Jump to content

  • GUESTS

    If you want access to members only forums on HSO, you will gain access only when you Sign-in or Sign-Up .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member. ?

Catfishing in Montana

Rick
 Share

Recommended Posts

BigSkyCatMan Contributor

BigSkyCatMan

Posted
Posted

There are many river systems worth noting. The Yellowstone River is your best bet for a handfull of Channel Cats between six and ten pounds. The Missouri River produces large ctas, but are sometimes hard to locate. The Musselshell and Milk Rivers are also very good options. A dozen cats averaging about 2 lbs. is common on the Milk. Fort Peck Reservoir in the North-East corner of the state is the best lake for cats, State Records can be pulled here!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Matt Johnson Grand Master

Matt Johnson

Posted
Posted

Aren't there gar (or weren't there gar) in the Yellowstone at one point? Or is/was it paddlefish? If I recall, I remember one of my friends from Montana telling me about the large paddlefish they would catch in the river when he was a boy. It might not have been the Yellowstone either, but that rang a bell for some reason.

He was also an avid trout angler and I've seen some pretty impressive pictures of him and some monster Montana trout!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BigSkyCatMan Contributor

BigSkyCatMan

Posted
Posted

Deitz- The state record Channel Catfish is 27 lbs. 2.72 oz.

I would say this is within reach of the avid angler.

Matt- Yes, there are big paddlefish caught every year at the Intake Diversion Dam near Glendive, MT on the Yellowstone River. (very popular spot)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BigSkyCatMan Contributor

BigSkyCatMan

Posted
Posted

Rick,

Depends on what body of water I am on. The Milk River, which runs through Glasgow, averages about 2.5 lbs, but offers a high catch rate. (a 12.4 lb. was caught during the Milk River Catfish Classic last summer)

The Musselshell River is between 5 to 6 lbs. on average, and the Yellowstone River is about a 6 to 8 lb. cat. (Numerous Catfish in the low teens come out of this body of water every spring.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hanson Grand Master

hanson

Posted
Posted

I've got to say, that is a pretty decent average size channel cat on those rivers. I would say that compares pretty well with our rivers in Minnesota, excluding the Red River of the North where the average size channel has got to be in the 10-15 pound range. Its unreal!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hanson Grand Master

hanson

Posted
Posted

Quote:

I will always be there for the annual Cats Incredible!

Do you fish the tournament? I've been contemplating whether or not to register this year. I don't know the Grand Forks stretch of the Red River very well but plan on fishing it a number of times this summer, water levels & flow permitting.

I believe the GF/EGF Chamber of Commerce is taking applications right now. I've probably missed the registration window and will end up on the waiting list. Ah well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BigSkyCatMan Contributor

BigSkyCatMan

Posted
Posted

Hanson-

Yes I have fished the tournament the past two years. The registration date was last Tuesday, chances are you won't be getting in this year. You will have to keep it in mind for future years though, it is very well ran and a top-notch catfish tournament.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BigSkyCatMan Contributor

BigSkyCatMan

Posted
Posted

Rick,

Yes I have entered my name in the drawing for this years Cats Incredible, now I just have to wait patiently and see if we get in or not.

Dietz,

I have tried fishing cats through the ice on the Milk River a handfull of times, but have never had any luck. It is still a high priority of mine though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Wiskers Experienced

Wiskers

Posted
Posted

I too am sitng with my fingers crossed for the Cats Incredible drawing. pant pant.. That is the BOMB of tournaments I have ever been to yet.

Any Blue cats out in that neck of the woods? Them Blues are one that I have not yet tangled with. I tried a littel when I was down in MO last summer but not enough time or luck to hook into one.

Someday I hope to find a good spot to try and the time to get there for some Blues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BigSkyCatMan Contributor

BigSkyCatMan

Posted
Posted

Whats up Wiskers! There isn't any Blues in Montana, just some big Channels. I need to get a trip planned for down south to fish some big blues.

Me and my brothers are still planning on getting a River Pro one of these days, just have to figure out the best time to pull the trigger. Hope yours is running great, and ready for another yeasr of Cats Incredible!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Wiskers Experienced

Wiskers

Posted
Posted

Hey the RP is doing just great... Anxiously waiting in the back yeard under snow...

I just spoke with River Pro the other day. They are busy as all get out.. hard keeping up with orders. I asked about you guys but they have not heard from ya.. I hope you can make it work for ya. You will never regret it, and then you will be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner LOL LOL..

Looking forward to seeing ya at the Cats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Big Cat Dad Enthusiast

Big Cat Dad

Posted
Posted

Rusty....When you get your next River Pro are you going to get the 176 HiPro XT or just the regular 176. Thanks for the info. I did contact them about the River Pro last fall but things came up. It's that time of the year to start thinking about it again. I can't wait until I get one of those in my garage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hanson Grand Master

hanson

Posted
Posted

Quote:

I can't wait until I get one of those in my garage.

You ain't the only one! wink.gif

I've fished out of 4 or 5 different RiverPro HiPro's now and there is no doubt what I want to get. The problem is RiverPro doesn't make a HiPro with a forward center console anymore. A couple of the guys that run the Minnesota River have a couple of the early RiverPro's that have the waaaayyy forward console (its right at the front deck) which opens up the entire boat for fishing space. Very nice!

BTW- Rusty's current boat is quite the ride!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Big Cat Dad Enthusiast

Big Cat Dad

Posted
Posted

Quote:

The problem is RiverPro doesn't make a HiPro with a forward center console anymore.

