petrolia or castle rock

[mt.redneck]

which would be a better lake to ice fish petrolia or castle rock? I've ice fished both, 2 18 inch pike at castle rock and not a hit at petrolia. Wanted to get other people's opinion

[TJet Apprentice45]

Petrolia has been terrible the last couple years.  We've fished it 4 times in the last two years and caught one perch.  Normally we get into some great eater size pike and walleye but it's really fallen off these past couple years.   This year with the low water probably isn't going to help anything either.

[mt.redneck]

Petrolia has been terrible the last couple years.  We've fished it 4 times in the last two years and caught one perch.  Normally we get into some great eater size pike and walleye but it's really fallen off these past couple years.   This year with the low water probably isn't going to help anything either.

thanks for the info, I fished petrolia for half a day last season and never marked a thing on my showdown, went over to payola and at least caught some perch and one largemouth.

[TJet Apprentice45]

Yea from the sounds of things it's going to be a tough year all over the Winnett area on the smaller lakes.  The low water may have killed the fish over the summer and if they did make it they probably won't over the winter.  Guess more trips to Crooked Cr. are in order, hope it freezes a little better than last year

[mt.redneck]

Yea from the sounds of things it's going to be a tough year all over the Winnett area on the smaller lakes.  The low water may have killed the fish over the summer and if they did make it they probably won't over the winter.  Guess more trips to Crooked Cr. are in order, hope it freezes a little better than last year

how well does crooked creek usually fish? I've only fished the hell creek part of peck and caught 3 perch.

[TJet Apprentice45]

Usually fishes real well, as long as it freezes.  Last year was tought cuz the ice was all over the place and real thin when you got away from the ramp around the corner a ways.
It's a long trip in there compared to stopping at Vogel or YW but well worth it if the ice is good.

[mt.redneck]

Usually fishes real well, as long as it freezes.  Last year was tough cuz the ice was all over the place and real thin when you got away from the ramp around the corner a ways.
It's a long trip in there compared to stopping at Vogel or YW but well worth it if the ice is good.

do you know what the average sizes are for walleye and pike there and can a guy catch other species pretty regularly?

[TJet Apprentice45]

sizes are all over.. .there are monsters in Peck, and lots of them, and even more fish from small to big.  As for Species it has them all, set a tip up with a minnow and you could have a Walleye, sauger, norther, ling, catfish, crappie, perch, lake trout, small mouth... and on and on, it's a blast not knowing what's popped a flag.

[mt.redneck]

sizes are all over.. .there are monsters in Peck, and lots of them, and even more fish from small to big.  As for Species it has them all, set a tip up with a minnow and you could have a Walleye, sauger, norther, ling, catfish, crappie, perch, lake trout, small mouth... and on and on, it's a blast not knowing what's popped a flag.

I would be happy just seeing a flag go up, lol. Have tried tip ups for a few years and have had one flag pop but it might have been a wind trip 

[TJet Apprentice45]

Well if the SOB will freeze this year we'll have to get together and fish it.  Always looking for more people to have an ice fishing problem with.

[double_a85]

So when do we think we will have good ice this year? With this warm weather and hunting season closing soon... I want to roll right into ice fishing! That ain't goin to happen.

TJet-- Do you fish Crooked Creek often? Been wanting to hit it for a few years, but haven't ice fished at all for the warmwater species, and its a big lake to just wing it not knowing much about the area and techniques for species. I went after trout all last year, but with yw and vogel sitting bad....

[TJet Apprentice45]

at the rate we're at we'll be lucky to be on the ice by new years... this 60 degree crap is getting real old.    Been looking for some higher elevation lakes to get on soon, Henry's in ID I heard was froze so I'm sure Hebgen is not far behind.    Took the better half up to Red Lodge Sunday for a drive, stopped at Wild Bill... it was froze and there were people walking all over it.  worst comes to worst I'll drill a hole up there and catch 6 inch trout just to try out some of the new gear.

we try to fish CC as often as possible..I really hope it gets cold enough to freeze CC solid this year.  Last year it was so scetchy you couldn't go very far to any of the good areas.  It's going to take a big swing in the temps but here to hoping it'll freeze hard.  It's alot nicer being able to go in there rather than driving all the way to hell Creek or Devils Creek.

[Lewie]

Not sure if anyone is watching what the core of engineers is doing with the water at Peck, but I was there in early October and CC bay only had 6 ft of water in it.  It has dropped 2 feet since then.  At this rate, the bay will be dry again by February and you'll be stuck fishing drilling holes in the main river channel. Unless we get a ton of snow and spring moisture, we won't be launching boats there this spring either. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if something doesn't change we'll be watching weeds grow at the end of CC ramp again.  Terrible what the core is doing to us...again.

[mt.redneck]

shaping up to be a very short and tough ice season!

[TJet Apprentice45]

Lewie you're right, doesn't seem right what the Corps is doing to the lake levels.  Now, I understand that we had one of the driest years on record this year, so naturally a shallow bay like CC is going to take a hit, but you'd think they'd take that into consideration in the spring when the snow pack is low and no rain in sight. 
Here's to hoping we can at least get on the ice, if there is any to get out to some fishable water... The next issue will be if the wonderful CMR Nazi's close the bay because we might hurt the wonderful mud that's normally on the bottom of the lake by taking wheelers across from shore to the ice.

[fishin mt]

Clint at hell creek told me they r dropping it because they have to repair the spillway by the dam.  It was damaged one and a half years ago with the high runoff

[TJet Apprentice45]

Thanks for the update fishin, didn't know that about the spillway... still pretty frustrating that they are doing this now, during one of the dryest years on record, i'd like to know what their plan is to re-fil the lake.  with the pressure to keep everything downstream full there's no way they will cut flows to get it filled back up... going to take another 100 flood type of water year to get back to full again.

[double_a85]

Ahh, the problem with Fort Peck seems to be politics.... and us peons here in MT don't seem to mean squat to those people back east that set the rules for the Missouri Basin up... Fort Peck draws millions of dollars to MT in tourism/ fishing revenue... but we are always told that 2 barges up the river in Missouri are more important than our recreation up here.

So YW and Vogel are both dead... Petrolia has never been good (never fished it, just heard bad reports), Crooked Creek will be high and dry... Cooney usually fishes tough... I haven't confirmed but heard Deadmans, Martinsdale, Bair, and Sutherlin are all extremely low this year...

And with the warm weather..............

Very depressing.... I need a beer!

[mt.redneck]

and the fish and game won't help much cause trout seem to be their big priority all the time. I like catching trout but you can only have so many places to fish for trout, especially when most places they stock trout are better suited for warm water fish.

[chucknduck]

Cooney does fish tough.  It is very low this year too. My ling spot is probably out of water by now. Not sure how this will affect the fishing.  Seems like east fork res is also bone dry and will probably be restocked with trout.

[TJet Apprentice45]

Deadmans should be fishable still, it's deep enough the fish should have been fine over the summer... Might be a year to whack some big trout at Martinsdale, or save some pennies for gas, suck it up and head to Hell Cr. or Devils Cr.
Going to be an interesting year for sure.