BY CHRIS MADSEN, SPORTSMAN’S WAREHOUSE MISSOULA (406) 532-9000 e-mail: madwolf2@netzero.net
As the last warm, bluebird days of October quickly fade into distant memory, winter seems more like a certainty than a suggestion, and it’s easy to find ones self caught in an angler’s limbo. I always have to resist the urge to stew around the house, reliving fishing memories of the
season past, while waiting impatiently for true winter and the start of ice fishing season. With the general rifle season open, and the deer and elk running for their lives, November always seems to be a sort of fishing no-man’s land, but don’t be fooled. Although the number of great fishing options might be fewer, there is still some excellent fishing to be had this month, if you know where to look.
FLATHEAD LAKE:
Flathead offers up some of the best fishing of the year for Macs and whitefish in November. Lake Trout are now routinely patrolling shallow water haunts, along shorelines with deep drop-offs. Casting heavy spoons like Country Miles and Kastmasters from the boat towards the shore is a great way to fill the cooler with some tasty trout. Whitefish will also start to school up at the river inlet and outlet to prepare for spawning, and fishing can be red hot, especially in Polson Bay. This is similar to the summer whitefish season, except most of the fish are in shallower water now. Jigging small spoons, grubs, and whitefish fly rigs with maggots will produce some hefty stringers.
MISSOURI RIVER RESERVOIRS:
Although the walleye fishing usually slows down in November, the trout fishing can be terrific on Hauser, Holter and Canyon Ferry. Brown trout are moving up to the river inlets to spawn, and will congregate in the river mouths and around
rocky shoreline structure. Big browns are notoriously aggressive this time of year, and they will usually attack just about anything that gets in their way. Trolling or casting Rapalas, Triple Teasers and Kastmasters will get the job done, and fly anglers should cast big streamers like Egg-Sucking Leeches on sinking lines. Either way, these fish are more interested in killing your lure than eating it, so expect strikes to be full of bad intentions.
GEORGETOWN LAKE:
Georgetown is another good choice before the ice starts to form. The weeds that plagued our best efforts all summer have started to recede, and fishing is excellent. Trolling Wedding Rings, Triple Teasers and Rapalas will work fine for both salmon and trout. Fly anglers should strip leech and bugger patterns around the pump house, where big trout are often found this time of year. Your chances of catching a trophy brook trout fully dressed in their brightly colored spawning regalia is also good. Georgetown is pretty high in the hills, so keep an eye on the weather, as storms can shut things down pretty quick up there.
MISSOURI RIVER:
The ‘Mo is a good choice to fish in November, because the tailwater helps to keep the flow and temperature regular. Don’t expect to see a lot of hatches this time of year, but on most any overcast afternoon you will see little BWO’s in sizes #18 to (shudder) #24. Trying to feed a size #24 BWO cripple to a 20” brown trout is a little like driving over McDonald Pass in a blizzard in a Geo Metro, but it can be done. Nymphing San Juan Worms and little bead head nymphs and scuds will produce reliably, and streamer fishing can be surprisingly good, especially now that the carpets of weeds are starting to break up.
BITTERROOT RIVER:
The Bitterroot often fishes very well in November, especially for a freeston Mahogany Duns and BWO’s will persist until the weather really turns cold, and will often provide some epic dry-fly fishing. Most of the Western Montana crowds are busy with big game hunting by now, and the ‘Root is mercifully uncrowded. Nymphing the dreaded Bacon and Eggs (San Juan Worm and Glo Bug) combo is a good way to target fish feeding on brown trout eggs, and the aforementioned brown trout are sometimes remarkably susceptible to brown and yellow or ginger colored buggers.
IDAHO STEELHEAD:
Buying an out-of-state fishing license is borderline sacrilege for most native Montanans, but with steelhead pouring up the Clearwater and Salmon rivers at a near record pace, and the price of gas dropping, it might be time to reconsider. November is generally the peak month of the fall season, and this is really shaping up as a banner year. Both rivers have plenty of fish, although the Salmon typically sees less B-Run steelhead than the Clearwater, which boasts more of these bigger fish. The Salmon also runs through a colder drainage, so it is likely to lock up with ice at the end of November or the beginning of December, while the Clearwater stays open most of the winter. A variety of techniques will work on both: pulling plugs from a boat, drifting corkies and roe, or bobber and jig fishing are the most popular techniques. Fly anglers should swing traditional wets or leeches, utilizing sink-tips as the weather gets colder.
All in all, November is a favorite month for the hard-core and aspiring hard-core angler alike, so get out there and squeeze in a few more days of fishing that don’t require a 24” rod and an auger to enjoy.
