Echo Lake

[Stephan_K]

Anyone have any info on Echo Lake ?  Report is it has good ice.  Wondering how the fishing is...

[Neptune]

Stephan, that is one lake I haven't made it to yet, it is on my list, quite a diverse group of gamefish in there...Sunfish, LMB, Pike(some big ones too), and Kokanee, might even be a perch or two...

Let me know if you go, I think I'm heading your way to Smith lake this weekend with the kids(never been there either)...any suggestion on where to fish?

[Stephan_K]

Even though Smith Lake is pretty much in my front yard, I have yet to get on it.  The pike are small and so are the perch I hear.  I prefer Hubbart for the kids.  Went today with them, they were off school for some reason.  It was very slow but we caught some fish.

Last time I took the kids there my oldest of 10 caught his first rainbow... 2 pounder too !  And we caught lots of 10" koks.  It was their first time on the ice as well. 

Heading over to Echo right now to see whats up.  I'll let you know what I find out shortly.  I'd like to try out someplace different with the kids with some action and decent fish... within a half hour or so drive too.

[Stephan_K]

Well... today was a good day on Echo lake.  Took about a half hour or so to find the perch, but when I did we had a ball for about an hour.  Wife and kids had lots of fun.  I on the other spent most of the time bating and taking fish off hooks for 4 kids and the wife  .  By the time I was able to fish myself, I had missed all the good action.

Ice is about 12" total with about half of it good clear ice and the other half frozen slush.  Everyone was on it with the 4 wheelers as was I.

All the perch we got were between 4" & 6".  Didn't keep any and also didn't keep track of how many we caught... but If I had to guess I'd say 25 - 30 !  Going to Bitterroot tomorrow and start doing some serious fishing.  Iced up real good and saw a dude out there on a 4 wheeler this evening. 

[t-hound]

Hey Stephan K, just wondering which section of the bitterroot are you fishing?

[Neptune]

Hey Stephan K, just wondering which section of the bitterroot are you fishing?

He's fishing the lake, not the river....and it is actually "Little Bitteroot Lake", but no one calls it that....

[Stephan_K]

He's fishing the lake, not the river....and it is actually "Little Bitteroot Lake", but no one calls it that....

Yep... 

Yesterday was fishing the S end everywhere in the 80 - 200+ water.  Found fish but they weren't having anything from anyone on the ice except one dude fishing with flies !  He had 16 on the ice when we left.  Didn't have any flies with me so called it a day around noon.  Guy I was with caught 1 when we first got there at daybreak.  After that... nothing. 

Kok's would be swarming around the lure and you would bump them every once in a while when jigging but they would even think about hitting it...

About 2" - 3" of clear ice and 4"- 5" of white ice on top of that.  Everyone was out on cats and wheelers.  I think things have hardened up good about everywhere in the NW to use the toys.

[t-hound]

Thanks for clarifying that! haha. Man for those little kokanees try using a green/glow in the dark or white rat finkie.  Tie a good tight knot and rotate it towards the hook so it rides horizontal in the water column.  Just an idea, it worked fantastic at Georgetown yesterday for the kok's.  After each bump you have to rotate the knot again so you can get a good hook set. Best of luck!

[Neptune]

Yep... 

Yesterday was fishing the S end everywhere in the 80 - 200+ water.  Found fish but they weren't having anything from anyone on the ice except one dude fishing with flies !  He had 16 on the ice when we left.  Didn't have any flies with me so called it a day around noon.  Guy I was with caught 1 when we first got there at daybreak.  After that... nothing. 

Kok's would be swarming around the lure and you would bump them every once in a while when jigging but they would even think about hitting it...

About 2" - 3" of clear ice and 4"- 5" of white ice on top of that.  Everyone was out on cats and wheelers.  I think things have hardened up good about everywhere in the NW to use the toys.

Hey the guy catching all the fish didn't happen to have a full beard and a little green sled, and used 4-5' UL rods.......

[Stephan_K]

Thanks for clarifying that! haha. Man for those little kokanees try using a green/glow in the dark or white rat finkie.  Tie a good tight knot and rotate it towards the hook so it rides horizontal in the water column.  Just an idea, it worked fantastic at Georgetown yesterday for the kok's.  After each bump you have to rotate the knot again so you can get a good hook set. Best of luck!

Been there done that... Bitterroot has BIG Kok's... 18"+ ones in the deep dark depths.  That's what we fish for there.  They aren't ready yet.  First of Feb is when it gets good what I am told.

[Stephan_K]

Hey the guy catching all the fish didn't happen to have a full beard and a little green sled, and used 4-5' UL rods.......

Full beard yes... can't remember the color of his sled.  Ya, uses 5' UL rods it looked like.  Putting 2 hooks on the line & bringing up 2 at a time too.  Had another guy with him.  They had 3 gigantic suckers on the ice too. 

[Neptune]

Full beard yes... can't remember the color of his sled.  Ya, uses 5' UL rods it looked like.  Putting 2 hooks on the line & bringing up 2 at a time too.  Had another guy with him.  They had 3 gigantic suckers on the ice too. 

More than likely that's my buddy Kevin, he taught me to fish Kokanee, and we often sit amongst the willing/wanting and limit while others watch.  He has his own style of Kokanee fishing that is like no other, and it works all the time!!!  If Kevin isn't catching Kokes, then nobody else is either!  The double hook thing is one of his things, I've seen him jiggin two rods at one tiime and pull up three fish at once, when they are right under the ice!

If you see him again, introduce yourself and ask if he will show you how to catch Kokes.  He will show anyone his technique, just listen and do exactly as he  says, and you'll be amazed!!!

[Stephan_K]

Ya... we were listening to him teach the guy he was with a couple tricks.  If I run into him again I will definitely introduce myself and ask to become his student for a while 

I wish we had some flies too.  We tried everything in our arsenal too.  Just wanted those nymphs he was using that we didn't have !  I'll never bring a short box out with me again.  It's all or nothing from now on when it comes to the tackle. 

Wonder if he would have lent us some flies ?! 

Thanks for the info...

[iceandwiskey]

Has any one fished for the pike in Echo?  I live in Bozeman and was thinking about going to Georgetown on Sun. for some Koks but if I could possibly catch a Pike I think I would rather give that a try.

[Neptune]

There are some big Pike in Echo.  I personally haven't fished there through the ice yet.  There are also Kokanee, Bass, sunfish and Perch.


Steven K,  where about did you go onto the lake and where did you end up getting set up...thinking about making a trip out there later this week...

[Stephan_K]

There are some big Pike in Echo.  I personally haven't fished there through the ice yet.  There are also Kokanee, Bass, sunfish and Perch.


Steven K,  where about did you go onto the lake and where did you end up getting set up...thinking about making a trip out there later this week...

sent you a PM...