Fishing in Montana

[Rennich98]

Leaving tomorrow for a week of fishing on flathead lake for lake trout...but since the lake typically doesn't freeze over I still wanna be able to do some ice fishing...hopefully gonna try and get into some decent perch...me and my dad were thinking of trying lake Mary Ronan unless there's anything else within about a 45 min drive from flathead...so has anyone fished around here with good luck...and apparently there's no limit on perch so I'm sure some of you guys will be getting just a little jealous

[npauls]

I will be down that way the night of the 7th until the night of the 10th prefishing for a tourney on the 10th on smith lake. Its the first stop on the perch trail down there.

Hopefully next season i can make to every event on the trail.

[Rennich98]

Holy Montana regs are confusing...only says lake Mary Ronan is open for perch but doesn't say how many you're allowed to keep...anyone know?

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Rennich98

Holy Montana regs are confusing...only says lake Mary Ronan is open for perch but doesn't say how many you're allowed to keep...anyone know?

Montana regs aren't that difficult to understand. Montana bodies of water are divided into 3 districts, Western Central and Eastern. First look up the body of water you want to fish in its applicable district. If that body of water is listed then those are specific regs for that body of water in addition to the standard regs at the front of the district regs. If the body of water isn't listed then only the standard district regs apply. Each of the 3 districts have differing regs due to the variety of fish in the state.

So for Lake Mary Ronan specific regs for only that body of water:

Open 1 March 1 to 3rd Saturday in May: yellow perch only.
Open 3rd Saturday in May through end of February. (my take is for all fish species)
Salmon: 10 daily and 20 in possession.
Bass: Open 3rd Saturday in May through June 30th: only 1 over 22". Open July 1 through end of February: 5 daily and in possession, 1 over 12". Closed March 1 through 3rd Saturday in May.

So from 1 March to the 3rd Saturday in May the only thing your allowed to fish for is Yellow Perch. Then the rest of the year you can fish for all species and the keep/possession limits are the above stated for Salmon and Bass as per the specific body of water regs and then for Pike, Trout, Whitefish etc.. the standard District regs apply.

As far as how many Perch you can keep, if it is not listed in the regs there is no limit to how many fish you may take or possess. Page 24 of the regs at the top of the page 1st paragraph 2nd sentence. (if you wanna double check)

hope this helps and good luck!

[Trooper23]

My wife and I went down to Lake Mary Ronan last winter and the perch fishing was non-stop. Pulled out about 50 in one day. Had 4 that ran 12", 8 at 10" and the rest were smaller.

Lots of fun and good eating!

[Habfan]

Just 1/2 hr east of Big Fork there is a couple lakes with perch,rainbows and bass. Yellow bay and Blue bay freeze over on Flathead with good fishing for whites and lakers.

[falroy]

The two bays on the south west corner of Flatthead were frozen over last weekend, saw a couple guys out fishing. You could try Lake Five or bitterroot if your interested in kokanee.

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by falroy

The two bays on the south west corner of Flatthead were frozen over last weekend, saw a couple guys out fishing. You could try Lake Five or bitterroot if your interested in kokanee.

Don't forget if your on the south side of the lake you need a flathead res fishing license. Regs would be different than the states.

[Habfan]

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

Don't forget if your on the south side of the lake you need a flathead res fishing license. Regs would be different than the states.

Regs are the same, you just need a extra liscence, 10$ is all it costs. If you fish the reserve side you don't need a Montana angling liscence. At this time of year most fish are at the north end anyways as they congregate in the fall towards the 2 rivers at Big Fork. There always some fish all over but they migrate from north to south after the spawn and the fish should still be more to the north !! You can catch lakers in the river from shore until mid February. Don't go over your limit, it's only 100. Lol