FISHING REPORTS

Dave Sedlock

Fishing Report for Helena Area Reservoirs

Anglers are reminded that ice conditions can be extremely variable. Ice thickness can range from thick enough to support a vehicle to open water. Extreme caution should be used when accessing the ice.

Canyon Ferry: No safe ice. Ice is beginning to form on the south end of the reservoir near the Silos. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Hauser: A few rainbows, walleye, and perch are being caught in Lake Helena while using various jigs tipped with crawlers or maggots. The ice on Lake Helena is variable and up to 8 inches thick in some spots. Ice near the Causeway is unsafe. There is no ice at Riverside, Devil’s Elbow, York Bridge or Black Sandy. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: No safe ice. Some areas are beginning to freeze up on the upper end of the reservoir near the Gates of the Mountains. No safe ice on the lower end of the reservoir. You can still launch a boat at Log Gulch. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: No safe ice. 1-2 inches reported. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician

Dave Sedlock

Anglers are reminded that ice conditions can be extremely variable. Ice thickness can range from thick enough to support a vehicle to open water. Extreme caution should be used when accessing the ice.

Canyon Ferry: There is 2-4 inches of ice on the south end and it is mostly too unstable to access. A few are venturing out by Pond 4, however, we have not verified ice thickness in that area. Hopefully with the incoming colder weather the ice will firm up and become safe. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser: A few walleye, perch and rainbow trout are being caught in Lake Helena while using various jigs tipped with crawlers or maggots. The ice on Lake Helena is between 4 and 8 inches thick. Trout action has been good near the Causeway and some anglers are catching perch, and walleye near the Causeway Powerlines. The ice in the Causeway area is between 2 and 3.5 inches thick. There is no ice at Riverside, Devil’s Elbow, York Bridge or Black Sandy. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: No safe ice. Some areas are beginning to freeze up on the upper end of the reservoir near the Gates of the Mountains. No safe ice on the lower end of the reservoir. You can still launch a boat at Log Gulch. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Some anglers are finding a few perch and kokanee close to shore while using Hali jigs tipped with maggots. The ice is between 2 and 3.5 inches thick. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Troy Humphrey | Biologist 1

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Rainbows are being caught from the Silos to Pond 4 in 10 to 15 feet of water on yellow, chartreuse or orange jigs tipped with worms or maggots. An occasional perch or walleye are being caught in deeper water out from the Silos or Duck Creek. There is 3-6 inches of ice around the Silos, Ponds, Duck Creek and Confederate. Mid reservoir to the north end is either open water or an unstable sheet of ice. Ice conditions should improve with the colder weather. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser: Walleye and perch fishing has been decent in Lake Helena while using various jigs tipped with maggots or nightcrawlers. The ice on Lake Helena is variable and ranges from 3 to 8 inches. Trout action at the Causeway has been good while using small ice jigs or spoons tipped with crawler pieces 3 to 6 feet below the ice. A few perch, and walleye continue to be caught near the Powerlines while jigging near the bottom. The ice in the Causeway area is between 4 and 7 inches thick. The rest of the reservoir is either open water or still has unsafe ice. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: No safe ice. Some areas on the upper and the lower end of the reservoir have frozen over recently but more cold weather is needed to set it up. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Kokanee fishing has been decent while fishing deeper water with Hali or Pimple style ice jigs tipped with maggots or corn. A few perch are being caught with the same equipment while jigging near the bottom. There is 5 to 8 inches of ice. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Rainbows are being caught from the Silos to Pond 4 and from the Silos to Hole in the Wall in 10 to 20 feet of water on yellow or pink glow hooks and tungsten jig heads tipped with worms or maggots. Perch and walleye are being caught in 25 to 35 feet of water towards Hole in the Wall and out from Duck Creek while using green and yellow jigs with maggots or worms. There is 6-10 inches of ice around the Silos, Ponds, Hole in the Wall, Duck Creek and Confederate. Mid reservoir to the north end is either open water or an unstable sheet of ice. Ice conditions should continue to improve with the colder weather. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser: Some nice trout are being caught at the Causeway while using small ice jigs with rubber legs, plain crawlers, or spoons tipped with crawler pieces. A few walleye and perch are being caught in Lake Helena and near the Causeway Powerlines while using various jigs tipped with maggots or nightcrawlers. Ice conditions have improved recently and there is around 6 to 8 inches of ice. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: Ice conditions have improved recently, and the perch bite is hot once again. Good numbers of perch are being caught near the Prairie Dog Town and out from Departure Point while fishing near the bottom in 20 to 40 feet of water with small jigs or spoons tipped with maggots or crawlers. Rainbows fishing has been good at the Gates of the Mountains and in the bays on the lower end of the reservoir while fishing 3 to 6 feet below the ice with dark colored ice flies tipped with crawler pieces. Ice conditions are variable and there is 3.5 to 5 inches depending on location. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Kokanee fishing has been decent while jigging in 25 to 35 feet of water with various spoons or Halis tipped with maggots or corn. A few perch are being caught with the same equipment while jigging near the bottom. There is 6 to 8 inches of ice. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician
Region 4 | Fisheries Division

