Montana Fish Report

Fishing was very good on the opener. The bite was good all morning.  On my boat, as well as many other boats, limits were the rule. If the skies are overcast and there is a chop on the water, there will usually be a pretty steady bite that will last into the late morning hours.  If the weather report calls for bright sun and little wind, go early because the best bite will be during the first couple of hours of legal fishing time.  (Legal start time is one hour before sunrise.)  The surface temperature is 56 and fish are being caught in many areas of the lake at this time.  We were fishing the west side of the lake just south of Pelican Pt.  We caught our fish on pumpkinseed and watermelon grubs trolling 4 feet deep in 6-10 feet of water. Saturday the bite lasted all morning in the “shallows”.  The fish move to deeper water by 8 a.m. Other trollers were working the west side of the lake further south from Slough Point all the way down to Wildcat Point.  Most were trolling in deeper water; 20-50 feet deep with baits set from the surface down to 15 feet.  Baits included orange grubs, brown trolling flies, night crawlers, and hot orange spoons.  The trout seem to be biting a variety of baits at this time.  Find the fish and keep working the area. Not many bobber fishing but the reports I got were that successful anglers fished off the Youth Camp and around Shrimp Island.  If you are going bobber fishing, go early.  The bite usually shuts off shortly after the sun hits the water. tnoxon@gmail.com www.fishtraveler.com  (530) 825-3454