Montana Fish Report

Water temperature is rising and falling with the weather, and has been anywhere from about 80-72 degrees. Water is slightly stained, with mudlines forming in the afternoon.   Watch for unmarked island tops. Trout fishing is fair but plenty of fat fish are being caught. Trollers have been doing well fishing over the main river channel, in the main lake and at the mouths of major creek arms. The trout are feeding heavily on shad that are staging on the outside of the creek channels. Try a variety of shad-patterned lures such as Excel, Apex, Needlefish, or Rapala Countdown. Use Bang or ProCure threadfin shad scent on your lures. To target rainbows and browns, troll 15 to 45 deep. Try various depths, since fish are in transition. Also, vary your trolling speed. Sometimes the fish will hit as the lure sinks as you slow down, and sometimes a faster presentation will trigger a strike. Remember, now that the trout are moving shallower, it is important to leave plenty of line out behind your boat, so your lure is away from your boat chop. Guide Gary Burns has been consistently catching limits while trolling Shasta Tackle Humdingers near the dam. We are expecting the shore-fishing to turn on soon. Tie on a slip float rig with a minnow, crawler or a shad-patterned mini jig, and fish 20-40 feet deep under your bobber. Casting a chrome/blue Kastmaster or Krocodile from the bank may also get you a nice rainbow. Glory Hole Point and under the 49 Bridge are good places to bank fish. Spotted bass are biting.  Fish are moving into deeper waters and pulling off shore due to falling water levels. Fish are feeding heavily on shad right now, so shad-imitation lures are a good bet, too. Tie on a split shot rig with 6" Roboworm Hologram shad or Prism Shad. Also, hard and soft jerkbaits work well sub-surface. If you find a ball of shad on your graph try dropping a vertical jigging spoon and ripping it threw the bait. This will often create a feeding frenzy. There have been many reports of trout trollers catching nice bass way offshore on shad patterned trolling spoons. If you want to fish from shore try using a wacky rig Senko. Cast out away from the bank and let it fall slowly. Still seeing some big cats being caught. Catfish are in coves and in shallower water. A sliding sinker rig, and a ball of crawlers or a piece of anchovy or shad is your best bait. (209) 736-4333, (209) 586-2383