Advice needed for Lewis and Yellowstone Lakes

[fatbillybob]

I had a stretch fishing Henry’s about 10 years in a row. I loved staying at stally springs aka smellly springs. The last 3 years of that fishing it less and less as lake productivity and fish size fell off to focus on running waters. warden’s actively checked your take and licenses. As the fishermen started going away the warden’s got real nice and happy to see the few of us and no longer checking licenses. It was like the locals were scared to see the direction of Henry’s and encouraged us to keep fishing and patroning the lake. By the posts above did Henry’s ever come back to the glory it once had? For a time it was the best lake I ever fished.

 

[Greg Armstrong]

Did well on Browns on the Lewis River in mid-summer, didn't fish the lakes there though. Mind you, this was a few years back.

 

[Paul_]

I had a stretch fishing Henry’s about 10 years in a row. I loved staying at stally springs aka smellly springs. The last 3 years of that fishing it less and less as lake productivity and fish size fell off to focus on running waters. warden’s actively checked your take and licenses. As the fishermen started going away the warden’s got real nice and happy to see the few of us and no longer checking licenses. It was like the locals were scared to see the direction of Henry’s and encouraged us to keep fishing and patroning the lake. By the posts above did Henry’s ever come back to the glory it once had? For a time it was the best lake I ever fished.

I have a very small sample size (the past 3 years). 2020 and 2021 the group I go with had pretty decent success. Multiple anglers with 20 fish days and a few 20”+ fish.
Last year I think our average was 5-7 fish a day. But we caught more 20”+ than ever before.

Although this year sounds dire, our group is headed back again this fall. Even on a down year, Henry’s is a very cool fishery (from a western Washington anglers perspective).

We will be checking out a few other lakes in the area this year. I’d be willing to trade flies for any intel on the other lakes in the area.

 

[fatbillybob]

I have a very small sample size (the past 3 years). 2020 and 2021 the group I go with had pretty decent success. Multiple anglers with 20 fish days and a few 20”+ fish.
Last year I think our average was 5-7 fish a day. But we caught more 20”+ than ever before.

Although this year sounds dire, our group is headed back again this fall. Even on a down year, Henry’s is a very cool fishery (from a western Washington anglers perspective).

We will be checking out a few other lakes in the area this year. I’d be willing to trade flies for any intel on the other lakes in the area.

That sounds great! Stally springs is gone. I do not know if they ever built something there. The next easiest place to stay was WildRose. VBRO's did not exist back when I fished the lake. Is there still lodging lakeside like the WildRose?

 

[Bryan]

This year the lake level is good, but Hebgen has suffered very low levels for the past 2 or 3 years. Those low levels may have affected the bug habitat and the bugs. Don't know.

Cheers,

 

[The Fish Whisperer]

A bit early for the good fishing between Lewis and Shoshone. Yellowstone Lake would be my pick especially if you can haul your pontoon. All along the N shore of Gull Point is as good an area as any.

GL

PS - Henrys Lake has been pretty hit or miss this year. Fish population only 25% of target. Hebgen thus far has been awful. Buddy and I fished it last Friday and caught 1 rainbow each. He and a different buddy went back today and landed 3 small browns between them. Zero bugs. No idea whats happening but strange season.

NO bugs...?? No famous Gulpers coming up..? I have always been in early September and have fished on Madison Arm most of the time with sinking lines of various sink rates. 2 years ago the I had to wheel my boat about 25 yards out to the lake, but still managed to hook and land quite a few nice fish.

 

[The Fish Whisperer]

This year the lake level is good, but Hebgen has suffered very low levels for the past 2 or 3 years. Those low levels may have affected the bug habitat and the bugs. Don't know.

Cheers,

I talked to Big Sky Anglers about a week ago and they said the lake had been drawn down already and they may leave it now for the remainder of the season. Maybe the fish just need to adjust a little when that happens..??

 

[The Fish Whisperer]

You don't have time. There isn't that much to do in Old Faithful Inn. You'll leave her waiting for 2 hours, and you'll suffer for it.

Fortunately, my wife says she will take tours if needed and just hang out and keep herself busy so I can be gone for awhile.....If you never here from me again on here, you will know what happened....

 

[The Fish Whisperer]

Whatever you do around Yellowstone, please don't be this guy:

View attachment 74630

This fellow is sporting a WA license plate on his car. Unless you look close up, it may be hard to see that sow grizzly has two cubs following her. Swimmy snapped this photo Saturday at Soda Butte in the Lamar Valley. This is one reason why so many park visitors are referred to as "tourons."

And the Darwin Award goes to.......I hate to say it, but the guy deserved a good thrashing for being stupid.

 

[The Fish Whisperer]

If you are dropping the wife off at Old Faithful, then the best spot to tackle Yellowstone Lake is along the shoreline just north of West Thumb. A lot closer than Gull Point. With a pontoon, you can easily reach Carrington Island which marks a large reef just off shore. North of Carrington, there is an extensive sandy cove with a visible weed line just offshore. The reef holds both Lakers and Cutts, while the cove holds Cutts along the weed line. There are several pullouts on the road in the area to drop your pontoon in. If it is not too windy, this is a decent place to hunt cutts on Yellowstone Lake.
View attachment 74553
Lakers and Cutt taken off the reef at Carrington Island

View attachment 74545

View attachment 74554

Good info....thank you. If the wind lays down, going out to the reef sounds promising.

I appreciate your input and nice slab of a Cutthroat by the way.

 

[ifsteve]

I talked to Big Sky Anglers about a week ago and they said the lake had been drawn down already and they may leave it now for the remainder of the season. Maybe the fish just need to adjust a little when that happens..??

I was there yesterday and call BS. Of course, I guess some depends on what you want to call "drawn down,' But the lake is 1.4 ft below full pool. But there were still no bugs. My buddy and I landed 5 and lost 2 fish for 5+ hours of fishing.

 

[up2nogood]

I was there yesterday and call BS. Of course, I guess some depends on what you want to call "drawn down,' But the lake is 1.4 ft below full pool. But there were still no bugs. My buddy and I landed 5 and lost 2 fish for 5+ hours of fishing.

Fished Hebgen off , and on from June 15- Aug 1 , probably the worst fishing I’ve had there in several years . Fished mile marker 14 several times , and it was tough fishing , other areas a bit better .

Henry’s during the same period was also terrible, total opposite of last year , and the areas we fished were very slow . . Hopefully September things will improve . Last September on Henry’s couldn’t have been better .

5+ fish in five plus hours is not great for sure for 2 guys , but at times it was worse than that this year for me . Usually after a couple hours and nothing happening , I got off the lake and moved on . Same with Henry’s.

 

[ifsteve]

Fished Hebgen off , and on from June 15- Aug 1 , probably the worst fishing I’ve had there in several years . Fished mile marker 14 several times , and it was tough fishing , other areas a bit better .

Henry’s during the same period was also terrible, total opposite of last year , and the areas we fished were very slow . . Hopefully September things will improve . Last September on Henry’s couldn’t have been better .

5+ fish in five plus hours is not great for sure for 2 guys , but at times it was worse than that this year for me . Usually after a couple hours and nothing happening , I got off the lake and moved on . Same with Henry’s.

Fall should be better than its been the last month on Henrys for sure. But don't expect its going to be even decent. Not when the net surveys found the fish population to only be 25% of target. Unreal they can stock 1.3M fish a year and have such poor results.