresno Reservoir: Some big year classes of northern pike are providing a lot of action, but most are still too small to make prime fillets. If you stick with it long enough to get past the pike, you’ll catch some walleyes, too.
Gallatin River: Still pretty much blown out with high water. If you want to fish it, your best bet is above Taylor’s Fork.
Holter Reservoir: Rainbow fishing is fair in the Split Rock area. Most rainbow action has been from trolling deep with cowbells and a wedding ring tipped with a crawler. Shore fishing has been slow. The walleye bite is picking up around shoreline and bay areas. Jigs and leeches are working best.
Lake Mary Ronan: Kokanee salmon are being taken in good numbers up to about 16 inches long. Fluorescent pink Glo Hooks, pink LMR specials and Wedding Rings tipped with maggots are among the good choices.
Madison River: Salmonflies are on the water above Ennis. Call ahead to fly shops to get an exact location before you go and be prepared for some crowds. If you want to avoid the horde, go above the hatch and fish big, dark, bitch creeks or other giant stonefly nymphs. Or, fish the reaches below the hatch. The trout are still well-trained to look up for the big bugs, even after the hatch has passed them.
Missouri River: Pale Morning Duns and Caddis are providing the bulk of the topwater action in the stretch below Holter Dam. All types of dry flies to match these hatches are working. The typical lineup of wet fly and nymph suspects are also working – beadhead pheasant tails, beadhead hare’s ears, San Juan worms and woolly buggers. There are still a few paddlefish being caught near Fred Robinson Bridge.
Nelson Reservoir: Fishing is good, but the best bites might be coming from mosquitoes. It looks like a banner year for skeeters on this typically skeeter-rich area of the Milk River drainage. Jigs and worm harnesses are both working on the walleyes. Both leeches and crawlers are good baits. Bring your mosquito spray.
Rock Creek: The salmonfly hatch is pretty much done, but there is some good fishing to be had with golden stones and caddis. If there’s no bugs on the water, try an attractor pattern and you might be surprised at how well it produces. If not, go deep with nymphs and streamers.
Seeley and Salmon lakes: Northern pike are biting well, as witnessed by the recent MisterPike.Com Classic tournament. A total of 71 anglers caught 195 northern pike during the tourney with Derek Gustafson, of Missoula, winning the top prize for catching 62.8 pounds of pike.
Tiber Reservoir: Fishing was good during the recent Tiber Walleye Tournament. Anglers didn’t catch giant walleyes, but Jake and Wally Tuck, from Great Falls, put together a two-day catch of 25.52 pounds to win it. Jigs and bait were the best bet for catching fish, but bottom bouncers and spinner rigs also took some fish.
Yellowstone River: Flows are dropping, but it’s still moving plenty of muddy water. It’ll need to clear and drop some more before fly fisherman can do too much. From Billings downriver, smallmouth bass are starting to hit in the backwaters and the catfish bite is steady.
More Information
This is a brief synopsis of fishing conditions and reports from select waters across the state.
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