The geese are flying low, the Griz have just beaten the Cats again, and as I write this month’s fishing report there is more of a chance of rain
than snow. Can it really be December? A dry, temperate November has stalled the start of ice fishing season this year, and by the time you read this, unless there is a severe change in our long term forecast, it will still be stalled. Hopefully by Christmas just about all of our water should be hard and the shacks and augers can come out of storage. If ice fishing isn’t your bag, most of our rivers will still offer some good opportunities for trout and whitefish, weather allowing.
First, let’s look at some good early season ice fishing options
GEORGETOWN LAKE: In western Montana, the first ice and often the best fishing occurs on Georgetown. There is finally some ice on this favorite winter fishing destination. Most anglers will fish small jigs like Rat Finkees, Ratsos and rocker jigs, tipped with maggots. For added flash try removing the hook from a Swedish Pimple or Kastmaster and running your jig as a dropper about six inches below the spoon. The flashing spoon will entice the fish in close, where they usually won’t be able to resist the tasty morsel suspended below. Generally the bite is best early in the morning, and usual hotspots are Piney point, Rainbow point, Denton’s point or the Sunnyside area.
CLEARWATER LAKES CHAIN: The Clearwater lakes will usually start to fish a couple of weeks after Georgetown, first up high on Rainy and Alva, and a bit later on the lower lakes like Salmon, Seeley and Harper’s. There is a lot of water to fish up here, and quite a few species to hunt. For trout, try Rainy, Placid, Harpers or Alva. Jigging Swedish Pimples, Buckshots or small jigs tipped with maggots is the preferred technique. Placid is also home to a good population of Kokanee, which are scrappy fighters on light tackle and readily take a glow hook tipped with a maggot or corn. If pike are your quarry, Salmon and Seeley have gained quite a reputation in recent years for kicking out some decent specimens through the ice. These toothy denizens are usually taken either by fishing dead smelt or herring on a tip-up, or jigging airplane jigs or Jigging Raps. Either way, dragging ten pounds of angry, slimy, toothy pike through a hole in the ice is
world-class sport any way you slice it.
BROWNS LAKE: While not the numbers fishery that Georgetown is, there isn’t a better place to catch big trout through the ice than Browns. Brown’s lake experts jealously guard their favorite baits and hotspots, but the observant angler will find that the time it takes to get the hang of things up here is well worth the effort. Try small spoons like Swedish pimple and Buckshots, or Jigging Raps for best success. Baiting with maggots or a bit of night crawler is generally a good idea as well. Carry lots of colors and sizes, and try different combinations until you hit on the right one. Don’t forget to set up a tip up. It may take some time to get it right, but you will be rewarded by trout that are often measured in pounds instead of inches.
FLATHEAD LAKE: Flathead will rarely freeze much in December, and fishing is often as good as it gets here. Lake trout cruise very near the shorelines this time of year, and can be caught from the boat or even from shore by the enterprising angler. Cast heavy spoons like Country Miles, Bomber Slabs and Kastmasters, and cover as much water around
drop-offs, ledges and shoreline structure as possible. Even though the white fish bite never got going this year, fishing for them in December can be excellent as well, as these fish prepare to head downriver to spawn. Fish can be caught from the boat, or off of Polson Bridge itself. Jigging spoons, grubs or whitefish flies tipped with maggots will be the best way to fill the smoker one last time.
AREA RIVERS: Our local rivers will still fish very well at times throughout the month. Ideally, pick a day when the air temperature is above freezing, and fish the warmest part of the day. Concentrate your efforts on holding water that is slower than what you would fish in the summer, and fish more deliberately as well, as trout won’t move a long ways to eat in water this cold, so precise drifts will be key. Often times a number of drifts through the same spot are necessary to coax a fish to bite. Expect most of the action to be subsurface, but you can do surprisingly well some times nymphing San Juan Worms, glo bugs and small bead head nymphs. The bite will not generally last very long, but a couple of hours standing in thirty four degree water is generally enough to take the edge off your fishing jones.
Wherever you go this month, remember that winter in Montana can be dangerous, so stay warm, safe and smart when you head out. Fish with a partner, and make sure someone back home knows where you are.
For those of you who prefer your water in it’s liquid state, there are still plenty of places to wet a line.
