Montana Fish Report

Float tubing and fly fishing are producing a lot of fish for the catch and release anglers.  I have debarbed my hooks since the fishing has been so good.  Just don't give them one inch of slack in the line.  One thing I can tell you, hooking into a fish 4lb and over is like strapping a "troutboard" motor on a float tube....you just have to go along for the ride....in the fog, you need a compass to get back as you lose sight of shore at 150ft sometimes.  But, the big fish have been reel screamers.

There are fish off the tip of Buck and Rocky Pt, some dandies at that for those fishing the middle basin. Heavy winds, cold temps could drive them a little closer to the Youth Camp/Biology Station.  Mostly hitting tui chub minnow imitations and brown leeches..trollers...florescent orange grubs, flies and Sure Catch Lg Red-dog lures, pearl & nickel bikini, florescent orange rapalas & pin minnows of various patterns. 

I have spent most of my time in the south basin and releasing anywhere from 14 to 27 nice fish in the morning & early afternoon, mostly all between 2 and 3 pounds but at least 20% are pushing and/or slightly over 4lbs. Those have been taking brown leeches or wiggle tails, minnow imitations, florescent orange and several other dubbed wooly buggers....leaning to light olive. Most all our fish are coming out of 4 to 6 ft of water. The trigger point still seems to be some copper on the bug.  Red body wooly buggers have gotten attention but mostly when fished thru the schools of tui chub minnows.   Change out colors when your bite goes off of one color, try another....and when you feel that the bite is slowing down, throw something shiny at them...and you will find another bite. 

Jig fishermen, this is a good time for you too.  It's just a matter of presentation  preference in tossing the feathers out there.  Wild Turkey marabou jigs (red hooks) are hot on this lake and come in all the colors we use on flies.  Fog changes things for the color preferences of the fish....that's when the browns/burnt oranges are working best over other colors..  But, honestly, these fish are taking a plethora of different bugs and if you are a catch and release angler and you are not catching 15 to 20 fish in a day, you are doing something wrong. http://www.Eaglelakefishing.net