Fishing report Ennis Lake

Date
Monday, 16 May, 2016
Water Clarity
Muddy
Fish Caught
13-19 fish
Report
Everything is starting to color up the ups and down of spring runoff has begun.  We fished Ennis lake day befor yesterday and the water color was definitely off.  What I like to call steelhead green.  We fished a long day, got the lake around 9;00 in the morning and got off around 6:00 that evening.  Hooked about 15 fish all big,   the largest was a 21 inch rainbow but all were over 16in,   The MVP for the day was a size 8 crystal bugger fished slow and deep.  We used a sink tip line and fished mostly in the mouths of the river channels coming in.  Weed growth hasn't really started in earnest ,making the fish a little hard to find.  We looked for deep banks and anywhere there was water flowing into the lake  Anglers don't seem to like the dirty water as there has been little or no other fishermen on the water since water clarity has changed. The weather hasn’t been particularly inviting either  Lots of north wind and rain .   Burrr!  But like they say in Montana “ no such thing as bad weather just bad clothes”
 
Start Time:
9:00 AM
End Time:
6:00 PM
Fishing Water Report
Ennis Lake is a medium sized reservoir that separates the Upper and Lower Madison Rivers. A day trip on Ennis Lake is a great option when planning a Montana fly fishing trip. The lake ... moreis located just minutes from the town of Ennis and is also a short drive for anglers fishing around Bozeman. 

Ennis lake is a very shallow impoundment with most of the lake less than 8 feet deep. The inlet where the Channels of the Madison drain into the lake provide shallow flats with weedbeds that harbor outstanding trout habitat. These shallow flats also allow for wade fishing. We use drift boats to access the upper half of the lake during prime hatches that take place on the lake in the late summer. The majority of the fishing on Ennis lake is sight fishing to large cruising browns and rainbows. We either fish directly from the drift boat or get out and wade on some of the flats. Occasionally we split a day with the morning spent casting to rising trout on Ennis lake and the afternoon spent fly fishing the Madison River.

Fishing is good early in the season when the ice first melts but the fish are deeper and blind fishing around drops and structure is most productive. As the summer progresses callibaetis and tricorythode mayflies become the dominant food source for the trout. Intense hatches occur daily in the late summer producing a daily feeding frenzy that every fly fisherman should experience. Trout feeding during these famous hatches have been labeled "gulpers" after the frequent sucking noise they make as they swim around with open mouths while inhaling the hatching mayflies.
Game Fish Opportunities:
Fishing Access Sites:
Reporting Outfitter
 (1)
Welcome to Southwest Montana's finest fly fishing adventures. Blue ribbon trout water is literally steps away when you visit us in the picturesque town of Ennis, Montana. You may spend ... morethe day on our home river, the world famous Madison or drive to one of our other local rivers such as the Big Hole, Beaverhead, Ruby or the Jefferson. Whether you are a new angler or an old pro we have the expertise and patience to make your time on the water chasing wild trout a success.
Reported Trip
 (1)
  • Full-day of professionally guided fly fishing for up to two anglers
With over 55 combined years of experience fishing Ennis Lake and Madison River, we have the deep knowledge needed to guide you to the monsters. Located in Ennis, Montana, one of the ... moretop fly fishing towns in the world, Red Mountain Adventures is conveniently located to help you with your fishing experience.

We'll take you to the land of giant trout that cruise Ennis Lake. Cast to rising trout or bring them in by stripping small lake buggers is a lot of fun. A day on Ennis lake is a special experience to enjoy the views and tangle with fincky monster trout.
Fishing Waters:
Destination:
0 reviews   0 comments
Accuracy
Completeness

Discover Your Own Fishing and Hunting Adventures

With top destinations, guided trips, outfitters and guides, and river reports, you have everything you need.