IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Montana => Ice Fishing Montana => Topic started by: Houdy66 on Dec 05, 2013, 10:29 PM
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I know ice has been forming on all of the lakes, I just haven't heard of anybody fishing them yet. Has anyone "broken the ice" for the 2013-2014 season yet? Or at least know how much ice there is around the area (reg. reservoir, hauser, holter, CF, causeway/lake helena, spring meadow) Thanks for any info!
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I heard there was 5" at the holding reservoir but haven't been out to check yet.
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Checking out spring meadow tomorrow!
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I'd love to hear the report from Spring Meadow.
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Awesome thanks guys! Keep 'em coming! ;D
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Lol spring getto. There's safe ice. Hauser/causeway is safe 6" fishing is great for trout walleye and ling.
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Spring ghetto was advertised on the news last night as unsafe. It said there was 1" of ice on it so I steered clear of it. Holding resivour had 7" of good ice
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South end of Canyon Ferry is fishing good. Ice down to Confederate now. Not sure how thick to there. But is good at least to the trout grounds at Silos. After this weekend we are planning to get out and start guiding perch. HVRR is good, couple good reports on Kokanee. And as mentioned earlier Causeway is safe and fishable. Ive also been fishing open water at Hauser for a really really good ling bite.
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HOLDING res is a solid 6" or better Canyon Ferry just froze back over so Id wait a bit.
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Seen a couple out on the Causeway today and several at the holding res.
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Fished 2day at res 7in good hard ice. Fished with a buddy both caught our limit pretty good for first time on the Ice this season.
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Great reports guys! Thanks!
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Trucks on the ice at Silos yesterday.
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Trucks on the ice at Silos yesterday.
Those guys are crazy! Cant be that good of ice?? Can it??
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Drove by the silos today THERE ARE NO PICKUPS ON THE ICE and I doubt there will be for some time.
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Did it open up
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It had opened back up in front of the silos campground about wed it started freezing again,if you drove a pickup out there right now it would be a short trip.
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Trucks on the ice at Silos yesterday.
lol what a lier.
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It would be more like trucks under the ice......
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lol what a lier.
Bite me! Call silos and ask them. They been fishing the perch water for three days. Lake us frozen to White Earth. But what do O know except I live right on the damn thing. FTG by the way.
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Are you driving your rig on it? I'm wondering if you've got stock in a vehicle recovery business ;)
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Bite me! Call silos and ask them. They been fishing the perch water for three days. Lake us frozen to White Earth. But what do O know except I live right on the damn thing. FTG by the way.
FTG? Odd comeback.
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Are you driving your rig on it? I'm wondering if you've got stock in a vehicle recovery business ;)
Ohhh hell no! I didnt say there were intelligent souls in those pickups. Just saying they were out there. We will be on it tomorrow. So should have a better idea of whats going on. Ive been on it alot with 4" but thats my limit. I will follow it out as far as we can till we hit that point.
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Are they pickups with hover craft mods?Because the only tracks on the ice down there today were boot tracks and one 4 wheeler set that went out 15 yards and came back in.....ice was about 5"
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Are they pickups with hover craft mods?Because the only tracks on the ice down there today were boot tracks and one 4 wheeler set that went out 15 yards and came back in.....ice was about 5"
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Interesting, Silos crew said otherwise. I live on the otherside so we are going into Silos tommorrow.
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I was at Goose today and the bay was fishable there. Ice line stopped at White Earth boat ramp. But all the bays to Hellgate are frozen.
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7 " at Silos today. Afroup went out a half mile and said there was 5. We had about a dozen good trout bites in 8 feet.
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Went to the holding res this am,caught one small perch in 30 fow and had a couple LIGHT salmon bites,no takers.Talked to a guy that just came from the causeway,6 hrs with 6 rods no bites.
Anyone going out on quads at the silos?
