Montana Fish Report

Water Clarity is great!  9 to 10 feet. It’s the surface temps that are behind schedule. Surface temps are currently at 52.5 degrees, when it should be closer or into the 60s by now. This has not effected the bite, in fact it has helped.

Cooler water means  insect hatches have been postponed, delayed, and prolonged. Fish are hungry, and insect hatches that are usually in high gear by now are not. There's alot of hungry fish looking to feed and not enough food available.

My sonar unit clearly shows bug swarms bulging off the lake bottom. Like a keg of dynamite, just add in a few days of sunshine and the bite will really explode, and the fuse appears to be lit.

If it doesn't warm up soon the Hex Hatch could be pushed out a couple of weeks, especially with the same cool weather pattern forecasted for the next  five days.

A mixed bag of browns and rainbows are all along the west shore from Prattville to Airport Flats providing lots of action for anglers. Big fish are happening, most have been in the two pound class, however we have been getting a few rainbows  from four pounds and 22 inches and up to five pounds and  24 inches long. These bigger rainbows look perfect, clean and bright with perfect fins, real trophy fish.

Needlefish in clown, silver prism, chicken wing, and Pearl,  nickel Speedy Shiners, Rainbow Runners, and Pro Secrets in red and gold have all been effective trolled and rigged down from six to eight feet  early, and dropping down a little deeper later in the day. Same with  threaded crawlers, effective. We passed a few boat trolling dodgers and flashers, and they were getting fish, too. It appears that you can do no wrong trolling, the bite has been good across the board.

No reports on bait fishing, probably because no one could stay on anchor with that wind blowing. Recommended scents are, Pro-Cure "Trophy Trout" and "Carp Spit", mixed together in 50/50 portions..

We also tried a new product, well new to me anyway, "Bang" Aerosol anise spray, we picked up a few nice Browns using this stuff...Recommended Down rigger releases and stacker clips are the "Seps Sure Releases" They are the best and I have tried them all. 

Ayoobs Hardware in Chester has all these products, so if you cant find it around your town, you can get it here.

If you’re after salmon, Big Springs should be up and running. Use

Anchovy tails with Pro-Cure Herring Super Gel, four feet  off the bottom..

Also the deep hole on the east shore close to the dam called the Snag is another known salmon hang out. The east side of the Peninsula from the Rec. Area #1 ramp to the A-frame has bug hatches beginning, and lots small groups of smelt moving about.. this is the next hot spot, and fish are here right now. So when Almanor West waters get too much pressure you might want to troll these lanes.

Also, trolling the mouth of the Hamilton Branch to Big Springs is going to be happening as the waters continue to warm. Access accurate Lake Almanor data at http://www.project2105.org/lake_levels.htm.  Doug Neal (530) 258-6732 http://www.almanorfishingadventures.com