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Author Topic: echo lake  (Read 6293 times)

Offline woodbutcher

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echo lake
« on: Jan 05, 2013, 08:27 AM »
has anyone been fishing on echo lake by bigfork montana , saw some tracks and holes drilled by the boat launch, just 2 1/2  to 3 inches yesterday, ichen to fish before i head home. How much ice is safe to walk on.

Offline BigSage

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #1 on: Jan 05, 2013, 09:41 AM »
I'll go out on 4 inches if it's clear.  Haven't ever fished Echo

Offline Fishing2471979

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #2 on: Jan 05, 2013, 11:48 AM »
I'll go out on 2 inches but that is just me. Like BigSage says if its clear ice...

Offline woodbutcher

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #3 on: Jan 05, 2013, 01:35 PM »
thanks for the info on the ice thickness.  2 guys were out fishing on echo this morning so i ventured out following their tracks to where they were fishing, they had 4 salmon in a 1 1/2 hr. . 2 other guys went west for perch.  i caught 5 in 2 hrs about 2 1/2 inches  100 yds south of channel to causeway still a little scary. also had many bites but just missing them, is there a secret on setting the hook, just lift up like trout or wait for  few seconds, drop and then set. they would hit it  but i would just miss them

Offline perchSlayer95

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #4 on: Jan 05, 2013, 10:04 PM »
try not to set quite as hard as you do with trout as salmon have a weaker skin on their lips.



sittin here waitin on a flag drinkin beer and wastin propane

Offline woodbutcher

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #5 on: Jan 14, 2013, 09:44 PM »
went out to fish today a good 6 to 7 inched caught 6 in 3 hrs, missed a few others, caught 3 on jaw jacker nice for the second rod so you can concentrate on the one rod, four other tents were up dont know how well they did

Offline Jim F

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #6 on: Jan 15, 2013, 04:05 PM »
Anyone catching whitefish out there yet?
Get bit!


Offline TinaG

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #7 on: Jan 15, 2013, 04:16 PM »
How far out are you guys fishing? Are you heading out by the causeway or the state park access?  Woodbutcher , how do you like the jawjacker, just got one in the mail today.

Offline ICEFISHMAN69

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #8 on: Jan 15, 2013, 06:10 PM »
Ill go out on no less then three inches but that is just me.

Offline SidFishes

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #9 on: Jan 16, 2013, 02:03 PM »
I have been waiting for this lake to get enough ice on it - thanks for the info Woodbutcher - you reported 6 inch or so of ice, was that out on the deep part of the lake?

If so Sat morning is ON!

Offline woodbutcher

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #10 on: Jan 17, 2013, 11:38 PM »
jim caught one whitefish about 1lb saw movement on sonor about 70 to 60 feet caught iy with halo and corn. yes ice is good on wed morning just over 6 incheds about center of bay south of cannel to causeway, jawjacker works but i think it workes better for trout, kokenne bite so soft they take the bait but i did catch 3 that morning on  the jacker but when i went last week for trout at home in alberta i would catch just as much as my jigging rod as the jacker, makes a  great  second rod, also great for kids they dont have to sit and wait, they can sled or skate then when you catch one they can come running and real them it. i access the lake from the south end of cabin loop road or from stae park when ice is thick enought i drive on with the quad from my cabin.

Offline SidFishes

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #11 on: Jan 18, 2013, 11:43 AM »
Thanks for the reply woodbutcher! will head out on Sat morning and see what I can pull outta there!

Offline SidFishes

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #12 on: Jan 21, 2013, 05:26 PM »
Had a fun day on Echo last Saturday - was not a bad day weather-wise.  I was disappointed at how slow it all was after 10AM - good bites up until then but after that it was a struggle getting them to bite.  Did not limit out for first time this year :( - oh well - but I was happy to see the kokanee were bigger on average than they were on Lake 5 or Beaver (what happened to the hogs on Beaver!).  The thing I like most about Echo is the chance to catch whitefish at the same time and as you can see from the pic, Echo did not let me down.


Offline redneckrance

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #13 on: Jan 21, 2013, 11:18 PM »
Nice haul those whitefish are my favorite for eating, wish they would start biting sometime on Flathead again!

