Yellowstone River

[doublehaul]

I've heard some "fish stories" of people icefishing the Yellowstone with pretty good success for all species present. Does anyone on IS do this? What section do you fish? What bait do you prefer?

[Mr. iceman]

I've heard some "fish stories" of people icefishing the Yellowstone with pretty good success for all species present. Does anyone on IS do this? What section do you fish? What bait do you prefer?

I'd be really careful about fishing on river, never heard too much about ice fishing the jellystone.  I would imagine it would have to be a really slow spot with no rapids in the area, probably worms, sculpins imitations, etc..

[wingnutty]

sounds like a death wish unless someone REALLY knows what they are doing.

With normal ice fishing you worry about falling because it would be difficlut to get out.  On moving water you worry about falling in because you won't get out.

[doublehaul]

Come on now wingnutty. It's just like a really, really, really big Milk right?

[missoulafish]

Some of the best ice fishing I have everhad has been on rivers like the Clarkfork and the Bitterroot. 

[wingnutty]

I'm sure fishing can be really good, all I am saying is that it is a hell of a risk.  As a guy who has come 5 minutes from dying in the root and got pulled out with a body temp below 90 degrees, I can tell you that no fish is worth it.  I wasn't ice fishing, I was floating durng the March Brown mayfly hatch in mid-march.

With moving water and especially swift rivers like the missouri, yellowstone, and trout rivers of western MT, you never know where a pocket of weak ice will be.  If you hit that pocket, you are dead, period.  Russian roulette for a fish

When I lived in WI I knew guys who fished the Mississippi below some of the dams.  They would fish on 4-6" of ice over moving water!  Insane and stupid, imo, unless you really don't value your life or that of your family.  To each his own though.

Ok, rant over, I just dont want to hear about someone dying for a fish, that is all.

[fishinwithbrittanies]

I concur, go through on a river and your done.  I'm sure people do it, I hear about it a lot.  Oxbows are one thing, but I guess I'm thinking of main river channels.  I still get spooked just going over ice I haven't crossed yet, even when I punch holes that tell me its good.  Fact is you just never know what's under the ice and I try to make sure I'm never under it.  Be smart and don't be a statistic

[Lon]

Easy.
Ice has a wet side and a dry side.
Stay on the dry side.

[OUTHNTN]

I'M NOT SUGGESTING THIS, BUT MY GREAT GRANDFATHER IN THE LATE 70'S USED TO ICE FISH THE CLARKS FORK RIVER BY SILESIA AND DID PRETTY GOOD ON LING.  HE'D USE A 4X8 SHEET OF PLYWOOD, SLIDE IT ONTO THE ICE AND THEN USED ANOTHER SHEET OF PLYWOOD THE SAME SIZE AND SLIDE IT OUT FURTHER. HOPSCOTCHING FROM ONE TO THE NEXT UNTIL HE GOT OUT INTO HIS 'HONEYHOLE'.  NEVER TRIED IT, BUT WOULD STILL THINK THE ICE WOULD HAVE TO BE PRETTY SOLID, ESPECIALLY WITH RUNNING WATER UNDERNEATH.  AND AS WINGNUTTY SAID, WE DON'T NEED TO BE READING ABOUT SOMEONE DYING FOR A FISH!

[hkdup]

I'M NOT SUGGESTING THIS, BUT MY GREAT GRANDFATHER IN THE LATE 70'S USED TO ICE FISH THE CLARKS FORK RIVER BY SILESIA AND DID PRETTY GOOD ON LING.  HE'D USE A 4X8 SHEET OF PLYWOOD, SLIDE IT ONTO THE ICE AND THEN USED ANOTHER SHEET OF PLYWOOD THE SAME SIZE AND SLIDE IT OUT FURTHER. HOPSCOTCHING FROM ONE TO THE NEXT UNTIL HE GOT OUT INTO HIS 'HONEYHOLE'.  NEVER TRIED IT, BUT WOULD STILL THINK THE ICE WOULD HAVE TO BE PRETTY SOLID, ESPECIALLY WITH RUNNING WATER UNDERNEATH.  AND AS WINGNUTTY SAID, WE DON'T NEED TO BE READING ABOUT SOMEONE DYING FOR A FISH!

running water means thin ice myfreind

[minnowguy]

I dont think I would try that one either. I heard of people using boards or ladders to get out onto the ice I aint doing that either. I start ice fishing early (4 inches)and I quit early, worked for me so far.

[OUTHNTN]

running water means thin ice myfreind

AND THIN ICE MEANS COLD, WET FISHERMAN!!!  AND I PREFER LOOKING DOWN TO ICE, NOT UP!!

[tom1234505]

fishing on river ice I think is just plain suicide. I knew a river that was only about 2.5 ft deep and walked out on it, drilled a hole, 6 inches of ice. walked out 5 ft further and fell through. it was a very slow current but, still fell through. since it was only 2.5 ft where I fell through it was pretty easy getting out with dads help . did that in Washington state, don't know the river name though or remember where it was as I was only 6 and I am now 16. drilling a hole was pretty hard for me at that age but I did it!

BTW my dad was about 5 ft away from me at all times. he was a die-hard ice fisherman. I say "was" because my mom divorced him but no matter.

[eroknroll]

side note, I drove through se idaho last weekend and say I group of guys ice fishing on the snake just near st anthony.   Seemed crazy to me... The were fishing a big curve in the river, open water 40 yards off.  I would Ice fish a river, sitting on a raft or boat or hovercraft

[wingnutty]

kinda depends where they were on the Henry's Fork near St. Anthony, lots of places are only knee-deep, but still, I don't think I'd do it unless I knew the water really well.  I would never do it on a river that was over my waist.