Kootenay Lake

[barbless]

Ok I'm looking at booking a fishing charter on the Kootenay Lake. I checked the search area here but no updates since 2015 that I can find. My trip will be hopefully Sept. 15-16 two full days. I can only find two that I might consider.
Reel Adventures and Kootenay Wild. If there are others you might recommend please let me know. There are only 2 of us. If you have chartered there how was your experience and who did you book with?

[EZM]

I have been to Kootenay quite a bit and seen the Reel Adventures boat - a white tin big water lake boat with cabin - and they run planners, riggers, etc.. and seem to pull fish out of there.

I spoke to one of the guides and he was pretty cool - gave me a few tips and was pretty open to sharing a few things I didn't know.

[deschambault]

I'm at Kootenay now and for the next 10 days. Fishing was very slow today with only one hit. I will try planer boards and bucktails tomorrow morning as apparently there was some surface activity today. I spent the day downrigging in the areas that worked for me last year at this time but the fish seem to have moved a bit. Last year it took a couple of days to find them but the action was pretty good from there. I didn't see any obvious guide boats out today but then again they were likely where the fish were. Also the radio was really quiet and that is a bad sign. Great weather though.

[liar]

Originally Posted by EZM

I have been to Kootenay quite a bit and seen the Reel Adventures boat - a white tin big water lake boat with cabin - and they run planners, riggers, etc.. and seem to pull fish out of there.

I spoke to one of the guides and he was pretty cool - gave me a few tips and was pretty open to sharing a few things I didn't know.

isnt it nice when that happens .

[EZM]

Originally Posted by deschambault

I'm at Kootenay now and for the next 10 days. Fishing was very slow today with only one hit. I will try planer boards and bucktails tomorrow morning as apparently there was some surface activity today. I spent the day downrigging in the areas that worked for me last year at this time but the fish seem to have moved a bit. Last year it took a couple of days to find them but the action was pretty good from there. I didn't see any obvious guide boats out today but then again they were likely where the fish were. Also the radio was really quiet and that is a bad sign. Great weather though.

What part of the lake? I usually am in Balfour and fish the main lake south of there along the west shore this time of year. Not the best time of year, particularly if it's calm, but enough action to keep you entertained.

If there is any chop - a fly, trolling fast, way back (or off a planner) and skipping top has produced some results too.

[barbless]

Thanks for your responses. I did fish the Lake couple years ago but north of Kaslo out of Schroeder Creek. Nice little community and marina. Co-worker has a place there. Did pretty good for the five days there. Rainbows and bulls. Down riggers set at about 100 ft in 120 deep and casting around a couple creeks. East side of lake. Doing it different this time

[Buckwheat]

Bc fisheries has a predator reduction program for Kootenay lake on now. Noticed fewer fish this last month but the Water is warmer now which slows down the bite. The goal is to remove 12-20k rainbows/bulls over the year long program

https://bcwf.bc.ca/kootenay-lake-ang...ntive-program/

[straight]

It's been third summer since I bought a property at Kootenay Lake (south of Kaslo). Usually I fish offshore and fishing is pretty good during May-July and OK in March-April and August-September. If trout don't bite, at least you can see it chasing minnows and flies at the surface. This summer is absolutely worst fishing ever. Don't see any fish signs at all.

[barbless]

Originally Posted by Buckwheat

Bc fisheries has a predator reduction program for Kootenay lake on now. Noticed fewer fish this last month but the Water is warmer now which slows down the bite. The goal is to remove 12-20k rainbows/bulls over the year long program

https://bcwf.bc.ca/kootenay-lake-ang...ntive-program/

I will try to do my part lol.
I realize I need a conservation stamp for rainbows 50cm and over. Now do I need a stamp for each one ( only 2 over 50cm )or does one stamp work for my possession limit?

[Rdamours]

Spectre55 knows that lake really well. Not sure if he used to guide there.

Not to derail but let know know of any good deals with a nice rental house on the lake with a dock. Almost went there with the boat this year.

[Buckwheat]

Originally Posted by barbless

I will try to do my part lol.
I realize I need a conservation stamp for rainbows 50cm and over. Now do I need a stamp for each one ( only 2 over 50cm )or does one stamp work for my possession limit?

Just the one stamp. I think it’s 2per day and five for the year. Haven’t seen too many rainbows breaking that 20” mark though lately

[Buckwheat]

Not like the good ole days




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[barbless]

Originally Posted by Buckwheat

Just the one stamp. I think it’s 2per day and five for the year. Haven’t seen too many rainbows breaking that 20” mark though lately

Ya just got my licence on line and it says 10 rainbow over 50 cm for the year with your stamp. They upped it. 5 rainbow total only 2 over 50cm and 3 bull any size. Daily quota and double that for possession quota.

