Montana Fish Report

With water surface temperatures soaring into the low 50s, combined with improved water clarity through the entire lake, its safe to say that this is sizing up to be a terrific fishing season. 

As the east shore started to slow down just a little, the west shore has started to pick up. From Prattville to Almanor West, into Goose Bay, and out to the Airport Flats, insect hatches have not gone unnoticed by the rainbow and brown trout populations. Even a few keeper salmon have braved the shallows as the aquatic food chain has kicked up another notch.

Trolling the east shore is still a big time fish producing area. Insect hatches have drawn in fish, and plenty of them. Browns, rainbows and occasional keeper salmon, however that first go round of east shore hatches has peaked. and all eyes have now shifted to the west.

Not to say the east shore is quiet, there's still lots of fish around, just less to eat, so hungry fish will be looking to feed and that's when trolling the east shore can still be good.

My boat has been on the west shore the past several days and we have been running our gear rigged down  4ft. to 6ft. early, and dropping down no deeper that 14 ft. by late morning. Rainbows have been up to 3 lbs. and have been the most aggressive very early, we started at 5:30 am.

The browns have been showing up closer to mid morning, most have been in the 2 lb. range. We had 2 limits of quality fish in the box and were done before 10:00 am.

The afternoon bite is good also, we took a afternoon group out the same day and they had limits, mostly browns before 4:30 PM. Other boats reported good action and we saw nets going out time and time again. Marine band radio channel 69 had lots of chatter, most were happy guys talking smack. I was trolling  florescent and chartreuse Rainbow Runners, RGSS,s' and gold Pro Secrets.. with a generous application of blended Carp Spit, and Trophy Trout scents from Pro-Cure.

The salmon bite is starting at the Snag, I picked a few 22 inch kings out of that hole before the south winds sent me to the west shore looking for protection. And most of the huge bait balls have moved out making suspended bait of the bottom easier to find. Believe me that bite is going to be good as well, and the salmon are the best eating and fighting fish Almanor has to offer...yea, a big smallmouth is great too.. but they don't get  26 inches long. And speaking of Bass, that bite has took off like a rocket this past week because of warming water, many guys have been giving the thumbs up..Several four pound. smallies reported, and one whopper at 4.7 pounds. hooked from shore along the Causeway. but most smallmouth have come near the North Shore Campgrounds, Goose Bay shallows,and rocky points along the east shore.

Best Bet: Troll Almanor West early, and then check out the Snag for Salmon after 10:00 am. Anchovy tail 4' off the bottom. Doug Neal (530) 258-6732 http://www.almanorfishingadventures.com