Are you sure they don't make them to the consumers specs. I thought Rusty told me last summer that Kevin likes the console to the front(his model) and if the purchaser wanted that style I thought they could get that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hanson Grand Master

hanson

Posted
Posted

Hmmm... Maybe.

I've just heard through the grapevine that they aren't available that way. If enough people start bugging him about that, maybe we'll see it moved up front standard. wink.gif

What I heard is it alters the handling of the boat with the center of gravity shifted forward. Don't know whether that is true of not, I'm not an owner of an RP yet. Not trying to spread a rumor either. grin.gif

I just really like that configuration with the console at the front deck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Wiskers Experienced

Wiskers

Posted
Posted

Well lets just say that you can have the RP made any way your check book will allow you to have it done. cool.gif

As for my next RP.. I love the one I got. I did like the high sided one just for the visual appearance. It looked much bigger, this one looks so much smaller for some reason. I would also get it double striked on the bottom. i use mine all over the place. LOW to the Red Lake River. The taller one seemed to handle the bigger water a bit better but this one seems to be smoother and less splash up in big waves. I would love to have a Lo Pro in my back yard just for lake events and keep the Hi pro for rivers. Best idea would be to have a Deep V Hi Pro for lakes. now that would be the ticket. No props to take out plus you can head into rivers as long as you did not want to go in the major shallows like the RPs do now. A regular 19 foot Deep V with outboard still needs at least 4 feet of safe water to run in... Deep V RP would need maybe a foot or two... Im sold on the idea... Ok who started me on the RP.. some one shut me up... now I got the fever real bad... gonna have to go hook up the garden hose and fire it up to hear it purrrrrrrrrrrrr........

Any way, where was I going.. .lol... As for the council moved forward.. I would not like that. I like mine to the back for driving but it sure would give more room in the back for fishing. With mine to the rear I seem to be able to feel where the back end will slide to when manovering so I do not hit rocks and stuff... being in the front it would seem pretty odd with all that back end sliding around behind you. Your nose weight might end up plowing too then???

Bigskycatman... We made the Cats lottery and I see you did too... awesome.. game on... call if you come up prefishing....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      By The way that didn't work either!! Screw it I'll just use the cellular. 
    • Wanderer
      Just Food and Drink

      By Wanderer · Posted

      It’s done automatically.  You might need an actual person to clear that log in stuff up.   Trash your laptop history if you haven’t tried that already.
    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      😂 yea pretty amazing how b o o b i e s gets flagged, but they can't respond or tell me why I  can't get logged in here on my laptop but I can on my cellular  😪
    • Mike89
      Just Food and Drink

      By Mike89 · Posted

      I grilled some brats yesterday, maybe next weekend will the next round...  
    • Wanderer
      Just Food and Drink

      By Wanderer · Posted

      You got word censored cuz you said        B o o b ies….. haha.   Yeah, no… grilling is on hiatus for a bit.
    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      Chicken mine,  melded in Mccormick poultry seasoning for 24 hours.  Grill will get a break till the frigid temps go away!
    • Mike89
      Problems with Yetti

      By Mike89 · Posted

      good luck!!!   
    • rundrave
      Problems with Yetti

      By rundrave · Posted

      we had some nice weather yesterday and this conundrum was driving me crazy  so I drove up to the house to take another look. I got a bunch of goodies via ups yesterday (cables,  winch ratchet parts, handles, leaf springs etc).   I wanted to make sure the new leaf springs I got fit. I got everything laid out and ready to go. Will be busy this weekend with kids stuff and too cold to fish anyway, but I will try to get back up there again next weekend and get it done. I don't think it will be bad once I get it lifted up.    For anyone in the google verse, the leaf springs are 4 leafs and measure 25 1/4" eye  to eye per Yetti. I didnt want to pay their markup so just got something else comparable rated for the same weight.   I am a first time wheel house owner, this is all new to me. My house didn't come with any handles for the rear cables? I was told this week by someone in the industry that cordless drills do not have enough brake to lower it slow enough and it can damage the cables and the ratchets in the winches.  I put on a handle last night and it is 100% better than using a drill, unfortatenly I found out the hard way lol and will only use the ICNutz to raise the house now.
    • Wanderer
      Problems with Yetti

      By Wanderer · Posted

      I haven’t done any leaf springs for a long time and I can’t completely see the connections in your pics BUT I I’d be rounding up: PB Blaster, torch, 3 lb hammer, chisel, cut off tool, breaker bar, Jack stands or blocks.   This kind of stuff usually isn’t the easiest.   I would think you would be able to get at what you need by keeping the house up with Jack stands and getting the pressure off that suspension, then attack the hardware.  But again, I don’t feel like I can see everything going on there.
    • rundrave
      Problems with Yetti

      By rundrave · Posted

      reviving an old thread due to running into the same issue with the same year of house. not expecting anything from yetti and I already have replacement parts ordered and on the way.   I am looking for some input or feedback on how to replace the leaf springs themselves.    If I jack the house up and remove the tire, is it possible to pivot the axel assembly low enough to get to the other end of the leaf spring and remove that one bolt?   Or do I have to remove the entire pivot arm to get to it? Then I also have to factor in brake wire as well then. What a mess   My house is currently an hour away from my home at a relatives, going to go back up and look it over again and try to figure out a game plan.           Above pic is with house lowered on ice, the other end of that leaf is what I need to get to.   above pic is side that middle bolt broke and bottom 2 leafs fell out here is other side that didnt break but you can see bottom half of leaf already did but atleast bolt is still in there here is hub assembly in my garage with house lowered and tires off when I put new tires on it a couple months ago. hopefully I can raise house high enough that it can drop down far enough and not snap brake cable there so I can get to that other end of the leaf spring.

  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

  I accept