I was hoping to write about a great trout fishing trip. My friend Rich and I took a road trip to the Martinsdale Reservoir. We were hoping for a fun day of catching the big rainbows found in the 100-foot-deep lake. This uncrowded lake also holds several other species including crappie’s, bass, walleye, and suckers.

Fishing was great as we enjoyed the spectacular views of the Crazy Mountains to the south and the Little Belts to the north. Loons, ducks, and shore birds were everywhere. The water temperature was at 48 degrees, several degrees below prime trout temps around 55 degrees.

Every cast produced a fish. Trout like spinners, Power Bait tipped with worm, or wooly buggers stripped along the shore. In the past, May and June have been prime trout fishing frenzy times. Once the ice is out, hungry trout patrol the shorelines and hot fishing for 2-3-pound trout is the name of the game.

The only problem with this days catching was that we were catching HUGE SUCKERS!!! Now for some of you, this would be music to your ears. Suckers are great eating when smoked, fried, or pickled. For us, we were hoping for a trout dinner. Needless to say, “catching” is better than “no catching”, even if they are suckers. The trout were still enjoying their winter slumber.

After wearing out the sucker population for several hours, on light tackle, it was time for lunch. We drove out nearby Findon Lane to see the local Buffalo herd. Several were marching along the road. The lunch spot gave us a great view looking down the valley of the Musselshell River. I imagine that back in the day, Indians and Mountain men would have been satisfied to catch a barrel of suckers.

Lunch was great as the view reminded us why Montana is called Big Sky Country. Martinsdale Lake is also a perfect destination if you desire some Big Sky Suckers!

Catch a BIG ONE!
Montana Grant
For more Montana grant, visit his blog at www.montanagrantfishing.com.