08-09-2008, 11:10 AM
Fish the hopper and dropper for great action The must-have fly patterns these days are assorted high-floating, low-floating and even sinking grasshoppers. Add a dropper pattern on a short bit of leader tied to the bend of the hook - a beadhead, prince nymph, hare's ear or another hopper - and you've got a dynamite offering for river and stream trout.
It's the August-September classic - the hopper and dropper. And you're never sure which of the two flies will be the big fish catcher on any particular day.
Aside from periodic thunderstorms that muddy the waters, rivers are all in great shape - running cool and clear. It's a great time to be wading or floating.
Things are a bit trickier on the lakes and reservoirs now. There are strong lake trout bites going on at Flathead Lake and near the dam at Fort Peck Reservoir. But walleyes are getting a bit finicky as they go deeper. Bass action is best early and late in the day.
Those are the overall trends. Here are some particulars in our Montana Fishing Roundup:
Bighorn Lake: Bass action is getting better. Some walleyes are being caught on worm harnesses. Some nice perch are being caught as well.
Bighorn River: The black caddis are here and fish are looking up. Hopper fishing is great, as well. Still a lot of floating weeds coming down so the upper river is fishing best.
Bitterroot River: A smorgasbord of bugs out there -- hoppers, mayflies, caddis and yellow sallies. Dry fly action is good, especially early and late in the day.
Blackfoot River: The middle reaches are fishing the best with a lot of action on little ones for each big one you catch.
Canyon Ferry Reservoir: Walleye fishing has started to pick up on the north end. Most action has been trolling rainbow Rapalas off of Hellgate. People are also catching some walleyes along the west shore and around Cemetery Island. Rainbow fishing has been fair trolling Rapalas or cowbells south of White Earth at 20 to 35 feet down
Clark Fork: Hopper and dropper combinations are working along with yellow sallies. The best action is early and late.
Deadman's Basin Reservoir: Trout and salmon are still being caught with boat fishermen doing better than bank fishermen. Trolling with cowbells is the best tactic. Just one under-sized tiger muskie reported.
Flathead Lake: The lake whitefish bite has still been a bit on and off with good catches one day and poor the next. The whitefish appear to be moving around a lot. But lake trout continues to be very, very good.
Fort Peck Reservoir: Lake trout fishing is very good near Fort Peck Dam and York Island. A Chinook salmon have been caught. Walleyes are heading deeper and biting more on bait rigs.
Hauser Reservoir: Rainbow fishing is slow with a few being caught from shore below Canyon Ferry Dam on worms and marshmallows. Walleye fishing is good in the Causeway using chartreuse jigs tipped with a worm or leech in 10 to 15 feet of water.
Holter Reservoir: Some nice rainbows are still being caught early morning while trolling cowbells tipped with a crawler. Most rainbow action has been from Split Rock to the Dam in 20 to 30 feet of water. Walleye action is good throughout the reservoir while using jigs tipped with a worm or leech.
Kootenai River: Hoppers, hoppers, hoppers. They're fishing the best by far.
Madison River: Dry fly fishing is good on the upper river with trout taking golden stones, sallies, caddis and a smattering of PMD's and even hoppers and ants. - Kris Kumlien, Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman.
Missouri River, Below Holter: We have all kinds of bugs around including caddis, some PMD's and now tricos , hoppers and ants are also starting to work.
Tiber Reservoir: Walleyes are still being caught but anglers are going deeper for them - 20 to 35 feet. Worm harnesses remain your best bet.
Tongue River Reservoir: Some big catfish are biting on worms with fish up to 15 pounds. Crappies are best early and late, but a bit hit and miss from day to day.
Yellowstone River: Hoppers are working well. When it gets hot, go deep with streamers - woolly buggers with flashabouts or yellow and brown with rubberlegs. Muddler minnows are also producing.
It's the August-September classic - the hopper and dropper. And you're never sure which of the two flies will be the big fish catcher on any particular day.
Aside from periodic thunderstorms that muddy the waters, rivers are all in great shape - running cool and clear. It's a great time to be wading or floating.
Things are a bit trickier on the lakes and reservoirs now. There are strong lake trout bites going on at Flathead Lake and near the dam at Fort Peck Reservoir. But walleyes are getting a bit finicky as they go deeper. Bass action is best early and late in the day.
Those are the overall trends. Here are some particulars in our Montana Fishing Roundup:
Bighorn Lake: Bass action is getting better. Some walleyes are being caught on worm harnesses. Some nice perch are being caught as well.
Bighorn River: The black caddis are here and fish are looking up. Hopper fishing is great, as well. Still a lot of floating weeds coming down so the upper river is fishing best.
Bitterroot River: A smorgasbord of bugs out there -- hoppers, mayflies, caddis and yellow sallies. Dry fly action is good, especially early and late in the day.
Blackfoot River: The middle reaches are fishing the best with a lot of action on little ones for each big one you catch.
Canyon Ferry Reservoir: Walleye fishing has started to pick up on the north end. Most action has been trolling rainbow Rapalas off of Hellgate. People are also catching some walleyes along the west shore and around Cemetery Island. Rainbow fishing has been fair trolling Rapalas or cowbells south of White Earth at 20 to 35 feet down
Clark Fork: Hopper and dropper combinations are working along with yellow sallies. The best action is early and late.
Deadman's Basin Reservoir: Trout and salmon are still being caught with boat fishermen doing better than bank fishermen. Trolling with cowbells is the best tactic. Just one under-sized tiger muskie reported.
Flathead Lake: The lake whitefish bite has still been a bit on and off with good catches one day and poor the next. The whitefish appear to be moving around a lot. But lake trout continues to be very, very good.
Fort Peck Reservoir: Lake trout fishing is very good near Fort Peck Dam and York Island. A Chinook salmon have been caught. Walleyes are heading deeper and biting more on bait rigs.
Hauser Reservoir: Rainbow fishing is slow with a few being caught from shore below Canyon Ferry Dam on worms and marshmallows. Walleye fishing is good in the Causeway using chartreuse jigs tipped with a worm or leech in 10 to 15 feet of water.
Holter Reservoir: Some nice rainbows are still being caught early morning while trolling cowbells tipped with a crawler. Most rainbow action has been from Split Rock to the Dam in 20 to 30 feet of water. Walleye action is good throughout the reservoir while using jigs tipped with a worm or leech.
Kootenai River: Hoppers, hoppers, hoppers. They're fishing the best by far.
Madison River: Dry fly fishing is good on the upper river with trout taking golden stones, sallies, caddis and a smattering of PMD's and even hoppers and ants. - Kris Kumlien, Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman.
Missouri River, Below Holter: We have all kinds of bugs around including caddis, some PMD's and now tricos , hoppers and ants are also starting to work.
Tiber Reservoir: Walleyes are still being caught but anglers are going deeper for them - 20 to 35 feet. Worm harnesses remain your best bet.
Tongue River Reservoir: Some big catfish are biting on worms with fish up to 15 pounds. Crappies are best early and late, but a bit hit and miss from day to day.
Yellowstone River: Hoppers are working well. When it gets hot, go deep with streamers - woolly buggers with flashabouts or yellow and brown with rubberlegs. Muddler minnows are also producing.