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Went to the holding res this am,caught one small perch in 30 fow and had a couple LIGHT salmon bites,no takers.Talked to a guy that just came from the causeway,6 hrs with 6 rods no bites.
Anyone going out on quads at the silos?
Negative. I only saw three groups of fisherman. And everybody was walking. The ice was very good though, the auger was really working hard on the 7". So good clear, clean ice. I wouldnt be afraid to take one, I just wouldnt venture down the lake too far though. I think Hole in the Wall would probably be pushing it. Kinda bummed the weather is gonna warm up. I love early ice. And this is sure early.
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Made it out today on the south end of the cf good ice cut easily 6 inches fishing was good for the brother in-law but not me
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Im headed down there Thurs if you get any updates before then Id appreciate it if you posted them!Thanx
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How's the bite on Spring Meadow?
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I talked to a few different guys who said trout are hitting on spring meadow. No word on perch or bass though
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went to res and spring meadow got 4 trout 20+ bass and 17 perch that where 12+ caught about 40 or so perch all together
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went to res and spring meadow got 4 trout 20+ bass and 17 perch that where 12+ caught about 40 or so perch all together
Pics or it didn't happen 17perch over 12+????????????
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that's what I thought to but I did im going sat morning about 20 yds out at the most I don't have picts I usually never take em but I don't kid on em me and my cousin where shocked how many big perch we got usually we get 1 or 2 but we got 17 of em
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I got a picture my cousin sent me idk how to put on here but I can send ya one
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Email or phone #
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Phone thats what I'm on its hard to see how big cause its a phone pick you live here lets fish
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Headed 2 CF Wednesday-Thursday if u wanna tag along.
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Wish I could I work all week I'm a weekend pounder but can ya go sat in gonna hit up some bass n perch again
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Possibly I'll let I know when it gets closer 2 that time n how it goes at CF that my decide for me.
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Im headed down to the silos Thurs strippen let me know how wed goes.
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Sounds good gonna try n walk in from the duck creek side.
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Ok ya got my number so let me know ill be there all day
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Ok ya got my number so let me know ill be there all day
Sounds good.
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Ice line all the way to Hellgate today. I would think that Silos is probably good to go out to the perch water at least on foot.
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Plan on giving it a whirl on Wednesday.
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Has anyone fished the causeway area for eyes or perch n can ya get to the lines???
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We scouted the ice yesterday on Black Sandy, the Causeway, and HVRR. Found a couple huts on the Causeway and about 8"; where as we found no tracks on the ice on Hauser and about 4-5" of clear ice so hope the weather gets cold again to thicken her up. Planning on hitting the Causeway this afternoon
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wonder if the powerlines are doing good ???
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Been catching walleye at night in 10 FOW at the causeway.
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over by the powerlines or where abouts im gonna go tomorrow after work
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Na right off the road it's a night bite tho
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Ive been at the holding reservoir and the cause way and both had almost a foot of ice. had some luck with walleyes and the causeway and not even a bite at the holding res spend almost 8 hours out there today? whats have people been using for lures/ bait for perch and walleyes so far?
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Ice line all the way to Hellgate today. I would think that Silos is probably good to go out to the perch water at least on foot.
just the other day you said people were driving trucks on the ice.
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Na right off the road it's a night bite tho
We have been going after big trout during the day there but would love some walleyes! What time are ya getting on the ice and what are they going after?
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We have been going after big trout during the day there but would love some walleyes! What time are ya getting on the ice and what are they going after?
right at dark and all night. Use the 1/8 and 1/4 buckshot or pk spoon with a chunk of worm. Glow helps!
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Went lastnight n got a silver carp n eye n a ling buckshot n smelt n make it glow
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How much ice are you guys seeing on the causeyway. Are people taking ATV's down past the power lines toward black sandy yet. All this walleye talk may make me take a road trip tonight.
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Dude don't waist your time. They r dink walleye! I'm not to sure about taking a wheeler.
