Fishing in Glacier National Park
FISHING IN GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
John F. Aiton
The two hundred fifty lakes and numerous streams combine with unexcelled scenery to constitute a fisherman's paradise. Clear mountain lakes and rushing streams stocked with fighting trout furnish fly fishing, trolling and bait casting to meet the requirements of the most fastidious angler.
Trout
The western drainages from the Continental Divide are stocked principally with the native cutthroat trout. Every fisherman of mountain streams has taken the native trout and appreciates its fighting habits. The larger lakes and streams are stocked with Dolly Varden trout. This species is frequently taken in the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead River and in Kintla, Upper Kintla, Bowman and Logging Lakes. The Dolly Varden ranges up to 20 pounds and more in weight.
The lakes and streams on the eastern slope of the Divide also support the native trout. In addition, good rainbow trout fishing may be had in Upper Two Medicine, Elizabeth, Josephine, Grinnell and Gunsight Lakes. Eastern brook trout are plentiful in many of the lakes and streams on the east side of the mountains. Middle Two Medicine Lake, Two Medicine River, Josephine and Swiftcurrent Lakes are well stocked.
Mackinaw trout, the largest of the trouts, are frequently taken in St. Mary and Waterton Lakes. This species sometimes attains a weight of 40 pounds.
The northern pike are plentiful in the Sherburne Reservoir and numerous catches of this species, ranging up to 15 pounds per fish, are made each season.
Seasons of the Best Fishing
The native trout are caught during the entire open season extending from the first Sunday before Memorial Day through October 15. The best catches are, however, made during June, the first part of July and during the cooler part of September. Fishing remains good during the entire season in some of the interior lakes and streams.
Early and late season fishing yields superior catches of the other species. The comparatively warm weather occurring during the latter part of July and August appears to drive the fish to the bottoms of the deeper pools where additional skill is necessary to make successful catches. Many fishermen bring in their limits regardless of weather conditions.
Fly Fishing
The fly fishing in Glacier National Park is a pleasure which once experienced forever reappears in the smoke of the fisherman's pipe. Royal coachman, brown and gray hackles, queen of water, ginger quills, bees and gnats are used with success in many waters of the park. A fighting trout on a light fly rod amidst nature's unadulterated splendor is an experience open to everyone.
Trolling and Bait Casting
The beautiful lakes, surrounded by towering mountains, are stocked with hardy trout. Here the fisherman, while trolling, may feast his eyes on some of the most outstanding scenery in the world. The thrill of a big one taken in this ideal setting cannot be duplicated. Red and white dare-devils, plugs and spinners are used with success. Bait casting from either shore or boat often yields desired results. Josephine, Swiftcurrent, Waterton, Red Eagle, St. Mary, Kintla and Bowman Lakes are outstanding for either trolling or bait casting.
Stocking
The annual plant of fish in park waters amounts to more than 2,500,000. All fish are planted by the ranger service.
The planting policy includes the planting of native black-spotted trout only in the waters west of the Continental Divide which originally constituted the native home for this species.
Rainbow are stocked in the Swiftcurrent and Two Medicine drainages and in Elizabeth Lake.
Eastern brook trout are planted each year in the Belly River, Swiftcurrent and Two Medicine watersheds.
St. Mary and Red Eagle Lakes are stocked with the native cutthroat trout.
