Tried a little fishing out in western Montana near Missoula yesterday evening. For the most part I used jigs and had good success. I was only able to fish for a couple hours before I had to get on the road and head home, but I still landed about a dozen fish or more. I really can't complain.

This was the average size of most of the fish.


Here's one that was quite a bit above the average.

Here's one that was a step or two above that. Caught him on a Panther Martin because the hole he was in was too shallow and full of moss. Couldn't effectively use a jig in it or I would have.

Looks like its spawning time!

I have never used jigs for trout. Are they hair jigs? What weight and size hook? how do you fish them, like a nymph?

Clark Fork?

SealBilly, I don't mind explaining, but rather than me doing that I think you would be better off going to Youtube and typing in Kits Tackle. I buy my jigs from them and they have quite a few videos including one on how to specifically fish jigs for trout.

Creeker, good eye. Are you a fellow Montanan?

In another life, nearly 40 years ago I live in Orchard Homes just off the Clark Fork though I fished the Blackfoot mostly. All beautiful country. I'd love to go back & do a little fishing.

You lived pert near in heaven then.

I loved it there. Spent a lot of time on the Blackfoot just looking around.

Oh, that looks awesome. Some day gonna find me somebody to teach me to how fish for those beauties.

Thanks and as usual great pics.

edited to add I watched the video on youtube, that's how we fish for samllmouth in the winter on reservoirs . We don't have trout in lakes around here so I was completely wrong about how I thought you fished jigs for trout, I was thinking moving water.

Seal billy, it is on moving water. The only difference is you don't have to whip the rod up as hard as the current itself provides quite a bit of action to the jig. I try to keep the jig working up and down on my retrieve but just short of touching the bottom. Bouncing off the bottoms results in too many snags. I want it to look like a leech swimming.

If found fishing the Blackfoot not a lot different than fishing smallmouth on New River.

aaahhhh. I'm gonna try that.

Nice fish and great pictures, as always!
On my shortlist of things to try is fishing creeks with small marabou jigs on an ultralight rod for trout. May even try them on a local lake fishing rocky points for smallmouths and stocked trout!

Patbrennan, this summer I was fishing a lake in southern Utah for smallmouth bass. I was using jigs and ended up catching more trout than bass. The good news about that was none of the trout were under 20".

I suppose you'll be using those Kits jigs in Canyon Ferry when the big ones come up in the spring?

Not Canyon Ferry but close.

gotcha.....