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Thanks for the info fellas! Not sure if we are headed back out there this evening or tomorrow night but definately gonna grab some beer and give it a shot.
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a guy was rippin a wheeler around lastnight but not to lines n theres about 8" n ya the eyes are kinda dinks like 14" n skinny
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Went to spring ghetto today... It sucked. Time to try somewhere else
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I hit causeway last night the weather was great! The bite was lite and slight. Marked a few fish and the bite was very light . Tap, tap, tap reverse action and nothing. Tried letting them eat it and had one to the hole and well you have been there. Glow baits seemed to get more action. All you can do is go and see what happens. Heading to MN and going to lake of the wood to get my fix. That is where you can get into some ture iPods. I'll try the arm here in a few days. Good luck to all and be safe.
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The Causeway was producing up by the powerlines today for sure. The bunch of us landed 12 trout and one small walleye and the ice where we were was 15 inches of nice clear ice. The bites kept us hopping the entire time we were there. Didn't matter what color the jig was, but they liked worms better than maggots.
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Big sky gal did ya walk out or wheeler?
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We walked out since we didn't know the ice depth. It's 15 inches out by the powerlines and nice and clear, good enough for a 4-wheeler.
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Be sure to drill your way if you do take a wheeler, the stretch from the powerlines to that next bend in the arm does some weird stuff....better safe than sorry
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went out to the causeway the other night and caught 3 ling 2 trout and a couple dink walleyes. all were on tip ups with little chunks of smelt
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We was at the causeway Friday night, caught 17 dink eyes an 4 trout 70 yards off shore... Ice was only maybe 5-6 inches were we was at.. closer we got to the channel the thinner it got, one hole we drilled was about 2in...
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i was just wondering if anyone would be interesting in going fishing at the causeway some night this week at the causeway. i am always looking for someone new to fish with. if someone is interested just shoot me a pm.
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Spent an hour at Spring Meadow on Friday morning and caught tree bows. 2 were 15" and one 13", swedish pimple 20' water.
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walked out to the powerline last night but the ice was popping and cracking and kept hearing something like a presure ridge open and shooting water. the ice was safe more then safe we measured 13.5 inches of ice and it was nice thick ice the whole way and we only got one bite the two hours we braved it out up there then went back to the causeway fishing "community" area and caught one trout and watched one group catch a couple more trout. other then that we had a pretty slow night.
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Hit the regulating reservoir from 8am-1:30pm and got one dink perch. Rope snapped on buddy's auger on his second pull. Thank goodness for hand augers! Couldn't find the salmon, and from the sound of it, neither could anyone else this morning. Beautiful morning on the ice, in between gusts.
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Hey guys I wanna try out by black sandy. I'm looking for perch or walleye. Is it any good out there? I'm trying to leave canyon ferry alone so hopefully the perch population will grow
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Trucks on the ice at Silos yesterday.
NOT!
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Ya its an ok spot found em out it 50 ft of water n they where suspended in about 30 off white sandy but ice is sketchy there but haven't fished it in years thru ice
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NOT!
I really doubt you leaving Canyon Ferry alone, will really matter one tiny bit. But going there and pulling few walleye out, some trout and about 1,000,000 carp should help a bit. We did find perch on the South Point in October across from Black Sandy in Late October if that helps. 35 feet of water.
TMAC-Old subject, that was a report from the ladies at Silos. Welcome though, I think.
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I really doubt you leaving Canyon Ferry alone, will really matter one tiny bit. But going there and pulling few walleye out, some trout and about 1,000,000 carp should help a bit. We did find perch on the South Point in October across from Black Sandy in Late October if that helps. 35 feet of water.
TMAC-Old subject, that was a report from the ladies at Silos. Welcome though, I think.
Thanks bud. And I haven't hit canyon ferry for two years. I hope more people follow my suite
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Me too.