[barbless]

Originally Posted by Buckwheat

Not like the good ole days




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sweet. If I cut that one in half it could be my daily limit. LOL
3 - 5 lb were my last ones a couple years ago. But like I mentioned it was north of Kaslo. Fun time

[Buckwheat]

Originally Posted by barbless

Sweet. If I cut that one in half it could be my daily limit. LOL
3 - 5 lb were my last ones a couple years ago. But like I mentioned it was north of Kaslo. Fun time

Good luck! Might win yourself a boat 🚣

[barbless]

Ya I was reading up on that incentive to fish out there. I'll take the monthly prize. LOL When reading the reg's it says you have to leave the head, fins and tail attached for identification. How can you freeze the heads and hand them in like the write up mentions? Will drop mine off at Balfour (Gill and Gift)
Will have to look into it further

[Pixel Shooter]

I have fished this lake for 20 plus years. Last 4-5 yrs the Kokanee runs died off. Count was brutally low. Meaning very little food source for big rainbows hence why no one catches anything of size anymore. Last i heard from locals is biologists finally agree that best course of action is to re-fertilize the lake to get Kokanee numbers back up. But as one can see this has not been working. They need to close the Kokanee fishery for a bit. Pretty sad. Miss those 15-20lb rainbows. Polar bear hair and planner boards or plugs with right colours were killer. Look forward to hearing things have turned around but will take time. Pend oreille to some extent went thru same thing. Right now that’s a solid fishery with same strain rainbows

[deschambault]

We have been fishing south of Kaslo on the east side and are finding lots of bulls. People are saying that the rainbows are still on surface but I haven't had any luck yet pulling hair with planer boards. I have a bull on the smoker as we speak and am interested in trying a fish dip recipe. The kokanee fishing is closed in the main lake and they are encouraging people to keep trout by having a monthly draw when you leave fish heads. They are fertilizing the lake and trying to get kokanee numbers back up.

[Bushmaster]

MANY, MANY, years ago. 26 lbs., fished out of Woodbury Marina.

[barbless]

I've heard the water is still too warm near the surface. Early mornings or towards the evening maybe? Hot daytime temps are not helping they say.

[deanna]

Mike at Slit Shot Charters was awesome but think he moved to the island. Use salmon roe on 3 way swivel at the beginning of the West Arm in front of 1st boey & u will sleigh bulls all day. Anchor in 50 fow and cast to the 25-30 fow drop off

[Etownpaul]

To you folks who know this lake, how is the wind generally?

I’ve got an unexpected week off next week and was thinking about a fishing and camping trip somewhere where the weather is still nice. My boat is a 16’ flat bottom aluminum with a 25 HP jet outboard. She’s a great river boat but she don’t like the big lake wind much. I’ve had her out on lots of small & mid sized lakes but Kootenay would be the largest lake I’ve taken her on.

On bigger lakes I tend to cast in bays that are sheltered from the wind but if I’m trolling for trout the whole time that might not work so well.

[barbless]

Well the times and the spots I have been out on that lake, for the most part not a lot of white caps but they get real good rollers. Big rollers. I had my 17ft aluminum V-Hull out there north of Kaslo and did not go out cause the waves were getting about what looked like 4 ft. some white caps showing after 3 ft high. Not fun turned around. Maybe stay in the arm if on the Balfour side. There are certain places one can hide (it's a long lake) but if your boat don't like waves just be aware of the weather and the wind. There are others on here that know this lake way more than I ever will

[deschambault]

Most of the time this is a fairly calm lake but watch out if there is a storm coming. One blew in Sunday night which knocked out power through parts of the BC interior and knocked trees down all over. We left Woodbury on the early ferry this morning after a day without power and a day where they had to reset the breakwater. You wouldn't have wanted to be on the lake that night.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Etownpaul

To you folks who know this lake, how is the wind generally?

I’ve got an unexpected week off next week and was thinking about a fishing and camping trip somewhere where the weather is still nice. My boat is a 16’ flat bottom aluminum with a 25 HP jet outboard. She’s a great river boat but she don’t like the big lake wind much. I’ve had her out on lots of small & mid sized lakes but Kootenay would be the largest lake I’ve taken her on.

On bigger lakes I tend to cast in bays that are sheltered from the wind but if I’m trolling for trout the whole time that might not work so well.

It's a BIG lake - over 100km North to south and an arm that runs generally east to west and that's likely 30-40km. The main lake is DEEP (almost 500ft) so it can get nasty.

Good news is, if you are in an area like Balfour, you can pick your battles and stay relatively sheltered and only venture out if the main lake is calm.

Having said that, I've had many, many days of flat calm or light riffle on that lake. Been out in a little tinner on the main lake many times (but close enough to get back into the arm if things get dicey.

But if it gets bad, that lake can be treacherous so if you are not sure, head in, weather can come over the top (you may not even see it coming - I have had storms blow into that lake in minutes.

[S_Mooj]

if you are in the area, go fish the bottom of duncan river. bottom 500m of the river where it feeds into kootenay lake. 4x 15+ lb bull trout in a day plus a bunch of smaller ones.

[livinthedream]

Originally Posted by S_Mooj

if you are in the area, go fish the bottom of duncan river. bottom 500m of the river where it feeds into kootenay lake. 4x 15+ lb bull trout in a day plus a bunch of smaller ones.

Would love to see some photos of big bull trout!

[graybeard]

Originally Posted by straight

It's been third summer since I bought a property at Kootenay Lake (south of Kaslo). Usually I fish offshore and fishing is pretty good during May-July and OK in March-April and August-September. If trout don't bite, at least you can see it chasing minnows and flies at the surface. This summer is absolutely worst fishing ever. Don't see any fish signs at all.

X 2....

I just got home and it was bad....I caught 2 small rainbows and put in over 18 hours.....

BC natural resources are messing with the balance of kokanee salmon and killing food sources to kill off the big game fish. There is no catch limits in effect.

[S_Mooj]

https://ibb.co/Y3rBndw

https://ibb.co/qdd7Mpg


i suck at posting pics lol.

[deschambault]

I don't have a picture but I am putting about a 6 pounder on the barbie this evening and the appy is smoked fish dip made from a smaller one. Baked and stuffed bulls are hard to beat.