Author Topic: Canyon Ferry 09/10 (Read 25104 times)

fishinwithbrittanies · « **on:** Dec 04, 2009, 02:30 PM »

What's the word on Canyon Ferry.
It's cold and should be forming some ice.
Anybody have the scoop?

Hardwateraddicton · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 04, 2009, 03:55 PM »

According to Silos Marina/Rv as of this morning there was a skin but not enuf to venture out... only a matter of days now as I here the high for Sun. will be 10

fishinwithbrittanies · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 04, 2009, 05:35 PM »

Looking forward to it. My wife is headed to Helena and I told her to have a look for ice or to see if anyone was out there

Clansey · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 05, 2009, 03:01 PM »

I just drove past the silo's....open water. Ice is forming on the South end of the lake.

fishforfood72 · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 05, 2009, 03:14 PM »

its coming !!!

Mt.Bucket · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 06, 2009, 07:29 PM »

looks like an average of -20 the next couple of nights, i'm going to bet it will have enough ice by the weekend. can't wait, last year the walleye fishing kicked arse should be even better this year. see ya out there.

spedray · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 06, 2009, 08:12 PM »

I have been wanting to fish for walleye's here for a while. What do you use for bait and lures while ice fishing? Is it best at dusk or later at night?

fishinwithbrittanies · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 07, 2009, 08:22 AM »

I would love to know more about Walleyes on CF. Ive caught a handful of dinks while fishing for perch but thats it. Maybe I'll try harder for them this year.

Mt.Bucket · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 07, 2009, 10:36 AM »

The best walleye fishing seems to be on the North end around Cemetary Island. Find the bait fish and you find the walleye. They like steep drop offs located next to bays and structure, also deep flats located next to points. I use a bunch of different stuff from spoons to chubby darters. The time of day I believe is sorta a mythe. I,ve caught em all day long you just gotta find them thats the trick sometimes takes days, other times they'll just be there or maybe its because they are just biting. It seems the small ones are always biting but the bigger ones...

A fish finder is a must.

jimmerjammer · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 07, 2009, 10:53 AM »

i find it extremely hard to catch walleyes at CF, simply because you can't use live minnows. I grew up ice fishing for eyes on devils lake and lake sakajawea in ND, and minnows are the only bait you would use in the winter untill june when it gets warm enough for drifting worms and spinners. I think the fish are more dormant and have less energy in the winter, and a more "energy packed" meal than a worm is what they are after. We used to catch most of our fish on tip ups, waiting for schools of moving fish to swim through, and maybee that is another reason why i struggle with eyes at CF. I have tried gulp, but it seems that the plastic works better from a casting and retrieving method, and it doesn't look very natural when jigged, its just not the same. i piecie of plactic on a tip up is not going to swim for its life when it sees a preditor coming in. i think a distressed minnow is the most effective bait. What they need to do is to start staliking a cetain type of bait fish, and allow anglers to fish with that type of baitfish. I would like to catch more eyes too, but the perch fishing is why i go up there. I usually fish around the pressure ridge, and have heard that the better walleye fishing is a little farther to the north, Is this true? i don't know the lake that well, so that could be another reason why i have a hard time finding the walleyes at CF. Good luck out there and tight lines!

Mt.Bucket · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 07, 2009, 11:16 AM »

I do not agree minnows are the ONLY bait.

fishinwithbrittanies · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 07, 2009, 12:21 PM »

I've only put a handful of walleye on the ice in my life, none of any real size maybe a three pounder. Just the thought of icing a 4, 5, or six pounder on the ice just gets me excited. maybe I'll try harder this year

ManStorePatrick · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 07, 2009, 03:57 PM »

Yeah, I have done the best for the walleyes (which are very few) thru the ice off of white sandy, and over by yacht basin or kims marina on the northern end of CF. I fish after dark tho, and use Hali's and Jiggin Raps. The vexilar helps out a lot. I dont know what I would do without it. I have found a few further up shore at senior beach as well later in the ice season.