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They are talking about decreasing the limit again.... That should be a sign to everyone to leave the perch alone for a while
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They are talking about decreasing the limit again.... That should be a sign to everyone to leave the perch alone for a while
I agree, if FWP unwilling to introduce another kind of forage fish to feed the walleye and now pike, something has to give. I admit the perch are huge and it doesn't take many to make a meal, but each year it has gotten harder and harder to get that 15 fish limit. I'm afraid that eventually it will be impossible to fill a 5 fish limit. Having no limit on pike isn't going to get rid of them just like it didn't get rid of the walleye. FWP needs to embrace this great new game fish and plan accordingly. Canyon Ferry has the potential to be a great multi-specie fishery if they'd just manage it like Ft. Peck or Tiber. Unfortunately, speckled carp unlimited has deep pockets...
MT
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Well said MTJohn
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We caught perch all summer while trolling for walleye,big ones.The people who know where to find them are having no trouble finding them now.If the perch were as bad off as they try to make it sound(results from ONE spring sample netting with water levels completely different from prior years,and mind you they didnt hardly catch any walleye either) the wouldnt have approved a PERCH fishing tournament and slightly reduced the limit.The guys who cant find perch say they are gone,the guys who hammer them know different.
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try white sandy off the cliff side if ya have a camera it works really well its a drop off n fish it toward night
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The numbers are definitely down from 30 years ago when everyone's grampa was out there taking buckets full of fish home. What baffles me is the way that Fwp changes sentiments towards perch in this one lake when brow beating walleye as the cause is an option. Look at the rest of the state and you'll see no perch restrictions, they outright encourage over-harvest...but since the mean old walleye in canyon ferry are just decimating perch populations now it needs to be managed for the perch.
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Even when Grandpa was pulling 100 a day they wernt the caliber of perch we catch today,not even close.
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Having only lived here for maybe 15 years, were there always so many carp in CF?
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I can remember a few years back they were thicker than they are now but I dont know about 20 years ago,there used to be a guy who harvested them commercially around here.
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The 20 walleye limit a few years ago was a direct attempt to prevent exactly what is happening right now to the perch. Walleye guys got what they wanted and now everyone is going to get a 10 perch limit or whatever it is.
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The high walleye limit was enacted to quiet the F&G bios(TU members) and others(TU members) who were concerned about all the planter trout becoming walleye fodder.Now they are concerned that too many people are targeting perch,the alternative feed for walleye,less perch = more trout eaten.Their whole approach centers around it being a trout fishery,dont for a second think they are going to do anything that isnt geared that way,if they had a way they would eliminate all walleye and raise the perch limit back to 100.
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Well said hole pounder! You hit the nail on the head... ;D ;D
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The high walleye limit was enacted to prevent exactly what is happening right now. They knew the perch population was going to crash once walleye became firmly established.
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Sure it was,they used to have a 100 perch limit because "the perch compete with trout for food".Their whole plan revolves around keeping CF a trout fishery and doing whatever they can to wipe out the walleye.They didnt catch any walleye in their 'sample nets" this spring either (in comparison to past years) just like the perch,I didnt see any reduction in the walleye limit.....
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Of course those CF is going to be managed as a trout fishery. Where have you ever seen any lake managed for an I legally introduced species? I'd love to see it managed
for eyes too. That being said, what are perch populations doing in all three reservoirs right now? What is the size of the walleye doing right now? What would the perch populations and perch limit be if the walleye had never shown up in CF?
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The size of the perch in CF before the walleye explosion was dismal,there may have been more but most of them wernt worth filleting.Now 95% of the perch we catch are eaters,some closing in on the 2lb mark.Ill take todays perch over the 70/80s perch any day.Id say the perch in Cf are doing great,Ive never caught as many big perch while trolling as we did this year,not even close.They had one bad sample netting this spring,the numbers were off for ALL SPECIES,i didnt see them lower the walleye limit!Its the game they play,they cant get rid of the walleye so the do whatever they can to screw up a good fishery that isnt a trout fishery.We need some bios that can pull their heads out and realize not everyone has an orvis jacket and a filson hat,some people dont care for trout and want the F&G to support CF as a walleye fishery,we have enough lakes,rivers and streams in this state filled with NON NATIVE trout as it is.Ill take 10 jumbos over a bucket of dinks any day.
