406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/slashvee/ Beware of thinning ice and heavy slush conditions with this weeks warming temps.
Ashley Lake 1-2in of ice with 6in of snow/slush mix on top. Not safe and 40deg temps this week may open it up in spots. Blanchard 5-6in of good ice with slush on top. Pete’s Sassy Stingers and Venom glow jigs are getting nice perch & crappie. A few nice pike being caught on smelt using Jaw Jackers and tip-ups. Bitterroot Lake North end of lake has 5-6in of ice in the bay with rainbows, salmon and perch being caught on Swedish Pimples, Hali’s and Zimmer pink/orange Wanna B Jigs. Snow/slush on top of ice. Main body of water has no ice!! Church Slough 4-6in of ice with snow/slush mix on top. Some perch, pike & crappie being caught. Try Ratt Finkee jigs and Forage Minnow spoons for best results on Panfish. Pike liking yellow or green cut bait or shiners on tip-ups. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/visitlakeland/ Colder temps and snow are finally here, and ice is forming on many waterways this week. Safety is of the utmost importance! Check ice & slush conditions as you cross any lake or slough. This will ensure a fun and safe outdoor adventure. Ashley Lake
No recent reports of ice or fish activity. Blanchard Sold 5-7in of ice. Fishing great for perch, crappie and pike. Snyder’s “Big Shakers” tipped with maggots are getting the perch and crappie. Jaw Jackers with Pete’s Tackle Cascade Wonder are catching nice fish as well. Church Slough 3-6in of ice. Some areas are sketchy to fish on. A few pike and perch being caught but slow for crappie so far. Be careful on this slough! Crystal Lake 4in of good ice. Salmon fishing good for 12in fish. Watch for springs and open areas when crossing. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/visitlakeland/ Happy New Year! Awesome news of ice building on many lakes, but rain and warm winds/temps can change those conditions daily. So please take safety precautions to ensure a fun fishing day! Ashley Lake
No reports of ice or fish activity. Bitterroot Lake North end of lake has 3-4in in the bay with rainbows, salmon and perch being caught on Gitzit’s and Swedish Pimples tipped with wax worms. Check ice however as high winds and rain forecast could reduce ice in a hurry! Blanchard Has 5-7in of ice. Pete’s Sassy Stingers and Venom glow jigs are getting nice perch & crappie. A few nice pike being caught on smelt using Jaw Jackers. Church Slough Some fishable ice, but very sketchy areas so you may want to wait for next cold snap to venture out there. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com Photo by Simon Matzinger from Pexels The weather feels like we should trade the snow mobile in for a new boat! Ice conditions are at a stand sill, some good, some bad. Always check conditions for yourself and BE SAFE! Blanchard
There is some slush and water on top of 3-5in of ice. Use caution in some areas. Church Slough Ice is far from safe! Please don’t even try to get on the ice if there is any. Echo Lake No recent reports but what ice was there is or should be gone. Flathead Lake Lake trout spawn should be over, so look for them returning to deeper water. Try trolling pinwheel lures behind an 8in flasher close to the bottom. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com Photo by Drew Dau on Unsplash With colder weather coming, “snotcicles” are making a fashionable comeback! Stay safe out there! Ashley Lake
No recent reports of ice or fishing activity. Blanchard Ice varies from 3in on South send to 5in on the rest of the lake. Perch fishing is good using Pete’s Mystic Tear jig and Mitey Mite plastics. No crappie reports. Church Slough Reports of 2-3in of ice. A few medium sized pike caught. Lots of smaller perch. Use caution going out on the ice! Echo Lake No new reports of fishable ice. Cooler temps will help build thickness. Always probe the ice ahead of you to check ice safety. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq/ Santa said he saw your 26 inch trout and he is getting you a tape measure for Christmas! Ashley Lake
No safe ice and no new reports of fishing activity. Blanchard 3-5in of good solid ice. Reports of decent crappie action towards the South end. Perch and sunnies are being caught along the West shoreline. Use a Northland Forage Jig tipped with a wax worm. Church Slough Some ice has formed but not very safe with above average temps. Use extreme caution if you go here. Echo Lake Reports say that most of the lake is capped over, but not safe to venture out on. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com We finally have fishable ice! Always check conditions for yourself before going out as some spots may be unsafe. Use a spud bar to probe for thin spots and ALWAYS carry ice picks. Come see our Ice Expo this Saturday (Dec 7th) starting at 9AM! Ashley Lake
No recent reports as of yet. Blanchard Entire lake is capped over with 3-5in of ice. Use cation going through the channel as ice maybe thin around reeds and cattails. Church Slough Ice is starting to form on most of the lake. Not safe to fish yet. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com Photo by Carlos "Grury" Santos on Unsplash Cold weather is expected by Thanksgiving and beyond. This will really decrease the water temps. Ice will start to form on some lakes, but ALWAYS check conditions before you go out!
Ashley Lake A few people have ventured out to catch some salmon. They were in 55’ of water jigging Swedish Pimps with pink maggots anywhere from 15-30ft below water surface. Blanchard Some ice has formed, then melted. It shouldn’t take much to cap over later this week. Church Slough This past week has been great for anglers catching pike. Use on pole rigged with a pea mouth on a hanger rug under a bobber. Take a second pole and cast a fire tiger Rapala. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com Save the Date: Saturday December 7th for our Annual Ice Fishing Expo! There will be seminars and deals in the fishing department. Weather patterns will be changing fishing conditions this week. Temps will be well above freezing and heavy rains early. Fish should be biting with dropping air pressure. Always go prepared for changing weather.
Ashley Lake No recent reports however, rainbows should be on the move to shallower water. Church Slough Water levels have gone down some more from last week. The boat launch is reported to be muddy. Echo Lake Anglers have been doing well for whitefish. Reports also say the water level is quite low. Jig over larger sized rock piles with Pete’s Whitefish Slayer. 406-756-BAIT (2248) | 756BAIT.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/mustangjoe/ Cold temps this past week have really dropped the water temps. This has formed some ice on certain lakes. This will change later this week as temps will be higher. Always have safety gear when going out on first ice! Bitterroot Lake
Rainbow bite has been good again. Troll planer boards close to shoreline. Capt Andy’s Flies and Plug-It lures work best. Trilling for Salmon has also produced nice fish. Use beer can flashers and a wedding ring tipped with maggots. Blanchard Lake Reports say Ice is starting to form along shorelines, but not fishable. Church Slough Water levels are dropping as well as the temps. Crappie can be found suspended in deeper water over tall structure. |
