(When they spawn, though, the green saturates almost to black, the belly to a smoldering ember orange.) But they share salmonids' endurance. Adults are olive-green with a creamy belly and light spots on their back and sides. The Flathead watershed is the species' regional stronghold, although it is found in cold streams and lakes from Montana to Oregon to the Yukon. Many of the remaining native fishes in Flathead Lake have dramatically declined, including bull trout, the top native predator. Today, an estimated 1.6 million lake trout live in Flathead more have since migrated and colonized most of the watershed. They ate nearly all of the remaining kokanee, as well as any other fish they could get their mouths around. More importantly, younger lake trout feasted on shrimp, and the population soared. Instead of being a boon, though, Mysis competed with kokanee for their preferred food, zooplankton. Starting in 1968, state fisheries managers released the shrimp in several lakes of the Flathead watershed to enhance kokanee stocks the shrimp moved downstream and reached Flathead Lake in 1981. Then, he says, something changes to trigger a rapid expansion. "There are many cases in which a species arrives and it just sits around," says Daniel Simberloff, an authority on invasive species at the University of Tennessee. Meanwhile, the lake trout, introduced from the Great Lakes in 1905, bided its time. By 1940, kokanee, which are landlocked sockeye salmon, had replaced cutthroat trout as the most-caught fish, and they remained dominant until the 1980s. In 1920, a shipment of kokanee arrived from Bonneville, Ore. "Throw in lots of stuff, see what makes it." "It was a Johnny Appleseed approach," Vashro says. But anglers and game officials had already introduced other species. And here one hangs, its fate in my hands.Įarly in the 20th century, biologists believed only 10 species of native fish lived in Flathead, the West's largest natural freshwater lake. And it is the subject of a spirited debate about how best to manage it, not only because of its appetite for threatened species, but also its absolute dominance here in Flathead Lake and west of the Continental Divide. It is a prism of a fish: recreational bounty, invasive pest, windfall, scourge, everything between.
But respectable or not, my catch is still compelling. "If you want to be respectable, say 'Less than 10,' " he advises. Jim Vashro, an avuncular biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, appraises it with a practiced eye. After a minute or so, Rod scoops the trout out of Flathead Lake and hands it to me. I steel myself for battle, but this particular fish, a lake trout, is blasé in the face of death. He hurries back to the stern and pulls the appropriate rod from its sleeve, then hands it to me. Rod's response is Pavlovian, and he skips over to the charter boat's console with a nimbleness remarkable for a man his size. Click to view fishing properties.Location matters in the war on lake trout In the unspoiled wilderness, you’re likely to encounter more wildlife than other anglers, allowing you to find your own private fishing paradise. Fisher folk in search of salmon can check out Boulder and Fremont lakes, and high-country lakes such as Bradley, Jackson and Lake Solitude offer excellent big-fish opportunities.įishing in Wyoming is truly a unique experience. Bass, walleye and catfish are plentiful in the state’s reservoirs such as Boysen and Flaming Gorge (where, by the way, a state-record 50-pound lake trout was caught). Catch all four native subspecies of cutthroat and earn a Cutt-Slam certificate from Wyoming Game and Fish Department.Īlthough Wyoming is known as a mecca for trout, its waters teem with more than 22 species of game fish, including sunfish, crappie, yellow perch, whitefish, pike and sturgeon. In the fall, the spawning run of brown trout darkens the waters of the aptly named Miracle Mile in the North Platte River. Farther south, in Grand Teton National Park, others seek out the Snake River cutthroat, a colorful character found in its namesake river. Brook trout, brown trout, rainbows and native cutthroat trout beckon to enthusiasts.
Yellowstone is perhaps the most famous fishing spot in the state, with anglers drawn by the legendary trout in its rivers. Wyoming embraces this gift, ensuring that capable guides and outfitters are as plentiful as the fish waiting to be caught. Expert anglers and eager beginners alike can find a fisherman’s dream along the clear waters scattered across the state. With 4,200 crystalline lakes and 27,000 miles of blue-ribbon, fishable streams, Wyoming is the ultimate fishing and fly fishing destination.