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FYI missoula fish,F&G planted walleye in Lake Helena and Hauser in the late 40s-51,they were present when the finished the new Canyon Ferry dam,that was in 54....there was walleye in the water they were diverting around the new dam,from the new dam all the way to cemetery island.F&Gs theory of an "illegally introduced" species is full of holes.
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All right dude. Your obviously the
Local expert arm chair biologist and conspiracy theory expert. Good luck.
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Awesome info holepounder!! Cheers to the walleye guys!
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nope
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No conspiracy MF.I dont need luck,I researched the issue for a MT F&G commissioner who was trying to address the F&G's ignorance to the amount of people utilizing Cf as a walleye fishery.He even went walleye fishing with us to find out first hand what it was all about,they guy wanted to know what was going on and why the F*G was promoting the whole sale over fishing of walleye in the Missouri river system. He dug up the records on the planting the F&G did for me through the F&G fishery records.If you do some looking around of your own will find out the "facts" the TU guys are feeding you dont add up.
Its a fact the F&G planted walleye in Hauser prior to the new dam being built.If you can explain to me how they kept them all behind the new dam when it was built Im open to new ideas.if you ask me the "illegal introduction" theory is the conspiracy people ought to be addressing.The only reason they call it illegal is so they can rationalize their ridiculous walleye regs and netting operations.
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HP, I don't care if they are illegal or not. We both know what the walleye do for the economy there and that the FWP is not going to have a proactive management plan for them.
Of course the size of the perch was dismal prior to the walleye...nothing was eating them so like every other body of water in North America, they became stunted. Introduce the walleye, start eating the perch and now we have a lake with nice sized perch on average. But we also have a ton of walleye that the average size on has decreased over the past two decades because they did exactly what they do in every other lake...boom and bust. All I'm saying is if they had kept the walleye limit high, there would be less of them but they would be bigger and there would also be a healthy population of perch. Not just a bunch of jumbos that don't
Live forever. We need to be able to make baby perch in order to get big perch.
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The carp need commercially harvested! Period!!! 24th year on the Ferry. 97/ 98 was an epic year with buckets of perch and ling and we culled for big ones. Steadily down hill since for numbers. But nice size now. But we got them just as big back then and a lot more ling. Emerald shiners would be cool too.
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The eyes eat the baby carp but they are only a size they can eat for a short time correct?
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The point is that it isnt an illegally introduced species,their whole platform is BS.They have fed the public this illegal introduction line and the TU militia(F&G bios included) uses it to promote the F&GS eradication plans.I dont know how much you fish CF but when walleye catching is slow in the summer many target the perch.Less walleye to catch = more people fishing for perch.The only positive maneuver they have made was the xmas tree program,they are using the tree piles and there has been an increase in the perch hatch(thats straight from the F&G),but guess what,that makes the perch way easier to find all summer.I havnt seen a decline in the perch numbers over the last five years,only an increase in the average size we catch,but Im sure their 3 week netting survey is much more accurate than someones observations that fish's it year round every year.If you want to see baby perch anchor next to one of the tree piles of the South end(morning) next summer and drop down a small hook with a tiny piece of crawler on it,you can catch them till you get tired of it.Until we get the TU bios who control the future of the lake replaced some some more level head,unbiased bios nothing is going to change.They provide the data to the guys who make the rules and it is always skewed from a trout fisherman's point of view.Just like they no limit on walleye move they made on the Missouri river below Holter,absolute BS! Yes the carp fry grow so fast they are only walleye fodder for about a year,if that.
