Montana Fish Report

Spring bear
The application deadline for the spring bear controlled hunts is Feb. 10.

Best bets for fishing
Some of the highlights from this week’s Recreation Report include:

• The Illinois and Applegate rivers are in prime shape for winter steelhead fishing.
• Walleye fishing has been good in The Dalles and John Day pools of the Columbia River.
• Trout are being stocked in several Corvallis-area ponds, including Walling, Junction City, EE Wilson and Walter Wirth Lake.
• The Ana Reservoir and River offer great winter fishing for striped bass and rainbow trout.
• With drier weather in the forecast, look for north Coast rivers to be in good shape for winter steelhead.

HUNT TO HOME: What to do after the hunt
Two-part class March 3 and 17.

Jackson County’s OSU Extension Master Food Preservers and the Oregon Hunters Association are offering a two-day, hands-on class about safely handling your game after the hunt at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center in Central Point.

On March 3 you’ll learn to eviscerate, skin and cool an animal, and on March 17 how to home butcher, wrap for the freezer, pressure can and make your own jerky. Cost is $20 for one class or $35 for both. More information and contacts.

Turn in your 2017 combined angling tag
Even if you didn’t harvest a salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut in 2018. Our biologists use this data to better manage these fisheries. Anglers can use this data to see where fish have been caught over the years.

Tags can be turned in to any POS agent or at any ODFW office located throughout the state. The tags also can be mailed to any ODFW office.