Offline woodbutcher

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #14 on: Jan 22, 2013, 07:32 PM »
thats not a bad mess of fish sidfish how was the ice, were you out in the middle or on the west side of the bay.If you dont mind what were you using, always like to know in case a better way or something different. Wilkl be down in 2 weeks for a few days of koke fishing, lot of times i catch whitefish  in the mouth of my bay just east of the middle of the big bay south of the big house on the point in about 40 to60 ft of water. 

Offline SidFishes

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #15 on: Jan 23, 2013, 11:22 AM »
The ice was fine, 6 or 7 inches (4 wheelers and snowmobiles were out there so it was just fine for me hoofin' it) - I don't know all the bay names etc, but I was in the big deeper part of the lake about 1/2 mile south of the public launch. I tried a couple of areas 70 foot deep and 50 foot deep - I did better in 70 feet but I think that was just because that was the early AM when they were actively feeding.  I use wet flies and a flasher and a lot of active jigging if that helps at all.

Offline woodbutcher

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #16 on: Jan 25, 2013, 11:46 PM »
hey sid what type of flys were you using, i have never used fly for kokes just smalll jigs and lures. Have you had success with flys in the summer, many times the surface is jumping and i have tried flys with no takes. diid you catch very many with the flys.

Offline TinaG

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #17 on: Jan 26, 2013, 03:55 PM »
Anyone out there recently? How is the ice holding up with the warm weather and rain? :'(  Thanks!

Offline DoogieMT

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #18 on: Jan 26, 2013, 09:17 PM »
Its still good, just bring your yaktracks

Offline TinaG

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #19 on: Jan 27, 2013, 11:25 AM »
Thanks doogie, hows the fishing there? Folks getting any kokes? ;D

Offline Jim F

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #20 on: Jan 27, 2013, 12:23 PM »
some friends got 2 limits there in short order the other day
Get bit!


Offline SidFishes

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #21 on: Jan 28, 2013, 03:18 PM »
Hi Woodbutcher, sorry for the late reply, I have been out there fishin' :) - I almost exclusively use fly's and have a bunch tied up that I use regularly - most of them are very common nymph type wet flies (fly's?) I like prince nymphs, and lots of different midge's.  I did well on a small copper john last time out on Echo.  I may or may not be using the correct names for fly's,  these are common names that the fishermen I talk to use (and since I dont fly fish, just user them for kokanee jigging) so they have kind of stuck!

Offline woodbutcher

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #22 on: Feb 04, 2013, 09:27 PM »
Thanks sidfishes for the info, will be down this thur, fri, sat, to fish, Just a few question on the flys, do you put any bait on the flys or leave it bare. And do you use a couple of spitshots to get the fly down,  or do you hang it a few inches below a swedish pimple.  How much ice is on the lake now, are they riding quad out on the ice.  If you happen to go out fishing  i have a red honda with a box on the back for my gear, unless it is cold then i will pull my one man sled tent. maybe seeya out on the lake

Offline SidFishes

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #23 on: Feb 05, 2013, 01:05 PM »
I have a 1/2 oz dropper between the top and bottom fly so it falls fairly quickly (trying to simulate a tiny kokanee chasing the flies.  I tip each fly with a maggot btw.  I will look for ya next time I am out there - I have not been back since my post, but am planning on getting out there this coming Sat (the 9th) again.  I will look for ya when I am out there.

Offline woodbutcher

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #24 on: Feb 07, 2013, 10:10 PM »
thanks i will try that. I am at echo lake  now just got down tonight.  So i will fish tomorrow see how it is will report tomorrow night

Offline lundin-loading

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #25 on: Feb 07, 2013, 10:17 PM »
after you hit it id really appreciate an ice update, were heading up in about a week and i planned on fishing echo if the ice was holding out.
thanks!

Offline missoulafish

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #26 on: Feb 07, 2013, 11:39 PM »
Gonna fish it tomorrow night and Saturday with the BOW class!

Offline Neptune

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #27 on: Feb 08, 2013, 10:25 AM »
Gonna fish it tomorrow night and Saturday with the BOW class!
 

Ok i'll bite...the BOW class????

Offline Quantoson

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #28 on: Feb 08, 2013, 10:38 AM »
I was thinking Bow and Arrow class  ???
wish you many hook-ups

Offline missoulafish

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Re: echo lake
« Reply #29 on: Feb 08, 2013, 10:41 AM »
Come on Jeff! Don't tell me you missed that post:) it a women's ice fishing class. Put on by the FWP, 40 noobies learning to ice fish. Should be a blast, stop by:)

 



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