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The carp need commercially harvested! Period!!! 24th year on the Ferry. 97/ 98 was an epic year with buckets of perch and ling and we culled for big ones. Steadily down hill since for numbers. But nice size now. But we got them just as big back then and a lot more ling. Emerald shiners would be cool too.
You do know culling is illegal?
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You do know culling is illegal?
And I think he is a guide.
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6 Hours on Holding Res today and no bites. Marked very few. Tried 20 and 35' Talked to others that were having the same luck as me.
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Hey ever heard of catch and release. I guess I should have worded that different. Little guy comes up through the hole. Little guy goes back through the hole. Catch and release. Get it. Nice bite on Causeway today by the way. Couple limits of spotted devils and 7 walleye at dark. Two were said keepers. The others catch and release of course. ;D
You do know culling is illegal?
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Ohh and I do know two things that will never happen on these resevoirs no matter how hard we try. Live minnows is one, and stocking of walleye is another. The trout contingency will never ever allow it. But deleting a million plus carp who eat everything in site. Could be a common goal between parties.
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Hey ever heard of catch and release. I guess I should have worded that different. Little guy comes up through the hole. Little guy goes back through the hole. Catch and release. Get it.
Really not trying to get in the fight here at all.... I'll start there.
I have fished CF a fair bit and catch and release with perch in that reservoir is just about impossible during the winter with exception to areas of shallow water under at least 30 fow which, from my limited experience doesn't happen a whole lot. I'll go ahead and let the whole ice shanty community yell at me for this one but I was contently perching one day in about 35 fow on clear ice and when I walked to another hole I saw perch right below the ice that had gone belly up stuck against the ice. Now before everyone gets all crazy I wasn't ripping treble hooks out of fish that had hooks buried past the gills and chuckin them to be an a#$. This happened many years ago and I was unaware that when a fish comes up from to deep of water their air bladders expand and the fish cant go back down. ***yes I realize I am going to take lots of criticism for this but I was naive to this at the time and if I'm fishing in these situations now I catch a dinners worth and call it good***
What I'm getting at is that most perch fishing in the winter on CF ***from my personal experience, other experts with weigh in I'm sure***takes place in areas of at least 40 fow or deeper. Unless non conventional ways of releasing fish i.e. the hook sinker line method to drop the fish back down to the bottom ***(look it up) and lets not forget the puncturing the air bladder method** takes place the fishes mortality rate in a catch and release scenario has to be incredibly high. In that instance they might as well have limits back at a hundred because the fish won't survive.
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Yep.little guy comes out the hole,little guy goes back in and dies a slow death.
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There is a couple places I know that I can catch jumbo perch up to 14+ everytime. I don't fish them anymore because it is almost impossible to release them.
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Complete nonsense. If you think 35 feet of water is deep you dont get out of Montana much do you. So here is a little trick. Ive used this on everything from Black Rock Bass, Macs, Grouper in the Bahamas and of course trout and perch here. So pay attention Hole Pounder I know its hard to get past your Canyon Ferry mastery, but listen grasshopper and you just might learn a little something. I use a little bodkin but the reef captains in Florida and Alaska use the actual tool or make there own. They swim away like happy little fishes back to happy little world.
Heres said link.
https://www.flseagrant.org/fisheries/venting/ (https://www.flseagrant.org/fisheries/venting/)
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Here we go again..... ??? :nono: :cookoo:
They don't swim away like happy little fishes. They swim away with a hole poked in who knows what internal organ. Not the thing to promote if your a guide.
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How about instead of sitting on the internet all day arguing lets get together on CF and catch some perch and walleye. :tipup: :tipup:
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Ok shawdog I'm in for a C F DAY. anytime after xmas.. oh I might know a spot or two...
Sure miss those tasty fillets. ;D .just got to get my wheeler ready !!!!!
I'm heading to kalispel for x mas. My daughter told me its visit time dad no fishing :'( .so I will be ready after that.
I will check on the swan on my way up. Looking forward to the jan. 25 fish and meet day.
