Author Topic: ice fishing the great montana (Read 1808 times)

Blaney68 · « **on:** Dec 03, 2013, 12:49 PM »

Has anyone been fishing in Montana yet? I've been waiting for the ice to thicken up here around the Helena area. Any monsters take yet?

Born 2 Jig · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 03, 2013, 01:01 PM »

Lots of ice everywhere...check out the "ice thickness document" in one of the other posts.

gso12 · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 03, 2013, 02:18 PM »

Lots of people out already

This super cold should thicken the ice back up hope to put the hand auger away and bust out the ESKIMO

Born 2 Jig · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 03, 2013, 02:29 PM »

Ha! I'll be hand augering all year. Don't have a power auger...

missoulafish · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 03, 2013, 02:39 PM »

Couple guys been fishing.....

Pastor B · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 03, 2013, 10:05 PM »

Today was my fourth trip out to put some fish on the ice! We have been blessed with some good ice, early this year!

Francis: few pike and some walleye, and my son caught a 5 pounder. 8 inches as of today

Bailey's: hundreds of perch, a few hammer handles, a few nice pike in the 4-6lb range, and one crappie! 7 inches of ice on Saturday!

Blaney68 · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 11, 2013, 08:35 PM »

Went and spend the last 24 hours out on the causeway in helena and caught 20+ walleyes in my group. 11 1/2 inches of ice

missoulafish · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 11, 2013, 09:40 PM »

Any size 68?

lundin-loading · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 11, 2013, 09:47 PM »

Weve seen lots of 9-14 inchers, nothing worth filleting/photographing yet!!

missoulafish · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 11, 2013, 10:03 PM »

Seems like they have been that size forever!!!

lundin-loading · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 11, 2013, 10:56 PM »

There's some hogs in there, one of these days...

fuzz · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 08:40 AM »

I got 1 eye a trout n a ling but that was 5 hrs of fishing at causeway

missoulafish · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 10:25 AM »

I've landed several in the 7-8 pound range through the ice but it seems like the past few years there has been a pile of mini walleys around. I'm guessing the spring causeway fishery is some how directly correlated.

fuzz · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 12:45 PM »

Ppl keep big ones for bragging n pitch little ones also a reason I like the smaller ones better eatin

GOOSE_EGG · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 07:30 PM »

Quote from: fuzz on Dec 12, 2013, 12:45 PM

Ppl keep big ones for bragging n pitch little ones also a reason I like the smaller ones better eatin

Good on ya fuzz! Over 20 throw it back! Lundin-Loading has landed over 10 walleye over 24" on that lake myself 3 and they ALL went back. And yes missoulafish those goobers that sit in there lawn chairs there all day catch SOME fish but they all just cast out with a worm or leech on a floating jig head. They don't do that great to hurt anything. The main reason the fish have been so small is "directly correlated" with nothing for them to eat so they are stunted.

PikeMan1234 · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 08:31 PM »

How do we post a pic on this?

fuzz · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 08:56 PM »

Biggest I have got on the causeway was 14.3lbs n it was tossed back I like em 14-18 maybe 20 but I like keeping to a size limit headed out at midnight tomorrow

Punchahole · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 09:13 PM »

Hey fuzz- do you need to be down by the power lines to get walleye action? Are the late evening better bite? Need a little help not wanting or can't travel to far durning the winter months. Had some luck on the helena side this spring but pretty tough. Any advice would be great. Thanks

missoulafish · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 09:29 PM »

Walleye are throughout the causeway arm. Look for clay banks and focus on 12-20 ' of water.

GOOSE_EGG · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 09:32 PM »

Quote from: Punchahole on Dec 12, 2013, 09:13 PM

Hey fuzz- do you need to be down by the power lines to get walleye action? Are the late evening better bite? Need a little help not wanting or can't travel to far durning the winter months. Had some luck on the helena side this spring but pretty tough. Any advice would be great. Thanks

no you don't need to be down by the power lines or late. Last week once the sun went down it was game on. I was right by the old bridge in 10 FOW. Us big spoons and a worm and work it hard.

Punchahole · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 12, 2013, 09:54 PM »

Thanks Missoulafish and goose egg. How is the ice holding up? I was wondering what type of spoons? I tend to use a buckshot when jigging fast and hard. It seems to me that the clay banks are on the river right of the lake and access is tough unless you have wheeler? Have you guys ice fished the lake helena side with any luck?

fuzz · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 13, 2013, 08:55 AM »

I went next to the old bridge also that's where I get em just fish from sun down to sun up but u use a buckshot with smelt but worms are choice had dead stick same set up n it got hit more but glow is key im gonna try tonight goin about midnight till sun up but I don't go to power line my lamborfeeties hate that walk lol

Punchahole · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 13, 2013, 07:28 PM »

Anyone have an idea of ice thickness at the causeway?

missoulafish · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 13, 2013, 07:56 PM »

Look up a dozen or so posts....

News:

Author Topic: ice fishing the great montana (Read 1808 times)