Privacy Policy And our reports are the best around. Current fly fishing conditions are still good. Rivers across the state are on the rise and becoming off-color, so traveling to a lake may provide better fishing for the time being. By 2010, now three years old, Story was “rocking and rollin” with this new captive stock. Whether you’re fly fishing, spinning or baitcasting your chances of getting a bite here are good. Horseshoe Lake. Lake Whitefish From the Flathead. Anglers lucky enough to cast their lines in the right waters can also catch Golden Trout, available in less than a dozen of lakes. Generally you can’t just do a quick day trip for these ornate fish. Rat Lake, made famous by author John Geirach, is accessible by a short hike. Fed from glaciers, winter snowpack and deep mountain springs, Montana’s pristine chilly waters are a perfect habitat for trout. Length 4.8 miElevation gain 1141 ftRoute type Out & back. No stars. Try them and you’ll find they’re very different from their cousins, the mountain whitefish. These are a few things I learned over the past few years. From the shoreline fishing to river and stream fishing in boats, to catch and release, to ice fishing in the winter, some of the best fishing in the world is to be had right here in Butte, Montana. Followers 4 Catches 0 Spots 0. Featured People on Fishidy. The Thompson River is a remote river in Northwest Montana. With multiple peaks over 12,000 ft. elevation and hundreds of backcountry lakes, the Beartooth Wilderness/ mountain range is a premier destination for incredible high alpine lake fishing. Its hard being the bearer of bad news, but it is bad out there! Walking the banks of golden trout lakes looking for feeding fish is more lucrative than just blindly fishing, although at times this may be your only option. Lakes in Montana - Montana has an abuncance of quality lakes for fishing, boating, swimming and recreation. The Fish and Game Department has twice tried stocking Lake McKnight with golden trout. Montana High Country at its finest. Madison Range On the west side of Gallatin Canyon is the Madison Range, broken up by the community of Big Sky. Kamas, UT 84036 USA I hope they contribute to your success in the hallowed high elevation waters that contain one of the finest and elusive game fish around, the golden trout. The wide open vistas of the valley and the Crazy mountains are always impressive. In Wyoming, however, they don't offer stocking records on their website. Golden Trout Lakes trail is a 5 mile out and back hike to a beautiful alpine lake in the Gallatin Range of SW Montana. See for yourself! Fishing in Montana is a dream come true. One can find brook trout, browns, rainbows, golden trout, grayling, lake trout, and a number of different cutthroat trout species, while angling in the Winds. Read the Standard Regulations that apply to all waters in that District. Montana’s spring runoff is underway. Golden trout are most often found in remote, alpine drainages over 9,000 feet in elevation. Burns Lake is a small, 30 acre reservoir near Big Timber that offers terrific fishing to very large trout. Fly-fishing for golden trout is a time-consuming, obsession-creating adventure of a time. This is no mistake, as biologists maintain populations in this manner to ensure that fish populations above them in the drainage don’t wreck their genetic purity. If I hadn’t of been in good shape, this extra effort could have sidelined the trip permanently. For more information on backpacking light and general wilderness skills, take a look at Ultralight Backpackin Tips by Mike Clelland. Avalanche Lake – Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including brown trout, northern pike, rainbow trout and whitefish here. It flows through the three Thompson Lakes, then meanders through timber company property and the Lolo National Forest. When that happens, they make them available to other western states including Idaho. In 2012, about 13,000 one-inch golden trout were aerial stocked in the three lakes in the Atwood Creek Drainage and in 2013-2014, more than 11,000 five to six-inch golden trout were stocked in Echo Lake. Biologists are often willing to talk about lakes in their region that are producing. 138 West 280 South Identify which Fishing District you will be fishing (Western, Central, or Eastern). This oversized, orange flashback pattern is a must-have and has accounted for my best brook and golden trout in the mountains. Golden trout were originally found only in a few rivers in northern California. Size: 6 acres. My top producing alpine lake pattern is Rich’s weighted scud pattern (Mega Scud) in size 8. To access the trail head, turn east onto Portal Creek Road #984 and continue southeast for 6.8 miles. Begin your search here. Special Orders, © 2021 blog.fishwest.com – All rights reserved, Powered by  – Designed with the Customizr theme, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The Broke College Kid’s Guide to Fly Tying Materials, Fernie, BC: No Drift Boat = No Problem (BC stands for beautiful cutthroats), Greasy Summer Stories – Attack of the Bull. I’ll happily crawl through a thicket of Russian Olives […], When I was about 9 years old, my family moved to the outer edge of Alexandria, Louisiana. Blog Blue Danube Lake – golden trout. California Dept. Blacktail Lake. Just as it is […], I firmly believe that there is no single “right way” to fly fish. Blue Paradise Lake – rainbow trout. My research revealed several lakes in the same drainage that spanned the numbers/size spectrum. I can’t remember the exact moment I learned golden trout existed. Think intermediate lines, sink tip lines, and scud patterns. View All Products, Contact Info Fishing for trout is a skill and with our fly fishing guides you will be learning from the best. While many anglers envision Yellowstone cutthroat trout when they think of fishing Montana’s high country, some of the best fish are golden trout and brook trout. Caught fish, saw lots of wildlife, and had a good time; with some CRAZY surprises. Four buddies hiked to Cave Lake, MT in hope of catching Golden Trout. Remember to adjust these times based on barometric pressure, and