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I've started to type a reply several times to the canyon ferry debate going on here, but each time I just delete them and move on, its such a dead horse topic that we have no control over that at this point I don't think its worth discussing...
Perchman! I'm headed up kalispell way Monday for a week...its for family Christmas but ill be damned if I don't get out fishing while up there!!
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Anyone have any ideas on a spot to gather if we end up without safe ice on Swan?
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Anything in the Helena area would be about the same drive as swan for me. Plenty of options there
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All I know is that after the total lack of professionalism and the consistent immaturity of this so-called "guide" shown on this thread, I will never personally give him any business or references. There comes a point when you're trying to run a business that you have to grow up and not let petty comments on an ice fishing log site bother you. The reactions I've read on here are definitely not a good way to build a clientele base.
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All I know is that after the total lack of professionalism and the consistent immaturity of this so-called "guide" shown on this thread, I will never personally give him any business or references. There comes a point when you're trying to run a business that you have to grow up and not let petty comments on an ice fishing log site bother you. The reactions I've read on here are definitely not a good way to build a clientele base.
I dont come on here to plug the business. Never have. Dont need too. Ive been attacked on here since joining. Just came in to help out and share ideas, reports, and info. Ive fished over 200 days a year mostly professionally for longer than I remember. I live it eat it and breath it. That is all.
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Complete nonsense. If you think 35 feet of water is deep you dont get out of Montana much do you. So here is a little trick. Ive used this on everything from Black Rock Bass, Macs, Grouper in the Bahamas and of course trout and perch here. So pay attention Hole Pounder I know its hard to get past your Canyon Ferry mastery, but listen grasshopper and you just might learn a little something. I use a little bodkin but the reef captains in Florida and Alaska use the actual tool or make there own. They swim away like happy little fishes back to happy little world.
Heres said link.
https://www.flseagrant.org/fisheries/venting/ (https://www.flseagrant.org/fisheries/venting/)
I dont come on here to plug the business. Never have. Dont need too. Ive been attacked on here since joining. Just came in to help out and share ideas, reports, and info. Ive fished over 200 days a year mostly professionally for longer than I remember. I live it eat it and breath it. That is all.
When I wrote my response I did not attack anyone. I, like you, believe this site should be about sharing information.
some info on venting.....if you care to read it on not. If you care about the resource then it pays to learn. It's easy to get pissy with comments on this forum..believe me I get it. I'm not trying to get anyone's undies in a bunch but this is useful information regarding some practices discussed above
http://www.bdoutdoors.com/story/dfg-rockfish-question/
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When I wrote my response I did not attack anyone.
some info on venting.....if you care to read it on not. I'm not trying to get anyone's undies in a bunch but this is useful information regarding some practices discussed above
http://www.bdoutdoors.com/story/dfg-rockfish-question/
Thats actually pretty cool. I think a little modification would work good on little perch and walleye. Here is my problem. I dont really want to keep a 4-6" perch no matter what. Like alot of you I have seen them left on the ice near old holes. I realize that sometimes they are used for cut bait and for the eyes. And then left on the ice. Or just thrown away. Especially back in the day when there were buckets of them to be had. I know those on here who have fished perch or other fish in deep water have dealt with this. Took those dinks home and then? Because of the current state of the fishery at Canyon Ferry. I dont really agree with this practice. So I vent em. At least they have a percentage of survival. And being left on the ice, or taken home and fed to the cats doesnt give them a real good chance. Im not completely sold on it because as any intrusion it can cause infection, parasites or disease. But Im always open to better conservation oriented ideas. I make a living off of it. So I dont want to see it trashed. Sometimes in heated debate like this thread. Good ideas and good info can come of it. Hopefully this is one of those times.
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The venting is an archaic way of just making fish disappear. Out of sight, out of mind and a band aid at best. If anyone is fishing at a depth that releasing fish unharmed is an issue, they should invest 10$ and have a descending device with them at all times.