Dave Sedlock

February 3rd 2025

Canyon Ferry: Rainbows are being caught from the Silos to Pond 4 in 12 to 15 feet of water on yellow or green jigs with a worm. Rainbows, perch and walleye are being caught in 25 to 40 feet of water towards Hole in the Wall and out from Duck Creek while using white, green or yellow jigs with maggots or worms. A few burbot are being caught as well. There is 11 to 12 inches of ice around the Silos and Ponds, 8 to 10 inches at Hole in the Wall and Duck Creek and 6 inches at White Earth. The north end has some fish-able ice, but no report on depths. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser: The trout fishing has been pretty good at the Causeway and out from Black Sandy while using plain crawlers, meal worms, small spoons, or ice jigs with rubber legs. A few walleye and some nice sized perch are being caught towards the powerlines and also out on Lake Helena while using various jigs tipped with maggots or nightcrawlers. A few burbot are being caught out from White Sandy while using cut bait near the bottom. There has been around 6 to 8 inches of ice in most places. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: Trout fishing has been good near the road at the Gates of the Mountains and in the bays on the lower end of the reservoir while fishing 3 to 6 feet below the ice with meal worms, plain crawlers, various jigs or small spoons. A few northern pike are being caught near the Gates as well while using set lines and dead suckers or herring as bait. Good numbers of perch are being caught out from the Prairie Dog Town, Log Gulch, and Departure Point while fishing near the bottom in 20 to 50 feet of water with small glow jigs or spoons tipped with maggots or crawlers. An occasional walleye and burbot is being caught with the same equipment or while using cut bait. There is 6 to 7 inches of ice near the road at the Gates. On the lower end, the ice can be inconsistent near the shorelines but is around 6 to 7 inches thick in most places. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Kokanee fishing has been decent while jigging in 25 to 40 feet of water with various spoons or Halis tipped with maggots or corn. A few perch are being caught with the same equipment while jigging near the bottom. There is 6 to 10 inches of ice. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Rainbows, perch and walleye are being caught in 15 to 20 feet of water out from the Silos or north towards Hole in the Wall. The rainbows are being caught on silver and pink or red jigs with worms or maggots. Walleye and perch are being caught while using pink, red or yellow Hali jigs or spoons with red hooks tipped with nightcrawlers, perch eyes or maggots. An occasional ling is being caught along with the perch and walleye on the bottom. The Duck Creek to Confederate area has slow fishing overall. There is 16 inches of ice around the Silos and Ponds, 15 inches at Hole in the Wall and Duck Creek, 10 inches at White Earth and 9 inches at Shannon. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Hauser: A few perch are being caught near the Causeway Powerlines while jigging with maggots. Fishing on Lake Helena has been slow. Rainbow fishing has been good at the Causeway near the inflow and out from Black Sandy while dead sticking small spoons or jigs tipped with crawlers 6 to 10 feet below the ice. A few burbot and northern pike are being caught out from White Sandy at night while using setlines with dead bait. There is 10 to 14 inches of ice on Lake Helena and 8 to 10 inches of ice in most places on Hauser. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Holter: Perch fishing has been great or slow, depending on location. The most consistent fishing has been on the opposite bank areas across from the Prairie Dog Town and Log Gulch. Some perch and burbot are being caught along the Beartooth road in 30 to 50 feet of water while using various jigs tipped with maggots or crawler pieces. Rainbow fishing has been great at the Gates of the Mountains and on the lower end of the reservoir while fishing 6 to 8 feet below the ice with meal worms, plain crawlers, various jigs or small spoons. A few northern pike are being caught at the Gates as well while using set lines with dead suckers or herring in 4 to 10 feet of water. There is 9 to 10 inches of ice near the Gates of the Mountains and 10 to 12 inches on the lower end of the reservoir. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Kokanee fishing has been decent while jigging in 30 to 40 feet of water with various spoons or Halis tipped with maggots or corn. A few perch are being caught with the same equipment while jigging near the bottom. There is 10 to 12 inches of ice. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician

Dave Sedlock

This will be the final ice fishing report sent out for our Helena Area Reservoirs for the season. We will resume our spring and summer open water fishing reports when conditions allow in April.

Anglers are reminded that ice conditions can be extremely variable. Ice thickness can range from thick enough to support a vehicle to open water. Extreme caution should be used when accessing the ice.

Canyon Ferry: The south end has open water with the remainder of the reservoir having poor ice conditions. Look for some great rainbow fishing in open water areas, especially on the north end as the ice pulls away from the shore. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Hauser: The rainbow bite has been great in open water at the Causeway while using plain crawlers, leech pattern flies or powerbait. The ice on Lake Helena and Hauser is going away fast. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Holter: The ice is now gone at the Gates of the Mountains and anglers are excited to get boats out and chase those big rainbows. The rainbow bite has been great along shore and while out in the boat with leech pattern flies, plain crawlers and marshmallows, various spoons or powerbait. The ice conditions on the lower end of the reservoir are unsafe. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: The kokanee bite has been great the last couple of weeks while jigging in 25 to 40 feet of water with Swedish Pimples or Halis jigs tipped with maggots or corn. The ice is quickly becoming unstable and will most likely be unsafe to be out on by next weekend. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena