Fishing tips for east of the divide

A few weeks ago, Blackfeet tribal fisheries biologist Toby Taber gave a report on fisheries management and outlook for this season’s fishing on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

This week, I’ll share Taber’s report on specific lakes. In a future story, we’ll explore some of the problems and challenges facing fisheries management on the ‘Rez.

“I think all the lakes with fish should be good fishing this summer,” Taber said.

And why fish the ‘Rez?

“The Blackfeet Reservation is one of the best places in the Lower 48 to catch a trophy-sized trout,” he said.

Seventeen reservation lakes are actively managed including:

• Duck Lake. Larger fish are now 18-20 inches, few are larger.

“A 16-18 incher isn’t a bad trout, but to people who fish the reservation, that’s puny,” Taber said. “Those good old days may never happen again.”

• Four Horns. Winter-killed this year after too much water was diverted from the lake. This lake held trout up to 18 pounds, and this spring local anglers reported watching eagles feasting on “fish of a lifetime.”

• Goose Lake. Also a tendency to winter-kill, but none reported this year. Cutts 12-16 inches. Cutts are also planted into Little Goose, Flattop and Cooper lakes.

• Dog Gun Lake. Trout 16-18 inches.

• Hidden Lake. Bows to 6 pounds, with plenty of 16-20 inchers.

• Kipp Lake. Provided good ice fishing. Plenty of 16-inchers. A few over 30 inches.

• Upper and Lower Twins. Both have 16-18 inchers.

• Mission Lake. Rainbows over 15 pounds have been reported.

“If I had to pick one lake for this summer, it would be Mission,” Taber said.

• Mitton Lake. Awesome scenery. Good chance of running into a grizzly bear.

“You can catch 16-20 inchers all day long,” Taber said.

• Chain Lake. Planted two years ago. Trout to 20 inches.