Me and my family are taking a camping trip to Montana over the 4th of July week. We will be based around Helena/Three Forks and I'm wanting to do some fishing. I'm mainly a fly-fisher, but I want to take my wife and kids walleye fishing along the Missouri River somewhere, maybe below Canyon Ferry towards Cascade. The Montana FWP mainly lists the reservoirs as walleye fishery's and not the tailwaters below. Is there any accessible walleye, perch, pike, bass waters along the rivers in this area? I'm a shore fisherman so fishing the normal deep water lakes is not an option unless I'm able to rent a boat at a local marina. Thanks for the help.
Fishing around Helena
- Thread starter Pagosa
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mdunc8
Well-known member
I don't fish up there much, but I don't think there's much in the rivers except for trout, carp, and the occasional pike.
Bulldog0156
Well-known member
They catch walleyes pretty consistantly under Holter dam, but that's going to be about it for warmwater species. Depending on water levels the fly fishing could be pretty good though!
Shore fishing for the walleyes can be done right below Holter, but it's much easier from a boat simply based on how and where you will want to fish. You'll want to anchor up in the deeper holes right below the dam, but below the cable. Drifting minnows, leeches, softbaits will be your best bet for catching fish. As you go downriver, the walleye concentration drops quickly, but there are some enormous fish scattered all the way down to Cascade.
You would have much better luck fishing Holter Lake or Canyon Ferry for walleye than you would fishing the tailwater if you can rent a boat. There are also some very nice trout in Holter, and there are some nice primitive campsites on the upper part of the lake towards the Gates.
Edit: Make sure you read the rules on using bait. I believe minnows cannot be live, don't remember on leeches.
You would have much better luck fishing Holter Lake or Canyon Ferry for walleye than you would fishing the tailwater if you can rent a boat. There are also some very nice trout in Holter, and there are some nice primitive campsites on the upper part of the lake towards the Gates.
Edit: Make sure you read the rules on using bait. I believe minnows cannot be live, don't remember on leeches.
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Guys thanks for the direction. I'm hoping to flyfish and spin fish both. The main reason I want to focus on walleye, sauger, etc with the wife and kids, because if they catch them they will want to keep it if allowed. Taking little ones to trout holes is sometimes not the most productive for fishing or the trout.
JLS - I will look into the areas below the Gates and Holter Dam. Most of walleye fishing I have done on the Missouri River has been in the Dakota's where you cast out with weight and fish minnows, leeches on the bottom in the current. That would be perfect to camp and fish the river below the dam.
JLS - I will look into the areas below the Gates and Holter Dam. Most of walleye fishing I have done on the Missouri River has been in the Dakota's where you cast out with weight and fish minnows, leeches on the bottom in the current. That would be perfect to camp and fish the river below the dam.
Bulldog0156
Well-known member
The kids should be able to pitch spoons and rapalas in the river under the dam and catch plenty of rainbows too.
