Northwest/Central Fishing Reports 3/16/13 – Montana Outdoor Radio Show

Hear the audio fishing reports from the Kalispell and Great Falls areas, courtesy of our friends at the Montana Outdoor Radio Show.

Chancy from Snappy’s Sports in Kalispell

Chancy at Snappy’s says there’s still ice in the area. Bitterroot Lake and Ashley both have pretty good ice, but be careful on the shoreline though. Bitterroot had a report of a 7 pounder a guy caught in about 240ft of water this past week, and they’re catching in shallower limits of smaller fish. Ashley doing pretty good catching their limits on smaller fish. Beaver Lake out of Whitefish are doing well catching their limits. Murray Lake getting limits on rainbows 2-3 lb range. The Lower Stillwater has some nice and some good reports on perch in the 9-12” range. Smith Lake still has some pretty nice ice on it, holding in there. Catching some nice big perch, a little slow but folks catching them at 1½ lbs and quite a few of those smaller pike also. Open water most of the sloughs around the town are starting to open up. Someone had a boat on McWinneger slough the other day, and then Fennon and Church are starting to open up, so be sure to check the regulations. The upper stretches of the Flathead River near Snappy’s, fly fishing getting rainbows and “cuts, ” and the lower section just above the lake, folks jigging in the some of the holes picking macks, pikes, a few whitefish, and bull trout. Been hearing some good reports on the lakes. The Mack Days have started. Jigging in about 120 ft of water and guys bait fishing off the delta. Tuesday March 19th in Thompson Falls at the Rural Fire Dept, MT Fish Wildlife and Parks is holding public comment meeting on walleye suppression on Noxon.

Leonard from Roberts Bait and Tackle

Leonard from Robert’s Bait and Tackle says the ice is gone all over the place. Holter’s starting to bust up, but you can get down as far as the creek. Willow Creek, Nylon, and Bynum are open. Francis is open around the edges. Tiber’s doesn’t have any good ice. The only good fishing is on the river. Down below Holter folks are catching fish. Down below Maroni on down to Carter, folks are getting some nice eating size walleye. And the sturgeon isn’t coming up yet. If you have any questions or need rod & reel repair call Leonard406-454-1877.