fishinwithbrittanies · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 08, 2009, 04:13 PM »

I just called the silos and the message I heard was that they had gotten their first ice fishing report of the season, 1 five pound rainbow. 3" of ice so its a little sketch and I would be left to assume its all on the south end. Pretty impressive cold front. My wife drove by on Saturday and said it was open and now they are fishing on Tuesday. I think I'll be heading up on Friday, give the ice a little more time to build but three inches in four days is still impressive for that size of a lake.

haliman · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 08, 2009, 08:46 PM »

Quote from: fishinwithbrittanies on Dec 08, 2009, 04:13 PM

I just called the silos and the message I heard was that they had gotten their first ice fishing report of the season, 1 five pound rainbow. 3" of ice so its a little sketch and I would be left to assume its all on the south end. Pretty impressive cold front. My wife drove by on Saturday and said it was open and now they are fishing on Tuesday. I think I'll be heading up on Friday, give the ice a little more time to build but three inches in four days is still impressive for that size of a lake.

By Friday their will be plenty of ice....saw people fishing on their today on the south end...were ice houses already on the ice...

fishinwithbrittanies · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 10, 2009, 08:29 AM »

thinking of headed up tomorrow for awhile, any reports? I'm only going for trout and a ice mission to see what's on it. Let you know if I do any good

icechick · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 10, 2009, 03:30 PM »

Just talked with the silos and there is 6 inches of ice on the lake.

perchhogslayer · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 10, 2009, 03:31 PM »

Drove by yesterday and about 98% of the south end is froze up. I saw a patch about 4 acres big of open water, just about 1 mile south east of the silos and in the dead center of the lake (a LONG way out from the shore).

fishinwithbrittanies · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 11, 2009, 09:43 PM »

hit CF today, quite a few people out there. Some, but few, atvs out but and I would say its a bit early for me. Good 6-7+ inches everywhere we went and we heard 6 inches or so at hole in the wall, and most of the south end from a guy we talked to, but we didn't make it up that far. Fished trout in the morning before venturing out to explore the ice. Two good sized keepers early in the morning and then it was dead. Went for perch in the afternoon and got one. Marked a few fish but don't know what they were, they didn't bite. Nobody we spoke with was doing good for perch. I caught on small brown doing the perch thing and my buddy got one good sized perch. We fished in about 34 fow north of the silos. Any advice on early season perch on CF would be sweet.
Head out but stay safe for now

mtgrant · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 12, 2009, 04:16 PM »

I miss the good old days on Canyon Ferry.We used to catch our 50 limits of decent size perch regularly. Most were females with roe. Folks here don't eat roe but try some in your scrambled eggs. It is a real treat.
What we discovered was that you didn't have to go out far. Often, we were within 100 yards of the shore. I also looked for structure. As you head up to the Hole in the Wall, the main channel braids like crazy. Check the map. Locate these channels and cut holes in a line perpendicular to the shore. I usually make them 50 ft apart. Have your crew start jigging. Whichever holes are hot is where you set up. I like the gradual drop offs. Alot of times I think about light. If the ice is snow covered , I shovel a big opening to allow light in. This will spotlight to the bottom. Fish are curious and will check it out. If the ice is clear, I look for old sites where the ice is cloudy. I cut holes on the edge. It seems that the perch like the shadow created by the cloudy ice. It makes sense. I have had awesome fishing several times a snowball throw from the shore.( less than 10 ft of water.)
The flat sensitive rod tip bobbers show even the slightest strike. Lite line is helpful for the perch. If you hook up a trout hang on. If you go lite line, 2-4 lb test, use a great quality reel that has a decent drag. I also use a full length ultra lite rod around 5 foot.I build wood racks about the size of a shoebox. They are tall enough to keep your reel off the snow. Each end has a V cut to cradle the rod.The rod is now parrallel to the ice. This keeps you away from the hole so you don't throw a moving shadow.You will set the hook quicker and the longer flex will save the day with bigger fish. I have landed many fish over 10 lbs using lite line and a decent drag. The lite line sinks quick and gives a great presentation. I like the colored lines, gold or solar.You can see the strikes better. For you terminal connection, use a small barrel swivel and add 14 in of decent fly tippet material. The florocarbon is great. Not only invisible to fish but a stonger tippet has a smaller diameter.
I only use a single hook and sharpen it often.
Enjoy!!

