Monster trout pics--check these out!

[Kodiak1]

OK, let's answer some questions! First, the boat isn't mine. I have fished the lake twice, and have caught fish both times, but not in Dec., which is a really good month to fish it. The trout are Gerrard rainbows. The largest rainbow in the pics is a 24 pounder. They also catch a lot of Dolly Vardens, also up into the 20's, weight-wise. The Gerrard, or Kamploops, were used to plant Pend Oreille in northern Idaho years ago. They use streamer flies to imitate bait fish. They feed on kokanee primarily. When there is a chop on the lake, they troll the streamers at a very fast pace, around 3 mph, or faster. They like to use side planers to give the fly action when bouncing over the chop. I use the Sidewinders, at about $12 each, and they work great. TheyWhen the lake is dead calm, they troll with big Lyman plugs, big apex (which they call "hockey sticks"), or flashers and hoochies. They use the exact same techniques as they do at Pend Oreille. There are often one or two feeding periods per day, and sometimes red hot days and then nothing for a day or two. Thus, if you go up there, I would suggest at least three days of fishing. Next time, I might go out on one of the charters. For a lake this big (100 miles long!), there are very few charters. I know of three. Reel Adventures Charters, Kootenay Kingfisher, and Split Shot Charters. The lake doesn't freeze. We found Spring fishing a bit tricky in that the lake level was low, and launching was difficult. Hope I answered your questions. I can think of no other place where you have this kind of opportunity to catch that "fish of a lifetime". Mike
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