Pike in Hauser

[baltimoremountainman]

Has anyone had any luck with pike in hauser? Over the summer a friend of mine's kid caught several of them by the lakeside  bar on the boat docks by the gas station. I was wondering if anyone has tried ice fishing over there, or had any luck in black sandy for pike? I've seen lots of pictures, but havent heard  much talk of icing them up there.

[missoulafish]

Never heard of them in there but since they are in CF I guess they have to be. Doesn't really seem like pike habitat. Curious to hear what you ice heads have to say.

[Kevinski406]

never caught one there in all my years of fishing out there. I'd hate to see those turds invade too many places. 

[lundin-loading]

A few years ago there used to be a picture hanging on the board at sportsman's of a pike and you could clearly see the red steel containers by the docks at lakesidewe in the back ground. Year or two ago a forum member posted that he threw a camera under his boat below York bridge and claimed that he saw a bunch of baby northerns. I guess it's possible...

[mackdog75]

Seen them this summer between Lakeside and Devils Elbow while out bowfishing carp at night. They are in there. Was tempted to shoot them but figured fish and game might not agree with me on it.

[baltimoremountainman]

Cool. I thought there were a few out there. Maybe ill put some tip ups out there.

[HolePounder]

Guy caught one BELOW Hauser dam this year on a fly rod,8-9lbish.

[vicster]

There are a few all through the mo chain of lake and I've caught a couple in the river growing up in Great Falls.  Haven't seemed to take off but it sounds like that might be changing....  Lots of food in there so if you find them there could be some true gators.  Good luck

[baltimoremountainman]

They have a nice picture in the gas station of a pike that supposedly came out of there. Its a monster!

[Born Late]

FWP doesn't even agree with itself on the matter.  No hook-and-line limit on pike on Hauser or Canyon Ferry yet they're still listed as game fish and spearing/bowfishing is prohibited. Go figure.

[Strippnthedream]

This water wolf was caught below hauser dam last year.

[Strippnthedream]

Guy caught one BELOW Hauser dam this year on a fly rod,8-9lbish.

Pretty sure it was bigger than 8-9lbs!

[TJet Apprentice45]

That's awesome, great picture.  How big of brown did you think was on until you finally saw him?  That stretch below hauser has some monsters in it without the pike, now we've got one more thing to look forward to. 

[missoulafish]

Hey Strip, is that the only one you tied into? Just doesn't seem like pike water. The Clark Fork around Missoula used to have a lot of them when the dam was still in place. Now that the damn is gone the whole dynamic
of the river had changed, not that is a bad thing. Just can't go catch pike right out the back door anymore.

[FirstCastFly]

Kill em all, before they get lower in the Missouri system and ruin the best trout fishing in North America!!!

[lundin-loading]

Kill em all, before they get lower in the Missouri system and ruin the best trout fishing in North America!!!

They're already there...

[Strippnthedream]

Quote from: FirstCastFly on Today at 10:32 AM
Kill em all, before they get lower in the Missouri system and ruin the best trout fishing in North America!!!

They're already there...

Yes they r!!!!! I wouldnt mind being able 2 catch them on a regular basis either. Don't get me wrong fighting a speckled belly carp on a flyrod is fun. But fighting a pike on 1 is way more intense, especially when they hit the fly. N I've caught some big land locked steel head. biggest trout on a flyrod is 12+lbs. I think the upper Missouri River chain is big enough 2 hold many different species of fish even the pike. As u can see there r already in there not many but there is a few. I just hate it when people say that eat everything in the lake. U don't think A big rainbow, brown, or ling don't eat everything that comes along even each other.

Lower in the Missouri what r u talking about there in the river by great falls already as well. U must be talking about the stretch from the dam down 2 Craig o ya what wonderful prize trout n yuppyvil that is!

[UncleFarm]

My uncle caught one at Headwaters in three forks, and I have heard of them coming out of the Jefferson. Can confirm Headwaters, can't confirm Jefferson but I don't see what's to stop them.

[TJet Apprentice45]

Firstcastfly... get a clue, the pike and walleye have been in the lower mo and below Holter for a long time, hasn't seemed to change the fishery.  Like MF said, it's not ideal pike waters and their low populations have reflected that.  The only reason we're hearing about people catching them now is we have sites like fishfinder and ice shanty to share the info.  Years ago people caught them and the only people that knew about it was their buddies and maybe the bar tender in Craig.  Now if you and TU can show us hard facts that they are affecting the speckled carp populations in the river than maybe there will be reason for concern.  Until then, "Kill them all" might be a little stong.

[Strippnthedream]

Firstcastfly... get a clue, the pike and walleye have been in the lower mo and below Holter for a long time, hasn't seemed to change the fishery.  Like MF said, it's not ideal pike waters and their low populations have reflected that.  The only reason we're hearing about people catching them now is we have sites like fishfinder and ice shanty to share the info.  Years ago people caught them and the only people that knew about it was their buddies and maybe the bar tender in Craig.  Now if you and TU can show us hard facts that they are affecting the speckled carp populations in the river than maybe there will be reason for concern.  Until then, "Kill them all" might be a little stong.

 

[Strippnthedream]

With that being said they guy was asking about fishing for them not starting a fight about them being in there. So it's more luck then anything I think. U could target them but u've got alot of water 2 cover. All u could do is start drilling holes n setting tip ups or set lines out for them till u catch 1 or loose your mind trying 2 catch 1.

[MatCat]

Not too hard to believe that there are warm water game fish in the missouri system.

[TJet Apprentice45]

Got off topic... Back to the original post.. if you're going to try to chase one through the ice I'd have tip ups out with smelt, then move, drill, jig and repeat.  Something good sized, flashy and a piece of smelt.  The nice part of this will be you may also whack just about anything else in there that's got some size, eye's browns, ling ect. 

[double_a85]

When I was up there this summer trolling along the rocky cliff by spokane creek... I thought I saw a pike shoot away from bank mixed in with all the monster carp--- told myself it was a shadow but now I am second guessing that...

[HolePounder]

If that one came out of the dam last summer there were two caught.They have been caught directly below the Wolf Cr bridge in recent times.

[mackdog75]

They are definitely around  the Lakeside area. Not sure if the ice is ever good enough to fish there though. It amazing what we see out bowfishing at night. Walleye, trout, pike and Carp on a stick

[beastmode]

Just wanted to add that my cousin caught a 10lb gator at giant springs 2 yrs ago which just shows you they are even locked between black eagle and rainbow dams right in great falls like strippnthedream stated earlier.

[baltimoremountainman]

Amen! Thanks for the information guys. Sounds like i am going to have to start the madness. I think lakeside to devils will be my first shot if the ice is good. Is it best to use quick strike rigs on the dead minnows? And a steel leader above?

[vicster]

baltimore, I always use quick strikes on my tip ups and will use wire if only fishing for pike.  If it's a walleye area I will use a heavy floro quick strike so it's less visible.  There are pike in the jefferson and on down the mo, most of it isnt good pike habitat and numbers are low,  but if you find pockets of good water the fish are there.  Supposedly there are a number of big fish in the sun river out of great falls as well....

[SnowedOutMT]

If I remember right, while I was living in Bozeman, there were confirmed reports of like being in the Madison and Jefferson. Fish and game said if you catch them, keep them. So I imagine they could be anywhere in that whole drainage.