Kootenay Lake/snapshots

[finsnfeathers]

I'm heading out to Koot, near google map coordinance: 49.609671,-117.007102, early next week for about 10 days, with a small boat. Anyone with recent experience and fly and/or lure advice for this area? Much appreciated!!

[Rick.]

I haven't had the pleasure of fishing it yet. My son took the boat there last summer and didn't do all that well. He said the locals were saying to troll bucktails on the surface or just under. He also said the wind can really come up fast and big waves just a quickly so please be careful... and catch a big one. I know there are some huge bows as I've seen pictures and one mount. Rick.

[chubbdarter]

ive logged a few hours on the Koot and in my opinion its just not the best time to be trophy hunting. Its not that they dont feed, but the fact the days are so long feeding tmes are unpredictable. This time of year their forage start to group in large masses which makes their feeds even shorter. Rainbows up to 10lbs are always pretty cooperative though....fish the early am's and last lights with hockey sticks,lymans and witch docs,pull fast and cover water.
If you have the tackle to drop a pink lady or dipsey all the better, this will greatly increase your chance of having a barbqued bulltrout.
Standard koke gear will provide fun and some great eating.
Im not sure where those corodinates are for and im too lazy to fire up the gps, but Duck lake will make a good day trip for bass, sunfish and perch.
Mirror is also a fun little lake next to the Koot north of the hot springs.
During that time of year the Caddis hatch is tremendous on the Columbia river and West Arm of the Kootenay river.If your not a flyfisher try a bobber and hopper, its so much fun its should be illegal.

So even if its not prime monster season there is a huge selection of great fishing to be had. Every year summer heat monsters are caught also.

Good luck and watch for storms.

[tiger woods]

I'm heading out to Koot, near google map coordinance: 49.609671,-117.007102, early next week for about 10 days, with a small boat. Anyone with recent experience and fly and/or lure advice for this area? Much appreciated!!

Plenty of beautiful fish in Kootenay lake, and the surrounding scenery is worth the trip itself. I have had success trolling nice rainbows out of there on a rainbow pattern flat fish. Make sure to weight it down and fish the dark depths of the lake. Kootenay lake is extremely deep, if I am not mistaken there are still parts of it that are unknown depth. I also suggest putting in a phone call or 2 to some Creston or Cranbrook angling shops, as they can be quite helpful with pointing you to hotspots and what to use. I am jealous! Best of luck!

[JohnS]

I'm heading out to Koot, near google map coordinance: 49.609671,-117.007102, early next week for about 10 days, with a small boat. Anyone with recent experience and fly and/or lure advice for this area? Much appreciated!!

I just worked over by Kooteny Lake on the North end By Kaslo along Hwy 31 that heads to Trout Lake. Not sure where you will be. whats the nearest City? its a Hudge Lake.

The Kooteny Lake is Very High at the Momment and will be getting higher as we are getting lots of rain and run off from the snow pac. As for Storms there has been a few good ones while I was working up there, the wind can come up very fast on you and cold too LOL!. I must also add this is not normal weather for this time of the year. I have never seen the lake at this level ppl along the lake some of them have no lake front land (beach) left its water LOL!!

Now as for unreal country you'll love its very nice and full of wildlife! Deer elk Moose LOL! and some big fish in that lake but hey what can I say its the west Kooteny's :sHa_shakeshout:

Good luck on your fishing trip!


Play safe and you will be ok.

[finsnfeathers]

Thanks for the tips guys!! The co ordinance: 49.609671,-117.007102 . If you have google maps, google earth, etc. you simply copy/paste this number in the search bar and it points you to the spot where i'll be putting the boat in. In this case, it's near where my inlaws live...along the west arm, i believe it's called, near the "narrows" that head to Nelson. Father-in-law is a retired gunsmith out there, and fly fisher, but in his age, doesn't get down to the lake fishing anymore. I'm hoping to fly fish, but will be ready to resort to spinning rod if all else fails. Not looking for trophies....just taking the wife for a visit and kill some time on the lake. Would be great to throw one on the bbq tho. Thanks again to all who posted!!

[chubbdarter]

Thanks for the tips guys!! The co ordinance: 49.609671,-117.007102 . If you have google maps, google earth, etc. you simply copy/paste this number in the search bar and it points you to the spot where i'll be putting the boat in. In this case, it's near where my inlaws live...along the west arm, i believe it's called, near the "narrows" that head to Nelson. Father-in-law is a retired gunsmith out there, and fly fisher, but in his age, doesn't get down to the lake fishing anymore. I'm hoping to fly fish, but will be ready to resort to spinning rod if all else fails. Not looking for trophies....just taking the wife for a visit and kill some time on the lake. Thank again to all who posted!!

Birch Grove is at the narrows just before Sunshine Bay

[Bushmaster]

I fished it in Jan./81.... And landed a 26 lb'er. Still hanging on my wall.....

Good luck! We fished out of Woodbury Marina.

[Speckle55]

Kootenay Lake is dirty right now with lots of stuff floating .. better in late fall(Oct Nov Dec turn over) and then Jan ok till May.. good luck though i went down got some to 8# and bulls too in April..David:sHa_shakeshout:

[finsnfeathers]

The fishing has been great thus far. Not geared up to target monsters, but for my gear, i'm catching some great fish! Numerous kokanee, bows, and bulls, some C&R, some for the bbq, and a few that took one good look at the boat and straightened my hooks.

[chubbdarter]

congrats ...nice fish.....thanks for posting

[tacklerunner]

The fishing has been great thus far. Not geared up to target monsters, but for my gear, i'm catching some great fish! Numerous kokanee, bows, and bulls, some C&R, some for the bbq, and a few that took one good look at the boat and straightened my hooks.

That's pretty cool. You have from left to right a Gerrard Rainbow followed by a Dolly Varden and then a Bull Trout.

Dollies and Bulls are not the same. The bull has an elongated head while the dolly has a head more uniform like a rainbow.

Been fishing Kootenay 35 years. Keep at 'er and you'll get the 20 pounder.

[finsnfeathers]

Rain today, so i'm takin a break...

[npauls]

Nice pics and fish.

One day I will make it out there with my boat to troll around for a few days.

[Dust1n]

nice pics!