weather changes. Contact Us . Kenny Stroud in Siloam Springs recommends fishing for black bass with plastic worms or … Once you get to the beginning of the trail, the hike is a nice little workout until you reach the final location of Golden Trout Lakes. Sylvan Lake’s golden population is so pure that the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks regularly uses the eggs laid by goldens at Sylvan Lake for stocking other lakes in Montana. (See Clearwater River Drainage for exception.) Golden Trout Lakes Trail is a 4.8 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Gallatin Gateway, Montana that features a lake and is rated as moderate. If you wish other information feel­­ free to contact most parties for current daily information. Wish Lists Report compiled by Carol Henckel Boating, swimming, angling, off-road vehicles, ski resorts, golf courses and other activities or land uses can negatively impact salmonid populations and their habitats. Fishing Golden Trout Lakes, MT on 1/18/2021 will be best from 10:08AM through 12:08PM. If you find fish are not responsive, try not to spook them and change patterns and sizes until you find what they are interested in. I just drove right up to the creek located at about 7000 ft elevation in my Jeep 4+4 and started to fish. My last trip required me to use a different trailhead after I found out my first choice was closed for maintenance. I've dreamed about it for years, but after 5 trips had ended in failure, it was time to get serious. One of the great advantages of providing Montana fly fishing trips in the Greater Yellowstone area is the large diversity of fishing waters found in our region. Backpacking for Golden ... One of my personal goals was to catch a golden trout. If that time won’t work for you, 2:50PM to 4:50PM looks promising. The Golden Trout Lakes trail (Trail #89) is located up Portal Creek in the Gallatin Canyon near Big Sky. Cast your line in the Paradise Valley or on Flathead Lake, only … By: Marlene Affeld Montana is blessed with water; gin-clear cold water. My starting point for information was a book every dedicated alpine anger should own, Fly-Fishing the Rocky Mountain Backcountry by Rich Osthoff. ... but the golden trout fishery here is one of the best and purest in the state. HookandBullet.com, a Montlake Media brand. If that time won’t work for you, 12:00AM to 12:00AM looks promising. Each trip reaffirms the fact that the road sucks. On my first trip, I only caught a couple. Opt for ultralight gear to keep your pack weight under 30lbs if possible. If you are looking for bigger lake fishing, there is the Cooney Reservoir and the Big Horn Lake. Kamas, Utah 84036 Followers 9 Catches 0 Montana Fish Man can help unlock the Ennis Lake secrets and give you the angling tools for ... Find out about the latest fishing action with our Ennis Lake Fishing Report. ... more float fishing Ennis Lake. Don’t be afraid to do this many times a day, as goldens seem much more picky than other trout. Lakes and streams with lots of smaller goldens will fish well with dry files such as hopper and caddis patterns, but lakes with larger fish generally dictate a subsurface approach. Beautiful Alpine Lake. Whether they are a native fish or not, it’s hard not to like how golden trout look. Although large rivers like the Madison, Gallatin and Yellowstone deservedly draw a lot of attention, some of Montana's most unique fishing can be found on streams and ponds on large ranches in the region. In 2007, golden trout eggs from Sylvan Lake, Montana were shipped to Story and in 2009, the Story Hatchery successfully spawned captive golden trout. We have a good number of these in our floater guides but anything too small to float will require a look at the current handbook. 2020 Montana Fishing. The Big Horn River below Yellow Tail Dam is a world renowned trout fishery. Unfortunately the stockings did not take. There are multiple ways to hike to..." Grizzly Lake. Lake Fishing Report Current Conditions: Not a good option until spring The Month Ahead: Not much Long Term Fishing Forecast: Ice out is from April until June depending on the elevation of the lake and is always a great time to site fish to cruising trout or strip streamers for trophies. Rather, you need to strap on a backpack and hiking boots and hit the trails for a few days at a time. This fish swims in clear mountain lakes and can reach up to 18 inches in size. All waters on the Kern Plateau are open to angling, although many are accessible only by trail since both watersheds are largely encompassed within the … fly fishing; golden trout; hiking; Montana; July 07, 2013 Golden Trout Lakes Dayhike I've bumped my way up the Portal Creek road a bunch of times over the past forty years. They provide a unique opportunity to catch a beautiful fish in a pristine environment. Anglers report catching some good-sized golden trout as well as rainbow trout. Once fish are spotted, cast several feet in front of them and slowly strip the fly to get their attention. In Montana, that's not terribly difficult through the MFISH database. Are you ready to plan a trip to one of Montana’s top 10 rivers for fishing? Combined Trout: 3 daily and in possession, no rainbow trout over 12 inches, any size brown trout. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until September. Daily: 9AM-5PM, Shipping Address  As you may have previously read, […], Retail Store  Accessibility Policy Prepare for your trip with a few shakedown cruises to find your stride and error-proof equipment choices. Beehive Lake – westslope cutthroat trout. His sections on fly selection and tactics should be read, re-read, and dog eared. Late August is my preference, as the weather can turn bad in September and cut a trip short. Current fly fishing conditions are terrible. of Game and Fish, every few years, have Golden Trout eggs that are excess to their needs. At Montana Troutfitters, we take our fishing reports seriously. 5 lbs was taken out of Big Sky, Cave Lake, the Montana Outdoor Radio.... Way ” to fly fish oftentimes they are the sole fish in a southeasterly direction for nearly miles... 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