Minnows for Tongue River Reservoir

[pryorcreekbaitcompany]

This is Michael from Pryor Creek Bait Company. We have plenty of Live Minnows at our Retail Store in Laurel, MT that you can use at Tongue River Reservoir. Keep in mind that any fisherman can buy and transport up to 24 Dozen minnows per fishing license if you want to buy and bunch and take them back to the lake or buy for a group of fishermen. The crappie minnows are $5 per dozen but if you buy 20 dozen or more they will be $4 per dozen. We will do our best to get medium and large sucker minnows as well, which can be used at Tongue, the medium sized ones 3-5 inches are $6 per dozen and larger than 5 inches are $7 per dozen. We are currently open Fridays and Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm and on call the other days of the week by appointment. Please feel free to call, text, or send us a message on our Facebook Page. Number is 406-855-8493. Looking forward to Serving you all the best we can!!

[Elkhnter]

Michael- Are you going to be selling your minnows to Tongue River Marina again this year or do folks need to come to laurel, MT and get minnow for Tongue River Res?

[pryorcreekbaitcompany]

In past years the Marina has been buying them from other sellers in Montana and then selling them at the Marina or in the Vending Machine (which is no longer there). We won't be selling any to the Marina or at the lake, Fishermen will have to come to our store in Laurel, MT in order to buy them from us.
Sorry for the inconvenience...
Michael

[Elkhnter]

No problem Michael- I just thought I heard they were getting there supply from you!! Maybe i'll make a pitch to them as the ones they get are usually pretty small.. Might hit you up in a week or two as I want to get back over their soon to try and snab some crappies.. Good to know you have all sizes!!!! 

[curtis k]

Make sure you don't take the interstate and pass through Wyoming. They got us for transporting into Wyoming and then back into Montana. Nice fine$. Makes it hard for us out of staters if the Marina is open with minnows. About2 hours extra on our trip. Be safe and put some fish on the ice

[Elkhnter]

Curtis K: Hum, that is interesting. So even though you buy minnows in Montana and fish with minnows in Montana you cant drive thru Wyoming! Guess that doesn't leave a lot of options.

And thanks a ton for the information!! 

[curtis k]

There is a turn off around Hardin that keeps you in Montana. Haven't looked enough to find it yet. I was actually told in the Wyoming part you aren't even allowed to have live minnows in the tongue river drainage. That was by Game and fish of Wyoming.

[pryorcreekbaitcompany]

The Highway route to get to Tongue River Marina without going through Wyoming at all is as follows.

You take the first exit after Crow Agency when heading South, I believe it is Exit 510.
Then Take a Left at the Stop Sign and go Straight, you are now on US-212-East. Then you drive for about 23 Miles then
Turn Right on MT Highway 314 Before getting to the town of Busby. Just stay on that highway until you get to Tongue River Reservoir.

Good Luck and Happy Fishing as well as Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to Everyone!!

Michael

[Elkhnter]

Curtis K: Well the Wyoming G&F must not know what there talking about because they sell live minnow right at Tongue River Marina.  Unless there referring to the Tongue River in Wyoming then they might be right- But in Montana you can use live bait!!

[dubob]

Got this quote from the WG&F website:

Waters where live bait fish may be used are listed in the fishing regulations. Bait fish regulations vary by drainage and water across the state. The regulations have a live bait fish section for each drainage. The section lists waters where minnows may be used and other bait fish regulations. In addition, the Game and Fish requests that anglers do not release minnows to the wild. Anglers are also reminded it is against regulations to use live minnows outside the drainage. For example, minnows captured in area 2 cannot be used in area 4. These regulations were enacted to prevent fish species from being introduced in waters where they might damage the fishing.

And the Area 3 (includes the Tongue River) restrictions are even more restrictive with regard to possession and transportation of live minnows within the Area 3 boundaries.  Transporting out of state obtained live minnows through Area 3 is a VERY BIG no-no.

[POk3s]

Marvin, he’s talking about the tongue river drainage in Wyoming. I know this to be true as the two times I fished TRR we dumped our minnows at the end of each day before driving back to Sheridan. Could buy em each morning at the marina back then though.

[doublehaul]

Marvin, he’s talking about the tongue river drainage in Wyoming. I know this to be true as the two times I fished TRR we dumped our minnows at the end of each day before driving back to Sheridan. Could buy em each morning at the marina back then though.

POK3,
I’m sure you’ve implied it with what you typed, but you dumped your live bait onto the ice. It is against the law to dump any live bait into the reservoir and would be considered bucket biology in the eyes of a game warden. 

[POk3s]

Actually by our trucks each evening so there was no misunderstanding from anybody. 

[Elkhnter]

Trent: Thanks for the clarification!! I have fished Tongue River Res several times and bought minnows right at the marina so that's why I was confused.. Again thanks for everyone's responses..

There is another place that gets pretty interesting as far as Minnows are concerned and that's Bighorn lake as it resides both in Wyoming and Montana and there is no way to get to Barry's landing "Montana" in the winter time other than go thru Wyoming.. I believe there is an acceptation there where you can buy minnows in Lovell and use them in both Wyoming and Montana since its the same body of water. I'm sure someone's going to tell me I wrong though!! Glad I live in Wyoming where all roads lead to a great lake to fish!!! 

[wyoutdoors]

 

Actually by our trucks each evening so there was no misunderstanding from anybody. 

[dubob]

There is another place that gets pretty interesting as far as Minnows are concerned and that's Bighorn lake as it resides both in Wyoming and Montana and there is no way to get to Barry's landing "Montana" in the winter time other than go thru Wyoming.. I believe there is an acceptation there where you can buy minnows in Lovell and use them in both Wyoming and Montana since its the same body of water. I'm sure someone's going to tell me I wrong though!! Glad I live in Wyoming where all roads lead to a great lake to fish!!! 

Here's what the regs have to say (Big Horn Lake is in Area 2, Location A):

Area 2 Live Baitfish Location A
Live baitfish may be used for bait in the waters listed in subsection (i) provided the baitfish are obtained from a licensed live baitfish dealer authorized to sell baitfish for use in these waters or the baitfish were seined or trapped from the waters listed below in subsection (ii).

If the Lovell bait shop is AUTHORIZED to sell baitfish for use in Big Horn Lake, then you're good to go.