Current weather:
Other Waters
Shuttle Services:
Frontier Anglers - 683-5276
Uncle Bob's - 683-5565
Henry's Fork - Henry's Fork Anglers - 208-558-7525
Missoula Area - Kingfisher - 721-6141
Missoula Area - Grizzly Hackle - 721-8996
The 411 on what's going on around the area from the reliable sources...
Bitterroot/Blackfoot/Clark Fork/Rock Creek - Runoff is here on everything with the exception of Rock Creek. Rock Creek is floatable levels right now but is just a matter of time untill it is donoe as well.
Beaverhead - Below Pipe Organ is open, above is closed still until MAY 19TH. The Barretts landing is now functional.
The only real news is that flows are up to 600 cfs so wading will be tough. The caddis are coming off, with warm weather in the forecast expect it to be busy and fishing well on top - the caddis hatch can be incredible on a relatively smaller body of water like the Beaverhead, so bring along your caddis dries and hope for the best. As for nymphing scuds (around size 14), sow bugs (14's), eggs and worms will produce along with assorted mayfly immitations. Flows are steady, and the pool level on Clark Canyon is nearly full so don't expect that it's going to drop down anytime soon. Good fishing to be had!
Henry's Fork - Reports are that the recent warm spell kicked the Henry's Fork into runoff mode, but it got cold again and that's really pushed things back down again and brougth the lower stuff around to being fishable again. Stonefly's are a few weeks out still, but nymphing with big ugly stoneflies should be the ticket. There's scattered caddis, march browns and bwo's coming off and a few fish looking up in the slackwater, but until the Big Bugs get going you probably won't find as many folks on the water...
Last Updated: 5/13/2012
Troutfitters Lake Report
Ruby Reservoir - Haven't heard much from Ruby, they are still doing work on the front end of the dam, but ice is mostly off and it's fishable. Early season think leeches and buggers and maybe a few chironomids, but haven't had a solid report in yet.
Canyon Ferry - The stockers are out and on spawning beds attempting to do their thing, they can be fooled with just about anything in the fly box as long as you put it in their face. Actively walking the banks is the best bet - bobber fishing from a standstill is for the birds... Carp fishing is off the charts, try orange and olive right now in the Carp Crack.
Hauser/Holter - Ice is completely off now, fish are cruising the shorelines and eating your standard fare of lake bugs - ie chironomids and leeches, surprise. Walleye fishing has been good at the mouth on Hauser, go black, go deep, go heavy gauge hook and then go home and fry em up.
Dailey Lake - I'm trying to spawn, I'm on a bed, but it's just not working... Who am I? I'm a rainbow trying to reproduce!!! The fish are bedded down, rip something ugly in front of them if you can find one and hold on...
Hyalite - Roads closed. Opens back up May 15th according to Forest Service, check with them for updates on road status. If you care to hike all the way up, ice is off the lake, has been for a month now almost... You will have it to yourself.
Cliff and Wade - Haven't heard anything, from this neck of the woods other than the cursory "ice is off" reports. These are about the same elevation as Hebgen at around 6300 feet and the ice is off of Hebgen, so that's always a good gauge on ice on these lakes.
Quake Lake - Ice is off of Quake now, inlet and outlets fishing well. Buggers, leeches, assorted streamers really is the way to go for bigger fish.
Clark Canyon - Ice is off, and there are reports finally coming in on the rainbows being caught in their usual spawning spots. Turkey leeches, purple leeches, streamers, crawfish, and scuds are the usual suspects over here.
Hebgen - Last weeks warm weather has cleared the ice off of a few arms of Hebgen now - Madison Arm is good to go, as is Grayling arm, ice is off around the Happy Hour too. Pretty much a throw whatever is in your box, but red and purple buggers are pretty good - as are your chironomids. The further into May you get the better the Chironomid fishing gets.
Harrison Lake - Ice is off. Harrison is a crawfish factory, and an important part of the trout's diet here. There are trophy brook trout in this lake as well. Water should be good and high this year again, get out here before the recreational jet boaters get on it.
Ennis Lake - Ice is all the way off of course, upper end will dirty first once the Upper Madison starts pumping in off color water over the next week or two. For the time being you can concentrate in the South End with leeches, sculpin patterns, and baitfish immitations. Under the right conditions this can fish well, just be on the lookout for wind...
Ponds Around Town - A great place to spend the evening after work, there are several options, so take the cooler and find a local spot. The bozeman ponds are always a good choice with several species to catch. Once the rivers blow out these are a go to for late night fun.
Last Updated: 5/5/2012