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Yeah Im in. Ill give it a try this season. That is if I can find a perch.
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@ walleyehunter...
I see wonton waste of fish all the time and hate to see it. I think perch are especially susceptible just because I don't think a lot of people really care about them, especially 4-6" fish like we're talking about. There are a million reasons people do it and none of them really make sense. For me, a descending device is just a huge pain in the a#% and I don't care enough to monkey around with one so I fish in areas I don't need them. Again, not and attack, but if your in the business and your livelihood depends on the resource you have a vested interest in protecting the resource. Educating people on techniques that may help keep the resource intact or minimize damage can help. Conversely spreading the word on an internet forum of techniques that can damage fish and make people think it's okay to fish all day catch a ton of fish let a ton of them go to most likely die later can only help to deplete a resource that many people are concerned about. That's why I posted this.
Best of luck out there...
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Fantastic posts, nice work guys:)
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@ walleyehunter...
I see wonton waste of fish all the time and hate to see it. I think perch are especially susceptible just because I don't think a lot of people really care about them, especially 4-6" fish like we're talking about. There are a million reasons people do it and none of them really make sense. For me, a descending device is just a huge pain in the a#% and I don't care enough to monkey around with one so I fish in areas I don't need them. Again, not and attack, but if your in the business and your livelihood depends on the resource you have a vested interest in protecting the resource. Educating people on techniques that may help keep the resource intact or minimize damage can help. Conversely spreading the word on an internet forum of techniques that can damage fish and make people think it's okay to fish all day catch a ton of fish let a ton of them go to most likely die later can only help to deplete a resource that many people are concerned about. That's why I posted this.
Best of luck out there...
Yeah I can agree. Hard to argue with knowledge Dont pretend to know it all. In fact I lurk and learn more than I post. I dont guide ice fishing. I have had guides work for me in the past that do. And I have toyed lately with idea of doing some birthday parties for the kids and beginners but this ice thing is kinda my time to play after a long season on the rivers and lakes. Back in the day when we were pulling buckets off the lake. Like all things plentiful we kinda took it for granted. These days Im all about leaving something behind. So if we can pass that along and educate I guess we have accomplished something. Probably should of clarified that in the beginning.
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http://www.bdoutdoors.com/story/dfg-rockfish-question/
Awesome link, fishingwithbrittanies! I like the milk crate idea, and envisioned an ice fishing version- cylindrical wire cage, weighted for going down ice holes.. In my mind I pictured half of a small minnow trap.. I dont know, it could work.. Just thinking out loud
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They make a really cool fish net/live well you can drop through a hole,my buddy has one.
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http://www.bdoutdoors.com/story/dfg-rockfish-question/
I like the milk crate idea, and envisioned an ice fishing version- cylindrical wire cage, weighted for going down ice holes.. In my mind I pictured half of a small minnow trap.. I dont know, it could work.. Just thinking out loud
I was thinking about it today and if a guy cut the bottom off of a two liter bottle, removed the cap and weighted the bottom heavily and tied a rope to the top that might work. An idea. Minnow trap idea I'd bet would work too.
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here ya go....
http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/today-s-tackle-ice-well-floating-livewell/0000000055636
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Had a great morning on CF,48 fow,some of them were real JUMBOS!
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/H3RP3S/1488177_693194657379258_2034345835_n_zps2f68c26f.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/H3RP3S/media/1488177_693194657379258_2034345835_n_zps2f68c26f.jpg.html)
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Where were you at cf was up there today could not find fish on my flasher
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Find the deeper water find the fish 45-50.
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Todays limits,48.5 fow
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/H3RP3S/1554490_693698953995495_622327462_n_zps59873be1.jpg) (http://s2.photobucket.com/user/H3RP3S/media/1554490_693698953995495_622327462_n_zps59873be1.jpg.html)
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Awesome catches! Looks like you've found the honey hole :thumbsup: