WATCH Montana Ice Fisherman Master the Art of Ice Sledding
Lakes all over the state are starting to show some hard water. It has been warmer than usual for this time of year, and hard water has been hard to find. Reports vary from around the state when it comes to fishable ice. Some places, like Georgetown Lake, are reporting up to 12 inches of ice. That is enough to drive a full-size pickup out onto the lake without much fear of breaking the ice. On the other hand, places like Fort Peck Reservoir and Flathead Lake are still seeing anglers catch fish out of their boats. Which is bizarre for this time of year.
The warm temperatures and high winds that this latest storm front is blowing through is not helping matters. Some places that were just starting to see fishable ice, will soon be back to a liquid state after being involved in warm winds. But, a few brave anglers still manage to find hard water. If you look hard enough, you'll find some ice to poke a hole in.
The next step is to find some fish....
According to the Montana Outdoor Radio Show website, fishing for kokanee salmon on Georgetown Lake is starting to pick up.
"It was a good bite today till about 11:30. A nice batch of salmon, though. Fishing n 20 feet of water. All these were caught suspended at 12 to 14 feet. Rocker jigs tipped with 2 maggots”
It may be worth the trip to GT and try your luck at catching a few for the smoker.
If that doesn't work out, try wind sledding.
Here's how: