Went for a drive yesterday, scouting . . .

[Jim F]

. . . for ice. No kokanee ice yet, but if any locals need some amusement, Smith is froze solid and fishing well for pike, Little McGregor is frozen solid and fishable for trout. Upper Thompson mostly froze but not safe yet, Middle Thompson still wide open, Lower Thompson is starting to ice up the west end.
Bitteroot and Ashley haven't even started & I didn't even have to drive in there to know that
Foys (boat launch end)is almost iced over but I'm not walking on it yet.
The smaller pothole lakes in the Thompson chain are all iced over should be good to go pretty soon.
Dont know about Beaver, didnt get that way yet.


Speaking of Foys, any of you MT boys ever caught the salmon in there? I'd like a hint where to start looking for them. 20 a day limit and only 10 miles from home, but I cant find anyone who's ever fished it for kokes. It is kinda like fishing in a bathtub with all the houses around, but its close to home!

So there's a random ice report as of Saturday Dec 4, looks like I'll be fishing for trout till the kokanee water is ready

 

[Jim F]

Lake 5 is frozen, if you know where to get access?
Doesnt appear to be any except the one spot in the dip in the road

No ice at all on Beaver,
Lion lake has 8+ inches and being fished
Looks like trout till the koke lakes ice over

 

[Neptune]

Jim I haven't fished FOy's yet, but I have been told where to fish by someone who fished it alot and caught alot! Can show you on a map or maybe we should meet and give em HE Double Hockeysticks!

 

[Jim F]

It'd be awesome to figure it out. It's close to home, 20 fish limit, whats not to like, except all the houses around.
I've caught piles of trout out of there but no salmon. Don't see many folks fishing for them either.

 

[montanafishin]

Kok's in Foys?!?!?!? Fished it for trout and had no idea that there were those tasty little devils in there. Would love to try and figure that out,

Nick

 

[Jim F]

Yeah, according to FWP website , the stocking reports show they've been loading it with kokes for years, yet I have yet to see one get caught there.
Neptune is the first person I came across that has any idea what to do.

Speaking of ice, Foys is froze on the boat access end, animal tracks all over, not sure I want my carcass out there yet

Checked Echo yesterday, mostly froze, but not sure I'd walk out there yet either. The bay at the FAS out to the islands looks solid, but not thick.

Can you guys tell I wanna catch some salmon?

 

[Jim F]

Update,
Echo Lake is froze and fishing. Dont have any idea if the kokes are biting, but about a dozen people out there today. I might hit it tomorrow if I have time.

 

[LarryPhan]

went out yesterday salmon got good ice saw about 10 people fishing the north end, Placid lake I fished yesterday no luck but good ice about 8 inches and tons of fish on the finder