ICE SEASON ENDTH

[pike_fisherman]

With the warm temperatures and wind that we are having this week and next, I am calling it a season.  Even if the ice makes it through this week I doubt the edges are going to be very good by the end of next week, so the auger and ice rods are going away (regretfully) for the season. 

I asked the wife if she wanted to hit Cooney one last time this weekend, and she said "as nice as it is going to be this weekend let's just go to Barry's Landing and start fishing for ling now!"  Also taking the "long rods" out after work for a half hour after work didn't help anything but scratch the open water itch.  Was able to get land three brown trout and loss three others.  The three I caught were 12, 12 and 14 inches with the biggest being 1.5 pounds.

Only made it on the ice three times this year, but they were three good outs so can't complain!!

Good luck and be safe to you that are still fishing the hardwater!

[PerchPounderMT]

Same here getting the boat ready probably headed out on open water Thursday

[BackCountry Kyle]

F-n-A makes me thankful I live at 6700 ft for sure. I'm not ready yet, I should have 2 months left on Hebgen. Icing speckled carp is more appealing than long rodding it for me. May 15th is my record for last day ice fishing,... anybody beat that? Don't think I will any year soon 

[wingnutty]

yeah, done here too.  High 40s all week...it's over.  Hardly fished at all this year.  Time for open water...

[mtoutdoorsman]

I have a private high mountain lake that will probably hold ice for another month 
But at the same time I'm looking to update my boat

[BloodShotP]

BK Kyle always gets after it! That's some serious ice fishing blood when you live up there. Very unfortunately, not looking good down here in the valley!

[SpitzoMT]

Not done yet here. I was on 15 inches of solid ice today. No slush & 6 - 8 inches of snow on top. I'll be out a couple more times this week. See what the weather has in store after that lol.

[flippy]

Damn global warming...

[montanaice]

helena valley regluation reservior had 14 inches where i was proabably this weekend or by next week it should be sketchy

[tsherm]

I was wanting to go up to Nelson in like two weeks.....any thought if that is beyond the realm of possibilities?

[slickice]

I'm fishing CF tomorrow w/my ATV.  After limiting on perch, I'll go shallow & catch some bows.

[Oldbear]

That really surprises me the weather up your way.  I always thought it was colder than a billy goat up there.  I think  I'm good for a little while yet.

[SpitzoMT]

That really surprises me the weather up your way.  I always thought it was colder than a billy goat up there.  I think  I'm good for a little while yet.

It's just crazy Oldbear. Same thing last season. I was done on the hardwater in February & pulled the 5th-Wheel out for some camping last weekend of March. Then the forest fires flared up in June. Hopefully not a repeat this year !!

[Snowday]

Last Saturday we found 12" of ice on Georgetown and guys catching nice trout on jigs/maggots.  Don't tell my kid the season is over yet!

[J_Edwards]

Last Saturday we found 12" of ice on Georgetown and guys catching nice trout on jigs/maggots.  Don't tell my kid the season is over yet!

Jeezum crow,  there's only 12" on gtown this time of year?

[SpitzoMT]

I've been on G'Town two different times in the past two weeks & there was 20" of ice both times. I haven't been there this week, but with these 45* - 50* days we've been having it wouldn't surprise me if there's a lot less now. 

[missoulafish]

Just saw where Choteau was 73* a couple days ago... **censored**

[PerchPounderMT]

Pouring rain here...

[SpitzoMT]

Poured rain here last night for about 1.5 hours. Temp is sitting at 55* right now. Looks like more rain & warm temps for the next 10 days. Not good !! 

[MTsGrumpyIceMan]

Was on Georgetown yesterday from 8am-6pm and the ice measured (used tape) at 20". The top 6" or so was cloudy opaque ice but the rest was clear hard ice.  Had about 3" of hard crusty snow on top, though by end of the day it had softened up some, not quite slush though.

[mtjigalo]

I'm done for the year. NW Montana has been warm for the last week and the 10 day forecast calls for more of the same. Hell, I even took the snow plow off the 4wheeler. Off the top of my head, I can't remember the last time we had a winter this mild.

[pike_fisherman]

Hopefully the ground thaws enough so that the rains we are forecast to be getting will have a chance to soak in.  I hope we get the usually heavy wet March and April snows or that it rains like hell all spring or the theme for the summer will be "burn baby burn," and we will be sucking smoke all summer!!

[207 in the 406]

With today's warm weather, and a forecast of the same for the Helena area, I'm done, sadly. Of course my flasher arrived today, just in time to stash it for next season. Boo.

[missoulafish]

That's terrible timing 207!

[slickice]

I'll be fishing CF tomorrow.  Let you know how I do.

[JohnMcN1]

I packed my sled away for the year today. Time to get ready for Steelhead.

[pike70]

Put all my gear away going to be taking the boat out this weekend

[Tinker]

I hate to pack it all away so soon, never know what the weather might bring next and I didn't get out nearly enough this year.  But I guess if its going to be a short year couldn't be a better year to happen to me.  I got a new to me boat last fall and itching for some spring fishing 

[slickice]

As promised, here it is:  I fished the south end of CF this AM.  Ice was good with scattered pulled backed shoreline areas but no big deal.  Some 4 wheeler's.  12" ice depth.  Caught my limit of Bows within 2hrs.  Probably will hit it again B4 this weekend. 

[SpitzoMT]

Weather certainly has been crazy. It rained this morning, then snowed, then the sun came out for a couple hours & now it's snowing again. The weather forecast here is calling for cooler temps, especially the morning lows. Maybe the hardwater will hold up a bit longer.