Author Topic: Ice Reports (Read 4414 times)

Seedtree · « **on:** Dec 02, 2006, 01:32 PM »

Went by Castlerock Lake today. Iced over good with 1 small open spot (25' diameter) with paddling loons out from the ramp area. Water level is up in the trees (high). Someone has a spread of tipups out with a couple flags up. Might try here tomorrow.

Tight Lines.

Walltrout · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 04, 2006, 11:11 AM »

The causeway near Helena had about 5 inches on Dec 3. Closer to 3 inches at Black Sandy Beach.

Seedtree · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 07, 2006, 06:19 PM »

Tongue River Reservoir is a cold snap or two away. Lots of open water along the shore and thin ice.

playnpray · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 13, 2006, 10:36 PM »

Cooney Res. has a solid 6" as of 12-11-06. Already quite a few holes drilled in her.

Seedtree · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 17, 2006, 08:58 PM »

Fished TRR this weekend. Ice is 5-6" and solid most places. A small open area between the Marina and Sand Point. Crappie are spotty.

Walltrout · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 18, 2006, 12:55 AM »

Fished between the causeway and black sandy on Hauser on 12/17. 6"-8" of good ice. Fishing was slow. One ling and 1 small eye. /seen some other people with some small perch.

Seedtree · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 22, 2006, 10:07 PM »

Just got back from TRR. Fished by Rattlesnake Point and caught some crappies and bullheads. Ice is around 6" thick and solid. Some pressure ridges and wet spots. Still some open water Northeast of the Marina, but that area is always iffy - last to freeze up and first to open. About a 1/2" of new snow on the ice. Several other groups out and 1 permanent shack.

Tight Lines.

eyewinder · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 23, 2006, 03:38 PM »

Ice beginning to form on bays at DeSmet -- nothing fishable that I could see. Main lake is wide open water. . .uh-oh, wrong board. . .

Seedtree · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 23, 2006, 07:46 PM »

Fished Castlerock today. There is a large open area from near the boat ramp out towards the outlet tower. A flock of at least 300 honkers headed out while we were there - they could have been the culprits. Other areas have a solid 6" of clear ice. Pike are hitting on anything as long as its attached to a lively minnow within 2 feet of the bottom. There are getting to be some sizeable pike here.

Tight lines.

darkhousefisher · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 26, 2006, 07:34 PM »

South Sandstone has 12" of good clear ice.

darkhousefisher · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 31, 2006, 12:09 AM »

Fished South Sandstone today. Caught 30 good perch and speared 3 pike.

walleymcjigger · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 01, 2007, 09:26 PM »

Quote from: darkhousefisher on Dec 31, 2006, 12:09 AM

Fished South Sandstone today. Caught 30 good perch and speared 3 pike.

Where is sandstone?

Whatpole · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 02, 2007, 12:16 AM »

Quote from: walleymcjigger on Jan 01, 2007, 09:26 PM

Where is sandstone?

South Sandstone is about 7-8 miles south of Plevna.

gregv17 · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 02, 2007, 10:12 AM »

For the guys out in western MT, I have been on Blanchard - 9-10", Upper Thompson - 7-8", and Georgetown - 10"+ in the last 10 days. Lower and Middle Thompson had just iced over last week. No ice on McGregor. Talked with some folks who said Rogers Lake has good ice. Am going out to check Ashley and Bitterroot lakes later in the week. Will try to give a report then. Caught a couple of pike at Blanchard, some perch at Upper Thompson, Georgetown the salmon were numerous but small plus a couple of rainbow 16 and 17".

gregv17 · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 02, 2007, 01:25 PM »

Quote from: jigmaster5000 on Jan 02, 2007, 11:30 AM

What did you catch your salmon on?

Got them on either a bead head prince nymph below a blue/silver kastmaster or a red and white rat finkie below a Green/silver kastmaser. Tipped with maggots on both rigs. I was catching both the trout/salmon on both the attractor and the jig/fly. I think if you find the fish they would not be too particular. Greg

gregv17 · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 02, 2007, 02:14 PM »

The Kastmasters were 1/8 oz. the nymph was a 14. The pimple would work just as well I think. The salmon did not look spawned out. One that I kept was still full of eggs. I know that most folks will tell you to be on the lake early but I had most of my action last Friday between 11 am and 2 pm. Not crazy action just steady bites 12 – 18 feet down. I got there before the sun came up too. I was in P-burg bay but not in with the little shanty town that was set up there. I went up there looking for salmon but the trout were a bonus. Anyway good fishing this weekend.

BlueDuck · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 03, 2007, 10:43 AM »

I appreciate the reports. Im in north Idaho and its pretty iffy. Just got safe ice on a couple of small lakes and now its back in the 40's and raining. The Thompsons would be closest for me but I might make a run to Georgetown in the next week or two. Any recomendations on where to stay?

Seedtree · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 03, 2007, 06:22 PM »

Blue Duck,

I've stayed at the Seven Gables Inn at Georgetown. Its spartan, but right on the lake and has a restaurant and bar. They have a website, just do a search. One tip - get to the restaurant before the ski crowd at the end of the day or they may have wiped almost everything out.

Seedtree · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 03, 2007, 06:30 PM »

Fished Ft Peck over the New Year holiday. We fished around Rock Creek. The ice is around 10-12 inches thick and solid. New ice (froze over in last week) starts around a half mile north of the boat ramp and looked unsafe. No one has been on that section yet. To the south, ice is around 1.5 feet thick.

Lots of ATVs on the ice, but no vehicles yet. Ling are spawning and if you get into a school of them, the action is fast. Lakers are also active. Walleye are spotty - hitting one day, nothing the next. Didn't try for pike.

Tight Lines.

BlueDuck · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 04, 2007, 10:43 AM »

Thanks for the tips. Both sound fine. Im retired from the Forest Service so Im sure that cabin would seem like old times.....

Bozeiceman · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 04, 2007, 11:10 AM »

I'm fishing Hebgan this weekend. Any tips?

Seedtree · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 05, 2007, 05:56 PM »

Went by Castlerock today for a quick peek. Still an open area on the east side extending from the boat ramp area to around the outlet tower. O/W, froze over good. Several fishermen out on the ice. Didn't have time to fish it today. Planning on hopefully hitting TRR this weekend.

Tight lines.

gregv17 · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 06, 2007, 02:14 PM »

For you Western MT guys. Did some recon work and a little fishing the last couple of days. Thursday just went a looked around since I was wondering how the ice held up with the few days of warm and rain. Looks good so far. Upper and Lower Stillwater lakes had good ice. Lots of guys out on Lower checking it out for the Perch Assault deal this weekend. Took a detour up to Beaver Lake and found 9-10" of ice. Fished there Friday morning. One bite, lost it at the hole. Real nice rainbow.

A few other guys were on Beaver but did not see any action from them either. Went out to Ashley lake Friday afternoon to look it over. 6-7" of ice in the bay by the public boat ramp. Ice out on the main lake looked funny to me so did not venture out of the bay. Caught one kokanee right off in about 40 Ft. then the wind came up and tried to blow my quickflip back to the truck. Need to rig some ice anchors I guess. Will try again in a couple of days. Have heard from others that Bitterroot Lake had only about 1" on it, so did not even look there. Also that the sloughs on the Flathead river were froze up decent. Blanchard lake is still looking good for ice. Good thing for me as it is the closest one to my house and can be fishing there in 15 minutes. Good fishing to all. Later.

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Author Topic: Ice Reports (Read 4414 times)