Fishing Report Updated October 3, 2022
This Montana private lake fishing report is valid from October 3 through October.
Early October is prime time on area private lakes. The fish put on the feedbags and take leeches exceptionally well now that the water is cooling fast, in order to get ready for the long winter just around the corner.
This time of year we almost always fish a big leech trailing a little one. Our favorite combo is a #6-8 Pigpen Leech trailing a #10-12 Mohair Leech or small Woolly Bugger, but the fish are generally not too picky. Twitch these leeches along the edges of drop-offs and weedlines, or slow-troll if you have a boat.
Limited Callibaetis mayfly hatches are still possible on calm, warm days, but they’re fading very fast. In general, we don’t throw dries on the lakes from now through the remainder of fall unless we see substantial numbers of rising trout.
Our next private lake report will drop in early October when the best fishing of the year on the lakes commences.