For the most current Ice Fishing conditions and reports, please visit www.iceshanty.com
You can always find great information and weekly updated fishing reports from our great friends at Montana Outdoor Radio Show
Canyon Ferry: Rainbows are being caught from the Ponds to Hole in the Wall in 10-15 feet of water while using green or pink jigs and worms. Perch and walleyes are being caught north of the Silos and from Confederate to Duck Creek in 20 to 30 feet of water while using green or chartreuse jigs tipped with a worm or maggots. There are boats getting out and fishing for rainbows around Shannon and Yacht Basin. There is 6-7 inches of ice from Confederate to the Ponds, 2-3 inches around White Earth and open water from Avalanche to the dam. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Hauser: A few rainbows continue to be caught around the Causeway area while using set lines with jigs and nightcrawlers or maggots. The ice around the Causeway area is only 3-4 inches thick and has been getting softer over the last few days. Lake Helena has open water showing in some areas of the lake and around 4-5 inches of ice in some spots but not many anglers have been heading out onto the ice lately. Most of Hauser still has open water or unstable ice conditions. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Holter: No safe ice. Most of the reservoir including the lower end near the dam remains open water or has unstable ice conditions. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: Kokanee action has really picked up and fishing during the early morning and late evening has been the most productive. Most anglers are using Swedish Pimples or Hali jigs tipped with maggots. Jigging in 35-40 feet of water has been producing some nicer sized kokanee lately. A few perch are being picked up while using the same equipment near the bottom. There is still 5-7 inches of ice as of this last weekend, but it is getting softer with the warm temperatures that we have been having. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks | Region 4
1534 9th Avenue
P.O. Box 200701
Helena, MT 59620-0701
Office: (406) 495-3272
1 Comment
Dave Sedlock
2025-12-30 at 8:19 pmIce is still unstable in the Helena area. Need a few more weeks of hard freeze.