Most Ice-Friendly City in Montana

[ICaughtYourFish]

A buddy and I were arguing which town is better for both variety and quality of ice fishing within an hour, Helena or Kalispell?. We are both almost exclusively catch and release and use artificial only, we just ice fish for fun. I was arguing that Kalispell has Helena beat as far as variety goes, but I might agree that Helena and surrounding areas might be better for average size. Obviously Helena has Walleye, and Kalispell has Lake Trout. Other than that they both have pretty much everything else.

[FishingCowboy]

Except for Ice - Kalispell doesn't get quality ice and when it does it's late in the year ....

[buckfever]

Helena has more variety close but I envy the pike lakes close to kalispell

[albo]

I prefer the fishing around Helena and I trust the ice more when the wind blows the snow off

[Lambuh]

6 lines allowed around Helena

[Splattypus]

I can't imagine trying to manage that much.

Mostly tipup fishing, the bite that slow, or what?

I always thought it odd that Minnesota only permits 2 lines, but 6 seems excessive

[wyogator]

It’s not excessive at all.  You can put out five tipups and jig, or four tipups, a deadstick and jig.  It is good for live minnows.  In western MT where live minnows aren’t allowed, it would be excessive.

[PyroZuki]

That's a tough call. Both Kalispell and Helena have great fishin within an hour drive, but both are so different from one another. Either way, they're close enough to hit both, several times per season!

Pyro

[Kilsdonk]

Except for Ice - Kalispell doesn't get quality ice and when it does it's late in the year ....

I prefer the fishing around Helena and I trust the ice more when the wind blows the snow off

If I had to pick between the two... I would have to go with Helena, more days to fish with safer ice.