troutguy · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 14, 2009, 11:33 AM »

mornin' fellow ice walkers...hopefully i will get out thurs (12-17) my buddy heard there was 7 inches of ice in the silos area, and trout are bein' caught. i've been icefishin' CF for 27 years, but am pleasently surprized by the vast icefishin' knowledgle out there, i hear many good tips and techniques from you guys. thanks. TG from the gallatin.

haliman · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 14, 2009, 11:57 AM »

Quote from: troutguy on Dec 14, 2009, 11:33 AM

mornin' fellow ice walkers...hopefully i will get out thurs (12-17) my buddy heard there was 7 inches of ice in the silos area, and trout are bein' caught. i've been icefishin' CF for 27 years, but am pleasently surprized by the vast icefishin' knowledgle out there, i hear many good tips and techniques from you guys. thanks. TG from the gallatin.

haliman · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 14, 2009, 12:03 PM »

Quote from: troutguy on Dec 14, 2009, 11:33 AM

mornin' fellow ice walkers...hopefully i will get out thurs (12-17) my buddy heard there was 7 inches of ice in the silos area, and trout are bein' caught. i've been icefishin' CF for 27 years, but am pleasently surprized by the vast icefishin' knowledgle out there, i hear many good tips and techniques from you guys. thanks. TG from the gallatin.

I plan on going out on Tuesday 12/15 on the south end for trout int the AM was wondering if anyone is catching alot of fish....stopped by and talked to a few people on the lake last week but nobody seeme to be doing very well....hoping that its been better this week....anyone have any input? Thanks All

haliman · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 15, 2009, 04:17 PM »

Quote from: haliman on Dec 14, 2009, 12:03 PM

I plan on going out on Tuesday 12/15 on the south end for trout int the AM was wondering if anyone is catching alot of fish....stopped by and talked to a few people on the lake last week but nobody seeme to be doing very well....hoping that its been better this week....anyone have any input? Thanks All

troutguy · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 18, 2009, 04:41 PM »

went to CF yesterday, south of silos...10 inches of good ice.. fishin was very slow.. we (18 rods) fished from 7:30-2PM- total of 5 bites and 2 nice 3 pounders. we fished in 4-15 FOW. TG

eroknroll · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 18, 2009, 04:46 PM »

I was out there on the south end yesterday morning, also very slow for me. I don't think anyone was catching much. I wanted to get over the pressure ridge and try to get deeper but didn't

icecrazed · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 19, 2009, 08:30 PM »

Went out all day today covering ground. Perch fishing was good i the am but slowed down to almost nothing for the afternoon. Fishing 35-50 fow. 10-11 inches of ice everywhere we went. Some soft spots around the edges though so be carefull. Lots of 4 wheelers out, didnt see any trucks where we were.

fishforfood72 · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 19, 2009, 09:12 PM »

what do you call good just wounding....
boy its been slow out there...
been 2 times nothing special....
hard to locate .....
drilled many holes.....
sure are tasty ......

icecrazed · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 20, 2009, 06:35 AM »

Ok, good point. The fishing wasn't good I guess, but fair. Not limit type of good, thats for sure.

mtjohn · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 21, 2009, 12:22 AM »

Went out today and got skunked (we only had two bites) there were a couple of guys with perch on the ice, but they only had 3-4 each. Too slow for me, gonna try somewhere else next weekend.

News:

Author Topic: Canyon Ferry 09/10 (Read 25104 times)