This is a brief synopsis of fishing conditions and reports from select waters across the state. For more detailed information, contact a fly shop, bait store, or boat marina for the particular water. For detailed information on river flows, visit: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/current?type=flow
Late summer means that terrestrial time has neared it’s peak in Montana. Patterns such as grasshoppers, ant, crickets and beetles are tough to beat during the hot summer months, and this year is no exception. Savvy anglers will often fish a dropper fly off the back of the terrerestrial, and doing so is quite simple. To attach the dropper, simply tie a 12 to 18 inch piece of tippet material directly to the bend of the upper fly hook, and tie the dropper to it. Good dropper patterns this time of year would include small beadhead nymphs, san juan worms, or brassy midge patterns. On the lakes and reservoirs, the small fish which hatched in the spring are growing to a size where they are providing good forage for larger fish, which sometimes causes a slowdown in the fishing action during this time of year. Anglers can adjust by trying to match the smaller sizes of the forage fish, whether they be perch, suckers, or another specie of fish.
Some of the best fishing bets right now:
Beaver Creek Reservoir: Night fishing has been producing a few, but mostly larger walleyes lately, and trout action has been steady for most of the summer.
Bighorn Lake: Smallmouth bass fishing has been excellent, anything resembling a crayfish seems to work. If you’ve never caught a smallmouth on a fly rod, grab a few brown wooly buggers and give this a shot.
Big Spring Creek: A windy day and a grasshopper fly are all you need on the creek right now.
Flathead Lake:The whitefish bite rolls on, and the fishing is great.
Flathead River: The lower stretches of the flathead have been very good for smallmouth bass.
Fort Peck Reservoir: Reports on salmon and lake trout fishing have been getting better and better, which is improved fishing over the past few years. Check with other anglers or call ahead for the best lures and techniques, as conditions often change quite a bit from day to day.
Fresno Reservoir: Northern pike fishing has been steady throughout much of the summer, with a wide variety of sizes being caught. Aggressive pike, even small fish, are a great way to introduce a young person to fishing.
Hauser Lake: Walleye action has been hot, although the average size of the fish is small.
Middle Missouri River: Now is the ideal time to try your hand a Montana Safari of Fishing—carp, bass, walleye, drum, goldeye—all are there and biting.
North Fork Flathead River: Very good fishing for small cutthroats on spinners or flies.
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