Please be advised that the realities of winter can make precarious conditions in open water or on ice. Constantly changing temperatures can cause your trip to fish and recreate turn deadly. Please use caution while on the ice and keep a watchful eye on the weather. Learn ice conditions before venturing out . Call the contact person in the area you are planning on fishing for current daily information. Good Luck Fishing from the Montana Outdoor Radio Crew.

***Bill -Rock Creek Marina 1-406-485-2560

Bill reported, “the fishing has been spotty because of weather conditions. There are not many fishermen out. I have only heard of 7 northern pike and one bass being caught. They are still biting using crankbaits, but the water temperature is 45 degrees. The cold weather has stopped people more than everything.

***Crooked Creek Marina – Grant 1-406-429-2999

Crooked Creek Fort Peck Reservoir

There are no supplies, ice or fuel, at the marina at this time. Grant does have storage and cabins available, so call for information.

***Hell Creek Marina – Clint Thomas 1-406- 557-2345

Fishing is slower because of cold weather. However, they are catching fish in the shallows. The fish are at depths around the 12 foot mark. Some northern pike fishing is happening in the evening.

***Lake Ridge Motel – Gene Moore 1-406-526-3597

Fort Peck Reservoir Dam/Bear Creek/Pines/

Gene reports, “the river is the place to go using cranks and jigs. It has been cold, in the 10 to 20 degree range, but no ice yet. They are catching some walleyes below the power house.”

***West Side Sports – Dan 1-406-654-1611

Nelson, Forchette

Dan at West Side Sports tells us, “the ice is not thick yet. A few fishermen have tried for perch on extremely thin ice. Safety is the key and there is no sense in risking your life. It really is too dangerous to go out, especially as the temperature warms up. At Forchette the water is really fast. So people are waiting for it to settle down.”

***Deadmans and Martinsdale

Martinsdale has had lots of wind. Not many fishermen out there and there is no ice. Safety wise watch the weather. The water level is also low.

Deadmans is low too, and only a few anglers are out. The weather is making fishing difficult.

***Tongue River Marina & Scheels

Tongue River Reservoir

“We have had two nights of single digit temperatures. From Rattlesnake to the north there is no ice. There is a sheet of ice on the south end, but it’s not firm yet. We have fair snow cover. The electricity will be on all year. We will leave the docks in as long as we can,” Bob reported.

The marina is closed for the season.

*** Silos Marina – Sharon 1-406-266-3100

Canyon Ferry

“The crazy, brave fishermen in boats have been out on the water. They have caught walleye, trout, perch and ling. The standard bait being used are bottom bouncers. Shore fishermen say it’s spotty for trout,” Sharon reported.

*** Minnow Bucket – Allen Camarillo 1-406-861-0156

“The river is open and I see no ice. It doesn’t looks too bad. I would hit the river now while the it still looks good,” Allen explained. “The dam is fishing good for trout, I have heard. Yellowtail they say is fishing good for smallmouth and walleye,” Allen reported.

***Lake Elmo Billings

The walleye, crappie and perch are slow. They are laying low. There has been a bit of ice at times but it comes and goes with weather, so it is not stable. Trout like the cold, so you can catch some of them from shore.

***Cooney

Jenny said, “fishing has been pretty slow. Only heard of a couple trout being caught. There is no ice, it is all open water. There has been ice forming at Willow Creek, but it keeps breaking up.”

***Don’s – Charlie 1-800-879-8194

Lewistown East Fork Reservoir

“They are still catching fish on Spring Creek using beadheads and prince nymphs. Some are also using beadhead nymphs and flashback LBF’s and catching fair size rainbow and browns,” Charlie reported. “Achley is doing good on powerbait and on they are using worms and leeches but the fish are pretty lethargic.”

“Missouri river is pretty cold and is working with jigs with various colors. The water is cold, like 36 degrees. You have to use a pretty sensitive rod to feel them,” he says.

***Scheels – Nate

“Yellowtail is still fishing really good along the border between Montana and Wyoming. Nice sauger are being caught I have heard,” Nate explained.

The Yellowstone River still has some decent fishing as well. Some good fishing can be had from Miles City to Forsyte, just watch the weather.

“I hear Fort Peck on the face of the dam has been good. Some fishermen have had good luck and caught some nice lake trout there”, Nate said.

“The word I hear is Nelson is frozen but no one has risked going on,“ Nate told us.

The Eastern Montana Fishing Report for the week of 11/28/2012 was compiled by Carol Henckel.