Recreation is plentiful at Little Bitterroot Lake, and fishing, swimming, or just relaxing and taking in the tranquil beauty of the lake is what draws many visitors.
How do you catch Kokanee salmon in Montana?
How many acres is Bitterroot Lake Montana?
Bitterroot Lake is an easy and scenic half hour drive west from Kalispell, Montana off Hwy 2 and up paved Pleasant Valley Rd. Bitterroot lake is about 2,969 acres in surface area with an average depth of 114 feet at an elevation of 3,998 feet.
Where do you catch biggest Kokanee in Montana?
The kokanee fishing has really picked up on a couple of lakes in Montana. Lake Mary Ronan and Bitterroot Lake along with Lake Koocanusa are producing limits of kokanee salmon. The fish from Bitterroot Lake are running 14-16 inches and Lake Mary Ronan salmon are in the 11-12 inch size.
What kind of fish are in Ashley Lake Montana?
Rainbow trout and cutthroat trout are the primary fish species found in Ashley Lake. Some of the rainbows, particularly the hybrid rainbows that are planted, can get huge. Fish exceeding five pounds are fairly common and it is not unheard of taking rainbow trout exceeding ten pounds.
Where is Ashley Lake Montana?
Where is Ashley Lake? Located 17 miles from Kalispell. Take Highway 2 west out of Kalispell. Turn at Batavia School onto Ashley Lake Road #912.
What is the best bait for Kokanee salmon?
Scent and Bait Popular Kokanee baits are Pink Maggots (real or synthetic), dyed-cured shrimp and dyed-cured White Shoepeg Corn. Be sure not to put too much bait on the hook as it will take away from the lure’s action. Once piece of corn or 2 small maggots on each hook is adequate.
How deep do you fish for kokanee?
In mid to late summer, kokanee are often found at 30 to 60 feet or more in their search for cold water and the best supply of zooplankton. Getting your lure to the depth of the fish is best done with the aid of a downrigger.
Is kokanee good eating?
Kokanee is best eaten just before the spawning stage. Their flesh is the dazzling bright orange that many anglers long for, and it is richer in flavor than trout but softer than other salmon. If the fish is longer than 12 inches, you can fillet it. You can also butterfly it or gut-and-grill it.
What time of year does kokanee?
Spawning begins in August and usually runs into early February but kokanee have been found spawning as late as April. Again genetic factors and environmental factors like temperature both play a role in this timing.
Why do kokanee turn red?
The sockeye are silver in color while living in the ocean. When they return to spawning grounds, their bodies become red and their heads turn green. For the Kokanee salmon, even though they do not migrate to sea, they are still silver before spawning. During spawning period, the salmon begin to absorb their scales.
Are sockeye and kokanee the same?
Kokanee are the land-locked form of sockeye salmon. Because they never migrate out to the ocean to feed, kokanee are often much smaller than sockeye. However, other than their size, kokanee have very similar identifying characteristics as sockeye.
What kind of fish are in Smith Lake Montana?
Fishing species in Smith Lake include brook trout, rainbow trout, yellow perch and pike. The lake has excellent fishing for perch, with fair fishing for rainbow trout. Montana FWP has in the past occasionally stocked the lake with rainbow trout.
How many acres is Ashley Lake Montana?
It has 16.5 miles of shoreline and occupies an area of approximately 3,250 acres. Geographical coordinates for Ashley Lake are N48. 20440° W114. 61653° (NAD83).
How long is Hungry Horse Reservoir?
The Hungry Horse Reservoir is fed by the South Fork of the Flathead River. The Hungry Horse Dam, where the reservoir begins is located 3 miles south of Hungry Horse, MT. The reservoir is 34 miles long and has about 170 miles of shoreline.
What time of year is best for kokanee fishing?
Late Spring In May and June, after rising shallow-water temperatures have forced kokanee to return to the deeper portions of a lake, you can catch them using gang trolls and dodgers trailing almost any kind of small lure (like spoons, flies, and hoochies). This is the time most anglers experience the greatest success.
What lures work best for kokanee?
Popular Kokanee baits are Pink Maggots (real or synthetic), dyed-cured shrimp, and dyed-cured White Shoepeg Corn. Do not put too much bait on the hook as it will take away from the lure’s action. Once piece of corn or 2 small maggots on each hook is adequate.
What kind of lures do kokanee like?
Think salmon lures but smaller. Popular lures include inline trolls and dodgers, which are becoming increasingly popular due to their low water resistance. Spinners, spoons, hoochies and other types of salmon lures work for kokanee, just in much smaller sizes since most kokanee don’t exceed 15 inches.
What size hooks for kokanee?
Hooks: Dropshot hooks (also called splitshot hooks) are much superior to the traditional Octopus style hook, said Black. He prefers sizes No. 2 or No. 4 and whether they are red or black does not matter.
How do you rig up for kokanee?
What’s the best speed to troll for kokanee?
Kokanee prefer slower trolling speeds than trout or walleye. 1.2 mph is the ultimate sweet spot and speeds ranging from 0.8 mph to 1.7 mph entice kokanee to strike in most situations. Kokanee may be aggressive but they sure can be picky about your tackle presentation.
What is the biggest kokanee ever caught?
Submitted photo Ron Campbell of Pendleton holds the 9-pound 10-ounce kokanee that he caught at Wallowa Lake June 13.
Can you catch kokanee from shore?
Kokanee fishermen generally spend quite a bit to get outfitted, and most fishing is done from a boat. But we’re here to tell you that its possible to catch a kokanee from the shore.
Is a kokanee a salmon or a trout?
Kokanee are land-locked sockeye salmon. This means that they do not travel to the ocean and return inland to spawn, instead they complete their entire life cycle in Lake Coeur d’Alene. Their life cycle is 4 years long.
Where is the best kokanee fishing?
Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah and Wyoming: The Holy Land… errr I mean Holy Water of Kokanee anglers. No other body of water is renowned for its big Kokanee than this giant desert reservoir straddling the border of Utah and Wyoming.