Koocanusa Ling

[RuralMT]

Good afternoon all.  I was wondering if anyone on this forum lives within the vicinity of Koocanusa or fishes it nonetheless.  While I'm not sure how good the ice will be this year, I was hoping to try and learn the reservoir's ling fishery and don't know where to begin.  The past 3 years have seen good ice in the Rexford area, but I've never looked for ice farther south, nor have I targeted them around Rexford.  Is the population scattered throughout the reservoir? Closer to the dam? Up North near me?  Should I figure it out during open water season?  Any intel would be greatly appreciated.

On the off-chance you're reading this and have never seen Koocanusa, imagine an inverted mountain with a max-depth of about 350' and an average depth of 180-200' or so.  Very steep drop-offs with very limited shelves along the shoreline.  I mention the Rexford area because it's the mouth of the Tobacco River because the northern end of the reservoir is unique in relation to the southern end, which where the water is confined to a narrow canyon.
Up near the mouth of the Tobacco and the Canadian border, the reservoir broadens out and there is a greater diversity of depth, with more "shallow" water.  It also appears to consistently produce fishable ice.

[MtPike_Master]

In the regs it says Catch&Release only but I've been told twice you can't even fish for them there by a warden and a biologist.

[MT204]

Don't see anything in the 2018 regs that say catch and release?
Double check for yourself though.

Western District Standard Daily and Possession Limits,
Burbot (ling) 2 daily and in possession.

LAKE KOOCANUSA ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
• Rainbow Trout: Adipose clipped fish less than 22 inches must be released (see
location of adipose fin on the Rainbow Trout color plate at the front cover of this
booklet).
• Bull Trout: 1 fish per license year from June 1 through February 28. Catch-andrelease the rest of the year (all Bull Trout must be released immediately). A
Lake Koocanusa Bull Trout Catch Card must be in possession when fishing for
Bull Trout. See Special Licenses requirements for application information. It is
unlawful to possess a live Bull Trout for any reason.
• Kokanee Salmon: 50 daily and 100 in possession.

[MtPike_Master]

You're right about the 2 daily. It was the Kootenai River I was thinking of that is you can't target burbot.

[cwagnerph7]

I think if you want Ling up there Sophie lake is the better option. Most of the people I knew up there fished on the Western side of the reservoir closer to the dam off of the FDR road and just bottom fished with cut sucker meat from shore.

[RuralMT]

Thanks for the responses, and for the verification that they're in there!!  I knew the regs suggested that they were, but I haven't met anyone up here with photographic proof of a catch from there.  Interesting about Sophie Lake though...not small by any means, but definitely more dissectable than the reservoir.

[cwagnerph7]

You're welcome, I grew up in Libby and my brother still lives there. He and some buddies have caught ling out of Sophie. The guys I knew that fished for them in Koocanusa would put up a makeshift lean to, build a fire, throw lines out with bells attached to the rod and fish all night. Not sure if they hang in Rexford bay or not. From what I have heard it was been a long time since the lake has froze over entirely.

[EdwardsIceMan]

From my grandfather and some of the old timers, I grew up in eureka. I've been told that the ling like travel the original riverbed channel of the tobacco river. And have heard that guys catch them just out of rexford there closer to the mouth of the tobacco. And as the post mentioned in the middle of the night usually about 1-4 in the a.m.
Hopefully it helps a little. 

[RuralMT]

Hopefully it helps a little. 

Quite helpful.  You've both given me one hell of a place to start anyway, thanks again!  And you're right cwa, it hasn't frozen down to Big Bridge in the 3 years I've been up here anyway.  But the Rexford Bay, Abayance Bay and Murray Springs areas have produced ice consistently.  Folks I know who fish it are targeting kokanee or trying to fill their bull trout tag...haven't heard much discussion on ling.  Might have something to do with the whole 1-4 a.m. thing, haha.