RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE BLACKFEET RESERVATION AND SURROUNDING
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK GRATIFY ANGLERS WITH GIGANTIC RAINBOWS.

EAST GLACIER PARK, Mont. -Fishing in the Guadalupe River in the hill country of Texas, I often heard stories about hidden locations with huge rainbows and browns reported to reside in the Blackfeet Reservation, located in the midst of Glacier National Park. The Blackfeet reservation expands approximately 2,400 square miles in Northwest Montana, encompassing 1.5 million acres bordering with British Colombia, Canada, and Glacier Park. This majestic Indian Reservation contains about 1,500 miles of rivers and about 20 lakes where rainbows can be found. This area, by far, contains some of the best trophy lake rainbows in the United States. Furthermore, wading these rivers with the backdrop of the spectacular glacier national park scenery only adds to the excitement of this magical fly-fishing ambience.

The Blackfeet reservation contains numerous still-water fisheries where the monster rainbow trout are the norm of the angler’s catch. Other species, such as cutthroat trout and brown trout are also found in abundance, but not as numerous as the “bows”. These still-water fisheries and lakes can challenge the skills of the best anglers when massive trout tear through even the strongest lines with their powerful pulling force.

These fishing waters are managed by the Blackfeet tribe and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and are stocked with trout from the federal fish hatchery in Creston, Montana; a few miles South of Kalispell. Gayle Sunkunkcap, Director of the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department, and the several Blackfeet Grant writing authorities are currently working with us and several local authorities to conserve and improve the management of these waters. A combination of federal, State and Blackfeet management sources have helped us conserve and improve these fine fishing conditions just East of the Continental Divide.

It is the rich food supply in the fertile reservation lakes makes the fish quickly lose any resemblance to what we commonly envision as hatchery trout. The abundant amount of food around here makes these trout phenomenally huge, with vivid spawning colors in the spring. The rainbows feed heavily on leeches and freshwater shrimp. These freshwater shrimp contributes to up to 80% of the food supply for some of these trout.

Some say that if you catch trout under 12 pounds, you may be in the wrong lake. It is very common to catch numerous five to seven pond trout in a single day. While most of us consider a six ponder a trophy, many reservation anglers do not consider a reservation trout trophy under ten pounds. This past summer 2003, the biggest trout caught by one of our clients from Summit Station Lodge was 18.5 pounds; this in the month of June, about 12 feet under at Duck Lake. Later, we caught a 16.3-pound rainbow early August at the same lake.

We have mentioned Duck Lake several times thus far. This lake is the largest and certainly the finest of the 20-plus fishing reservation glacier lakes, with a size of 1,850 acres. This lake is famous for the large size of its fish; eight pounds on the average. Occasionally, some anglers take a 14-15 pound brown or rainbow here, and on a typical day you can hook several 10-12 pounders. Yet, what makes this place especially out of the ordinary, is that this is not a catch-and-release lake. This and all the lakes in the reservation are catch-and keep. Of course, we release all our fish with the exception of a few samples for dinner. There used to be a great problem with local tribal members, who until recently were not bound by any limit imposition. The tribal Fish and Game has cracked down on these people and we have seen an increase number of fish in the lakes. As you may imagine, these relaxed regulations still bring several management issues that need to be addressed in order to develop and conserve these natural glacier area treasures and certainly the fish that habitats these fisheries.

Duck Lake has consistently drawn anglers from all over the world. I particularly like to fish the first few days of May, when the ice is beginning to break. The climate can be cold, with snow on the shores, and ice patches throughout. In the open strips, schools of giant trout patrol just under the surface like fin propelled torpedoes devouring their pray.

Based on Reservation laws and tribal jurisdiction, and coherent with their “inherent sovereignty” of Blackfeet Nation, anglers can only be guided by members of the Blackfeet. At our lodge, we have developed a partnership with certainly the best and most prominent and knowledgeable Blackfeet authorized guide, David Parsons. Dave has been involved in fly-fishing in the reservation for more than 19 years, and he has had his tribal outfitter’s license for 17 years. Furthermore, he has eight or nine fishing guides that work with him and help us guide throughout these incredible waters. At the same time, Dave helps us plan and implement conservative measurements in the local and visiting anglers. David is a certified Orvis guide and currently is an active member and advisor to the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department.

These Blackfeet waters have been stocked since the early 1900’s. They still remain stocked. Duck lake and the other lakes, are managed as “put-grow-and-take” lake, because trout cannot spawn in there. Rainbow trout require an inlet and outlet stream in which to spawn, and neither is available at Duck Lake. For example, in the spring, when groups of massive trout cruise along the shoreline like pods of killer whales, it is the outlet that the fish are searching for. This quasi-spawning behavior will remain from ice-out in May to mid-June. After June, fish go deep and anglers must cast deep to get them.

It is interesting to know that fish in the lake do spawn, the female lay their eggs and the males cover them with milt, yet the eggs never hatch. The reason being that the trout needs good clean gravel and running water washing over the eggs, and that never happens.

In Duck Lake, the tribe stocks 80,000 to 120,000 trout each year. They are mainly rainbows. They start as 4-6 inches in size, depending on how long they are held at the hatchery in Creston, MT. Also, they stock a few browns to keep the sucker number down. This has been a great combination and fishing management tool.

Besides rainbows and browns, the tribe stocks west slope cutthroat trout, and bull trout when they can be obtained. The bull trout in Duck Lake may be retained, as they are excluded from restrictions under the Federal Endangered Species Act because they were surplus to a scientific study. The browns make an incredible fish to catch in the fall.

Besides Duck lake, there are several lakes that offer equally challenging fishing in the reservation; Mission lake, another prairie lake, is about eight miles east of Kipp, MT. This is a fun lake to fish; excellent growth rate helps the eight-pound range trout. This lake is 750 acres with a depth of 35 feet. We also have Goose Lake, referred to as “little Duck Lake”, is where you will find nice 6-8 pound rainbows. This lake is hard to find, but very good fishery for cutthroat trout. The waters are clear, and food is abundant. Mitten Lake is a foothill gem located West of Heart Butte, MT. offering great scenery. This is one of my favorite places. Mitten Lake is about 170 acres and a depth of nine feet. Sky-scraping peaks, the air, aspens, pines and lush green meadows contribute to this beauty. Mitten has tons of rainbows with tremendous growth rate. It is always stocked and fishing is always warranted here. The largest fish we caught here was 11 pounds last summer. Dug Gun Lake, this lake steeped in mystery on the reservation produces large browns and cutthroats. It is a beautiful mountain lake. 120 acres. Chain Lake, located in the rolling prairie of Heart butte, this is a new upcoming lake, was vivid with five pounders. Next summer, this lake should be very promising with 10-pound rainbows! Other lakes important to mention are the Cooper, Magee, Kipp, Green and Four Horn lakes.

Anglers visiting the reservation can take a break from casting weighted lines and heavy flights in the lakes by using their floating lines and dry flies in the many runs and deep holes in the streams. Stream fishing is underrated and under fished here in this part of the country. It is my favorite thing to do late in the summer. Two Medicine and Cutbank creeks are certainly considered trophy fisheries. We have clients that the only thing they want to do is to wade these streams. 20-24 inch trout roam these waters. Good hatches of caddies and mayflies really get these rainbows. These streams are clear and have the characteristic aqua green hue to them, seen in this glacier area. The scenery will make you feel you are in heaven. Another great scenic stream is Badger creek. This place is magical, the fish is small yet the location will peace your fly-fishing receptors.

Because of the size and strength of the fish, stout tackle is recommended. Your fly rod should throw at least a six or seven weight line. Sinking lines are generally more productive and recommended. Use plenty of backing, and make sure your knots are secure. The larger fish have been known to strip an angler down to a bare reel, and break the backing, resulting in not only the loss of the fish, but also the loss of the hut of the fly line as well. Last summer, we lost a few rainbows this way, not to mention a few good anglers! A 10- or 12-pound test leader will be necessary to hold many of these fish.

You may also fish from shore or from a boat on most of these waters. Float tubes are very popular here. Besides being comfortable, a float tube allows the angler to move without having to put down his or her rod. A lack of a boat or float tube is only a minor disadvantage, though. Many fish feed in the relatively shallow water near shore, and most reservation lakes have shorelines free of trees or heavy brush, resulting in fewer flies lost to a tree branch grabbing a low back cast. Consequently, wading has become popular roaming along the shores.

The diet of these fish, like those of most rivers and streams, is also made up of aquatic insects, making fly-fishing an ideal method to pursue them with. The nymphs of damselflies, dragonflies and caddie flies are staples, as well as freshwater shrimp (or scuds) and midges. The two most noteworthy hatches in this part of the country are the damselfly and caddie hatches. Both occur in the late spring or early summer on all of the reservation lakes.

The damsel hatch, actually a migration of swimming damselfly nymphs to their shoreline emergence, will occur throughout the day, while the best caddie action may occur in the evening hours. These caddies are similar to the "traveling sedges" of the Kamloop-laden waters of the British Columbia interior. The emerging adults will skitter across the water, leaving a small wake behind them. Both nymphs, representing the pupal stage, and a dry fly will produce well in the reservation.

The flies used on these lakes do not need to be complex. Olive woolly worms have been a staple for fly anglers for years. These flies are an adequate representation of both the abundant dragonfly and damselfly nymphs, and they may also be mistaken as a caddie fly pupa. The appropriate fly to use depends on the climate and time of year.

To keep a successful fishing program here in the Blackfeet Reservation, we have utilized several avenues and we are actively involved in the brainstorming, meetings and grant writing for projects related to the Reservation conservation efforts. As indicated, the number of fisherman that do not practice catch and release, and ranchers irrigation, contribute greatly to the detriment of these natural fisheries. Natural water must be left in the lakes to protect the water habitats of these rainbows. These are important goals we are slowly implanting in the local people to preserve this national treasure.

In cooperation with the Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife Department, we have instituted the following strategy via a four-pronged approach to resource management:

Some specific tactics to support this strategy are listed below:

The Blackfeet tribe requires a permit for use of reservation land or water for recreation. These permits are available both on the reservation and at most Flathead Valley sporting goods stores. You must acquire them. You are very likely to be checked by a tribal warden. The cost of the permit is modest compared to the potential payoff: a circus of monster trout testing your gear, and your nerves. Cost to non-members is $60 dollars a year, or $25 dollars for one to three days. The penalty not to carry a fishing license is $150 dollars; don’t ask me how I know... Lake fishing is open all year, but non-tribal members are allowed to fish the reservation streams only between June 1 and September 15. Reservation bag limits for trout are five fish daily. Also, fishing is only permitted from sunrise to sunset, not dawn to dusk.

The excellent fishing, combined with the solitude and majestical scenery, truly makes the Blackfeet Reservation Montana’s premier angling treasure.