Editor's note: Each week a southwest Montana fishing report will run on The Standard's Outside page. For a statewide fishing report go online to www.mtstandard.com. Click on the Outside tab in the features section on the home page.
Beaverhead River: The Beav has been hit or miss with grass and moss washing down the river, making it difficult for nymphing. Streamers are doing really well if you can find a clear section. — Mike Marcum, The StoneFly Fly Shop Big Hole River: The river is still fishing well. Try hoppers, ants, tricos, beetles or moths in the morning. Some patterns to think about are GT Tricos, small Adams and purple haze. In the afternoon, hoppers such as Fat Albert's, grand hoppers and black magics are working well. In the evening, try a caddis, moths or a mahogany. During the afternoon doldrums, try smaller nymps and streamers. — Mike Marcum, The StoneFly Fly Shop Bighorn Lake: Fishermen are doing very well on smallmouth bass. Walleyes are down to about 25 feet and anglers are doing well on them as well. Leeches, crawlers and minnows are all working. Perch should be hitting well, too. — Pryor Creek Bait and Tackle Company, Laurel.
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Bighorn River: While nymphing has been fantastic as usual, hopper action should remain absolutely incredible for the foreseeable future. There are lots of caddis on the water but with hoppers everywhere, the fish don't seem to be interested in them very much. The river is clear all the way down to Two Leggins.— Bighorn Fly and Tackle.
Boulder River: Water levels have dropped, but temperatures remain cool. Smaller mayfly and moth patterns are good morning options. In the afternoons, a terrestrial with a dropper isn't a bad idea. In the evening try an attractor pattern or a caddis. — Mike Marcum, The StoneFly Fly Shop Boulder River, near Big Timber: It's low, clear and fishing well. There are a lot of hoppers. Your favorite hopper pattern with a copper john, prince nymph or hare's ear nymph as a dropper is working well. — Rainbow Run Fly Shop.
Canyon Ferry Reservoir: Fishing for rainbow trout continues to be good near the mouth of Magpie creek using corn, worms and flies. Some rainbows are also being caught incidentally while walleye fishing with crankbaits throughout the reservoir. Walleye fishing picked up slightly over the past week with the best action in the area closest to Pond's 2 & 3 on the South end (10-20 feet of water), Goose Bay and Hole-in-the-Wall mid-reservoir (15-25 feet of water) and bay points on the North end (25-45 feet of water). — FWP, Helena.
Cooney Reservoir: Some walleyes are being caught in the evenings. Leeches are the hot bait. Anglers are also fishing after dark and catching walleyes and trout. Waters are beginning to cool with the cooler night temperatures. — Pryor Creek Bait Company, Laurel.
Fort Peck Reservoir, Dam area: Lake trout fishing is excellent. Chinook salmon action has been picking up with fish running up to up 20 pounds. Fishermen are going down 95 to 100 feet and doing well on squids and flashers. Walleyes are deep with anglers going down to 30 to 40 feet to find them. — Lakeridge, Fort Peck.
Fort Peck Reservoir, Hell Creek: Walleye action has been slowing down a bit with fish heading deeper. Anglers have been using jigs, bait rigs, crankbaits and bottom bouncers. Bass fishing has been decent. And northern pike are hitting in the weedbeds. — Hell Creek Marina.
Gallatin River: Dry fly fishing is very good with hopper patterns and attractor dries. The river is in great shape. If nothing is rising, use beadhead nymphs and go down under for trout. — Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman.
Georgetown Lake: Overall is fishing well with anglers catching fish on damsels in the morning and by stripping leeches, sheep creeks and damsel nymphs in the afternoon. There's usually a short period in the evening when they will rise for stimulators, humpies and royal wolfs. — Mike Marcum, The StoneFly Fly Shop Hauser Reservoir: Rainbow fishing continues to improve as water temperatures cool down. The best rainbow action is between White Sandy and the dam while trolling cowbells or green Rock ‘N Rolls in 20 to 30 feet of water. Good walleye action has been reported around the mouth of the Causeway while trolling bottom bouncers tipped with a leech or crawler in 10 to 20 feet of water. — FWP, Helena.
Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: The snagging season for Kokanee Salmon opened on Sept. 1 and will run through Oct. 31. Limits are 35 salmon daily with 70 in possession. — FWP, Helena.
Holter Reservoir: Rainbow fishing is good around Cottonwood Creek, the Oxbow and between Split Rock and the dam. Small walleye are being caught throughout the reservoir in 7-12 feet of water. A chartreuse jig tipped with a leech is the best bet for walleye action. — FWP, Helena.
Jefferson River: Terrestrials are still the ticket on the Jeff with hoppers, beetles and moths catching fish on top and nymphs in the afternoon. Also try stripping streamers. — Mike Marcum, The StoneFly Fly Shop Madison River: Fish are eating hoppers consistently when its warm. Early in the morning nymphing wouldn't be a bad idea. Terrestrial time is here when the sun is out, so grab your ants, beetles, hoppers and spruce moths. — Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman.
Missouri River, Below Holter: Tricos and spinners are working well and caddis are on the water in the evening. Terrestrials have also been working well. Your typical tailwater nymph rigs such as pheasant tails, green machine, scuds, and small pink softies are also taking trout. — Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman.
Rock Creek: Summer fishing appears to be on the downswing, but fall fishing hasn't started. There are still lots of hoppers out and fish are nailing them in areas with grassy banks and plenty of real hoppers. A few Baetis are around in the evenings, but it needs to be a little cooler and cloudier for them to really come off. Attractors are working pretty well. — Doug Persico, Rock Creek Mercantile Stillwater River, Lower: Fishing is good. The trout are getting a little hopper-shy — they're seeing a lot of them. So try using a royal Wuff, trude or renegade up on top. There is a good evening caddis hatch coming off as well. Copper johns, beadhead bloody Mary's or a rubberleg brown bomber are good underneath. . — Suds ‘n Bugs Fly and Tackle.
Stillwater River, Upper: River levels are dropping. It's clear and fishing well. There are a lot of caddis and hoppers on the water. Jack Cabes, otter hoppers and droppers like beadhead pheasant tails, red copper johns and lightning bugs are producing. It's the best shape of the year so far. — Rainbow Run Fly Shop.
Yellowstone River, Columbus: Streamers are working well in the morning when it's cooler. Hoppers are working well during the heat of the day. The river is running clear, but rains may muddy the waters a bit. Yuk bug, woolly buggers and flash-a-buggers are good streamer choices. — Suds ‘n Bugs Fly and Tackle.
Yellowstone River, Livingston: The river is still fishing well, however it requires more than just putting a hopper in the water now with all of the recent angler pressure. The fish on the banks have seen thousands of foam hoppers so don't be afraid to throw something different or fish further out towards the middle of the river. — Montana Troutfitters, Bozeman.
— Montana Standard reporter Justin Post and Billings Gazette Outdoors Editor Mark Henckel contributed to this report.
