Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Helena Area Fishing Report

January 18, 2010

Canyon Ferry: Rainbow fishing across the reservoir continues to be slow. However, historical data suggests that rainbow fishing picks up toward the end of January. Successful anglers are using green or black jigs and wooly buggers tipped with maggots in 6-12 feet of water. Yellow perch fishing remains slow, but the few fish being caught are large. Perch fishing is best mid-reservoir between Duck Creek and Hole-in-the-Wall. Various colors of glow hooks and sweedish pimples, tipped with maggots or perch eyes in 40-55 feet of water, are effective. Walleye and burbot (ling) fishing remains very slow across the reservoir. Reported ice depths: South end/ Waterfowl Ponds - 18”, Silos/ Hole-in-the-Wall - 16”-18”, Duck Creek Bay/ Confederate - 14”-16”, White Earth - 12”-15”, Magpie Bay - 8”-10”. Adam Strainer, FWP, Helena

Hauser: Rainbow fishing has been inconsistent with good catches one day and poor the next. Anglers that are finding success are in the Causeway using jigs and maggots in 10 to 12 feet of water. Walleye and perch fishing are slow. With the warmer weather the Causeway ice can be very variable and extreme caution is necessary when venturing out onto it. There is 6”-12” of ice out from the Causeway Bridge and 12”-14” at Black Sandy. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Holter: Rainbow fishing has slowed a bit, but anglers are having fair success around Black Beach and Departure Point. Brown or Chartreuse jigs tipped with maggots in 10 to 20 feet of water has been working best. Perch and walleye fishing have been spotty with a few being caught by those willing to move around and find them in deeper water. There is 12”-14” of ice. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Kokanee fishing continues to be slow with a few small salmon being caught on occasion. Perch fishing has been nonexistent. There is 14”-18” of ice. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena