Just returned from Yellowstone Lake
- Thread starter Yellowstone
- Start date
Yellowstone
New member
Folks interested in Yellowstone Lake - Am on my way there for a few days.
Called the marina this morning for lake update. Ice is now off the main lake. Some slushy areas remain in the arms. Ranger station, Xanterra office, and store are open daily. Not sure about the gas dock. Will keep you posted. John
Called the marina this morning for lake update. Ice is now off the main lake. Some slushy areas remain in the arms. Ranger station, Xanterra office, and store are open daily. Not sure about the gas dock. Will keep you posted. John
Montana Kev
New member
John,
Just a thought about the restrictions.
You may want to mention the restrictions on Pets at the doc and in the back country. I am not up to date on them but I know there are many restrictions on where you can have dogs.
Also, I don't think there is cell service at the Marina yet.
Thanks,
Kevin
Just a thought about the restrictions.
You may want to mention the restrictions on Pets at the doc and in the back country. I am not up to date on them but I know there are many restrictions on where you can have dogs.
Also, I don't think there is cell service at the Marina yet.
Thanks,
Kevin
Yellowstone
New member
Kevin - Just got back from the lake this afternoon after arriving Sunday.
Dogs are allowed on boats at the marina but must be on leads going to and from the boats. There is enough room around the parking lot for toilet purposes.
If a boat goes into the back country, and stops at a lake dock, the regs say the dog must stay aboard.
Cell service in the park is spotty. Mammouth, Canyon, and Grant Village are areas the cell phone works. There are a few spots on the lake - in direct line with the cell tower at Grant Village - where a cell phone works.
For reasons known only to the NPS, no cell service is available at the lake complex. Rumors are circulating that cell service will eventually come to Lake Hotel and the marina.
The past May was one of the coldest Mays on record in Yellowstone. The Bozeman area recorded the coldest May in 35 years. Until today, rain has been a constant around the lake. And I mean pouring rain. No wind, just straight down. All the streams running into the lake are rushing torrents. At the government guage at the Marina, the lake is coming up a few inches a day. Last year at the same date the lake was around 3 feet higher.
The rain stopped around two pm yesterday so I took a solo run over to the east shore and poked into the southeast arm. Took the water temperature - in the low thirties. The sea gulls are now here, but I didn't see pelicans or osprey. Small groups of Canada geese were heading up the arms flying close to the water.
With fishing not opening until June 15 on the lake, many boaters are waiting until then to come. I counted 14 boats in leased slips. The marina is at capacity with about 80 boats.
The gas dock is open from 8-5. I checked with the Xanterra people about the gas composition. They claim that no mixed gas comes to the marina for distribution. I can't speak for the other gas stations.
Buffalo, elk, and bears are the most common animals along the roads. The cow buiffalo already have their young. The huge old monarch buffalo bulls are everywhere. One walked nonchalantly by my car this morning. He looked at least six feet tall at the hump.
According to research reports wolf numbers are down in the park. Also, the wolf has little impact on the buffalo. The last report I saw said the wolves accounted for only 14 buffalo over a year's period. The life of a predator is not an easy one.
The Yellowstone River out of the park is bank full. No commercial raft floats today. Too dangerous. More rain is forecast this week. Soggy is the best word I can use to describe Yellowstone Park, but the whole countryside sparkles from the moisture. Am planning to return on ther 13th. John
Dogs are allowed on boats at the marina but must be on leads going to and from the boats. There is enough room around the parking lot for toilet purposes.
If a boat goes into the back country, and stops at a lake dock, the regs say the dog must stay aboard.
Cell service in the park is spotty. Mammouth, Canyon, and Grant Village are areas the cell phone works. There are a few spots on the lake - in direct line with the cell tower at Grant Village - where a cell phone works.
For reasons known only to the NPS, no cell service is available at the lake complex. Rumors are circulating that cell service will eventually come to Lake Hotel and the marina.
The past May was one of the coldest Mays on record in Yellowstone. The Bozeman area recorded the coldest May in 35 years. Until today, rain has been a constant around the lake. And I mean pouring rain. No wind, just straight down. All the streams running into the lake are rushing torrents. At the government guage at the Marina, the lake is coming up a few inches a day. Last year at the same date the lake was around 3 feet higher.
The rain stopped around two pm yesterday so I took a solo run over to the east shore and poked into the southeast arm. Took the water temperature - in the low thirties. The sea gulls are now here, but I didn't see pelicans or osprey. Small groups of Canada geese were heading up the arms flying close to the water.
With fishing not opening until June 15 on the lake, many boaters are waiting until then to come. I counted 14 boats in leased slips. The marina is at capacity with about 80 boats.
The gas dock is open from 8-5. I checked with the Xanterra people about the gas composition. They claim that no mixed gas comes to the marina for distribution. I can't speak for the other gas stations.
Buffalo, elk, and bears are the most common animals along the roads. The cow buiffalo already have their young. The huge old monarch buffalo bulls are everywhere. One walked nonchalantly by my car this morning. He looked at least six feet tall at the hump.
According to research reports wolf numbers are down in the park. Also, the wolf has little impact on the buffalo. The last report I saw said the wolves accounted for only 14 buffalo over a year's period. The life of a predator is not an easy one.
The Yellowstone River out of the park is bank full. No commercial raft floats today. Too dangerous. More rain is forecast this week. Soggy is the best word I can use to describe Yellowstone Park, but the whole countryside sparkles from the moisture. Am planning to return on ther 13th. John
Yellowstone
New member
Yellowstone Lake opened for fishing yesterday. I went up the day before the opening (on Monday) and enjoyed two days of sunshine. The rains returned today, so I came back to White Sulphur Springs and more rain - no snow forecast here but some in Yellowstone Park.
How was the fishing yesterday? Exceptional, unless one were using the wrong lures. Actually, for those with the "right" lures the fishing was beyond exceptional. Following is a story about everything going wrong for one boater on my slip after he launched and everything going right after he began fishing.
Some background. Anyone following the saga of Yellowstone Lake fishing is aware of an invasive species called the lake trout, which somehow got into the lake about twenty years ago substantially reducing the native cutthroat trout population. The NPS has launched an all out attack on the lake trout, bringing in commercial gill netting boats and removing all limits for sports fisherman.
The rule requires the use of barbless single treble hooks for trout fishing (fly fishing uses single barbless hook). All cutthroat trout caught must be returned to the lake. All lake trout caught must be killed and thrown back into the lake, or if the sport fisherman wants to keep the lake trout, there is no possession limit.
The day before the lake opened to fishing (Monday), I sat on B dock watching a few more boats coming in to catch the opening day.
About 3 PM I decided to take a nap, and about 5 PM heard agitated voices nearby. On the opposite side of the Far West II and down a few slips were two Xanterra employees looking at a 17' Crestliner. It had berthed while I was napping.
The problem. It was sinking at the stern with the outboard Mercury 100HP and 8 hp kicker half under water. The lines to the cleats, ordinary quarter inch nylon, were tight of course and pulling the dock down on one side. The bow was riding high at an angle and the lake was now over the transom.
Two seasonal employees decided to get hand pumps to get the water out of the cockpit so they ran to their boat house for them and upon returning commenced to operate two pumps. I watched this for a while along with some other boaters, and we finally convinced them the pumping was futile since they were really trying to pump out the lake.
Other employees went to find the owner, who was camping in a campground at Fishing Bridge. Meanwhile, the Xanterra people were afraid the craft would sink. It was a newer model and obviously had built in flotation. But to mollify them, I got one of my anchor lines which was put under the bottom fore and aft and stretched from cleats from nearby slip acting as a cradle. At that time I speculated the owner had forgotten to put in his plug. Interestingly, from the launch area to the slip was at least two hundred yards distance. How the boat got that far and was tied off and the water wasn't noticed is beyond me.
Finally, the owner arrived, admitting he had forgotten to put in the plug, and promptly got the plug in from the inside after a very cold hand, arm and shoulder found the drain hole. After a number of people stood on the bow, the transom broke above water, and the Xanterra crew got the hand pumps going and got most of the water out. Another small boat then towed the boat to the launch area where it was put on a trailer and removed from the lake.
The crew consisted of three adults and one 10 year old boy, who was questioning the captain, his grandfather, whether this meant the end of his fishing trip. His grandfather, however, exuded nothing but confidence that he would get the engines going. I wasn't so sure of that but kept my opinion to myself and went back to the Far West II feeling sorry for everyone concerned, especially the boy.
In the morning the Crestliner was absent from its slip. A friend and I went fishing that morning and returned mid afternoon after catching and releasing numerous cutthroat and keeping a few lake trout for the skillet.
About 9 PM what should arrive but the Crestliner with the entire crew. The captain came in a little bit fast and crumpled the bow a little bit before we could stop it. The same skimpy nylon lines were attached to the cleats, and the crew climbed on the dock. The little boy could not contain himself and burst out, "We caught 80 lake trout." "You did?", I said.
"Yup" came his response and he went to the fish box and opened it. It was full of lake trout.
This was their story. In the morning they worked on the engines. The 8 HP kicker was a 4-stroke and they couldn't get it going. The 100 HP Mercury was a 2-stoke, and after getting the water out of the lower cylinder, they got it running. So they got on the water early afternoon. The captain said it ran kind of rough going out on the lake but after an hour or two it smoothed out. They fished about 13 miles from the marina, and fishing was really, really good.
This particular captain is a veteran of Yellowstone Lake fishing, and uses but one lure, which I saw dangling from the poles. Of course I had never used that lure before.
One by one they took the lake trout and laid them on the dock. There were 80 fish ranging from 2 lbs to 7 lbs. I estimate the average weight was 3-4 lbs. I had a big tub aboard which they used to ferry the fish (more than several trips) to the fish cleaning station more than a 100 yards away. The little boy helped carry as much as he could, too. They were cleaning fish after dark.
So what started out as a real bummer for the young lad turned out to be a true fishing story he will tell at school this coming fall. There must be a patron saint for young fishermen.
John
How was the fishing yesterday? Exceptional, unless one were using the wrong lures. Actually, for those with the "right" lures the fishing was beyond exceptional. Following is a story about everything going wrong for one boater on my slip after he launched and everything going right after he began fishing.
Some background. Anyone following the saga of Yellowstone Lake fishing is aware of an invasive species called the lake trout, which somehow got into the lake about twenty years ago substantially reducing the native cutthroat trout population. The NPS has launched an all out attack on the lake trout, bringing in commercial gill netting boats and removing all limits for sports fisherman.
The rule requires the use of barbless single treble hooks for trout fishing (fly fishing uses single barbless hook). All cutthroat trout caught must be returned to the lake. All lake trout caught must be killed and thrown back into the lake, or if the sport fisherman wants to keep the lake trout, there is no possession limit.
The day before the lake opened to fishing (Monday), I sat on B dock watching a few more boats coming in to catch the opening day.
About 3 PM I decided to take a nap, and about 5 PM heard agitated voices nearby. On the opposite side of the Far West II and down a few slips were two Xanterra employees looking at a 17' Crestliner. It had berthed while I was napping.
The problem. It was sinking at the stern with the outboard Mercury 100HP and 8 hp kicker half under water. The lines to the cleats, ordinary quarter inch nylon, were tight of course and pulling the dock down on one side. The bow was riding high at an angle and the lake was now over the transom.
Two seasonal employees decided to get hand pumps to get the water out of the cockpit so they ran to their boat house for them and upon returning commenced to operate two pumps. I watched this for a while along with some other boaters, and we finally convinced them the pumping was futile since they were really trying to pump out the lake.
Other employees went to find the owner, who was camping in a campground at Fishing Bridge. Meanwhile, the Xanterra people were afraid the craft would sink. It was a newer model and obviously had built in flotation. But to mollify them, I got one of my anchor lines which was put under the bottom fore and aft and stretched from cleats from nearby slip acting as a cradle. At that time I speculated the owner had forgotten to put in his plug. Interestingly, from the launch area to the slip was at least two hundred yards distance. How the boat got that far and was tied off and the water wasn't noticed is beyond me.
Finally, the owner arrived, admitting he had forgotten to put in the plug, and promptly got the plug in from the inside after a very cold hand, arm and shoulder found the drain hole. After a number of people stood on the bow, the transom broke above water, and the Xanterra crew got the hand pumps going and got most of the water out. Another small boat then towed the boat to the launch area where it was put on a trailer and removed from the lake.
The crew consisted of three adults and one 10 year old boy, who was questioning the captain, his grandfather, whether this meant the end of his fishing trip. His grandfather, however, exuded nothing but confidence that he would get the engines going. I wasn't so sure of that but kept my opinion to myself and went back to the Far West II feeling sorry for everyone concerned, especially the boy.
In the morning the Crestliner was absent from its slip. A friend and I went fishing that morning and returned mid afternoon after catching and releasing numerous cutthroat and keeping a few lake trout for the skillet.
About 9 PM what should arrive but the Crestliner with the entire crew. The captain came in a little bit fast and crumpled the bow a little bit before we could stop it. The same skimpy nylon lines were attached to the cleats, and the crew climbed on the dock. The little boy could not contain himself and burst out, "We caught 80 lake trout." "You did?", I said.
"Yup" came his response and he went to the fish box and opened it. It was full of lake trout.
This was their story. In the morning they worked on the engines. The 8 HP kicker was a 4-stroke and they couldn't get it going. The 100 HP Mercury was a 2-stoke, and after getting the water out of the lower cylinder, they got it running. So they got on the water early afternoon. The captain said it ran kind of rough going out on the lake but after an hour or two it smoothed out. They fished about 13 miles from the marina, and fishing was really, really good.
This particular captain is a veteran of Yellowstone Lake fishing, and uses but one lure, which I saw dangling from the poles. Of course I had never used that lure before.
One by one they took the lake trout and laid them on the dock. There were 80 fish ranging from 2 lbs to 7 lbs. I estimate the average weight was 3-4 lbs. I had a big tub aboard which they used to ferry the fish (more than several trips) to the fish cleaning station more than a 100 yards away. The little boy helped carry as much as he could, too. They were cleaning fish after dark.
So what started out as a real bummer for the young lad turned out to be a true fishing story he will tell at school this coming fall. There must be a patron saint for young fishermen.
John
John,
I ws wondering about the lure you mentioned in your last post about the Crestliner with all the lake Trout. What kind of lure was it? I only ask to be able to help out decimateing the lake trout population. I plan for next August to make the trek out there from Pa. I enjoy your posts and all the information they provide. Thank You!
D.D.
I ws wondering about the lure you mentioned in your last post about the Crestliner with all the lake Trout. What kind of lure was it? I only ask to be able to help out decimateing the lake trout population. I plan for next August to make the trek out there from Pa. I enjoy your posts and all the information they provide. Thank You!
D.D.
Yellowstone
New member
DD & Jody - What kind of lure were they using? I'm really not sure. I'm going to Helena today just to find some. Description: tear drop shaped spoon about inch and a half long. Bronze finish with rippled surface imitating scales. Smooth on backside. The fellows claim they caught them in 10 feet of water near shore.
Location? Shoreline from South Arm to Flat Mountain Arm. We caught our lake trout around Grizzly Bay in Flat Mountain but just trolling slowly along using a red and white spoon with a glass eye near the swivel. I lost it because of a reel defect, and no other spoon I had caught a laker after that but plenty of cuts.
The nets set by the commercial rigs are in deep water. Evidently, they are following known migration patterns of the schools. My fish finder showed fish everywhere in Flat Mountain. The Grady guides were hitting the shoreline before entering Flat Mountain. More cutthroat there for their dudes to catch and release. More catch translates into bigger tips for the guides.
No, that lure is not sold at the marina store. I'll let you know when I find out the actual brand name.
John
Location? Shoreline from South Arm to Flat Mountain Arm. We caught our lake trout around Grizzly Bay in Flat Mountain but just trolling slowly along using a red and white spoon with a glass eye near the swivel. I lost it because of a reel defect, and no other spoon I had caught a laker after that but plenty of cuts.
The nets set by the commercial rigs are in deep water. Evidently, they are following known migration patterns of the schools. My fish finder showed fish everywhere in Flat Mountain. The Grady guides were hitting the shoreline before entering Flat Mountain. More cutthroat there for their dudes to catch and release. More catch translates into bigger tips for the guides.
No, that lure is not sold at the marina store. I'll let you know when I find out the actual brand name.
John
RogerJuntunen
New member
The patron saint of fishermen is Saint Peter so the general greeting among fishermen in Germany and Austria is Petri Heil. For hunters the saint is Saint Hubertus.
But thats not the point- the lure that those guys were using, and how deep they were fishing is what we need to know! I believe this information would be worth a beverage of your choice from the Idaho C-Brats in July. Keep the Yellowstone stories coming, they are very entertaining! Roger
But thats not the point- the lure that those guys were using, and how deep they were fishing is what we need to know! I believe this information would be worth a beverage of your choice from the Idaho C-Brats in July. Keep the Yellowstone stories coming, they are very entertaining! Roger
Yellowstone
New member
Roger, DD, and Jody - The lures in question are clones. One called Stee-Lee made by Acme in bronze, brass. or with stripes. The other called
Wob-Lure made by Worden's of Granger, Wa. Another effective lure is
Apex Prism PRS58-1. The lake trout are close to shore in somewhat shallow water - probably 10 feet because the water temp. is below 40F
John
Wob-Lure made by Worden's of Granger, Wa. Another effective lure is
Apex Prism PRS58-1. The lake trout are close to shore in somewhat shallow water - probably 10 feet because the water temp. is below 40F
John
Yellowstone
New member
Jody - It is snowing at the lake today. Plenty of snow in the high mountains around. Very moist June so far. John
John,
I applaud your successful investigation and the sharing of information. Sometimes fisherman are unwilling to share information with fellow anglers. I guess it's the nature of the beast. I guess if you are the only guy coming in with fish that make you God on the docks or a the fishiing cleaning station. A real man's man of sorts. I'm glad you do not suffer from that disorder.
You are a wealth of information and a great resource for this site. Keep up the good work. Thanks Again!
D.D.
I applaud your successful investigation and the sharing of information. Sometimes fisherman are unwilling to share information with fellow anglers. I guess it's the nature of the beast. I guess if you are the only guy coming in with fish that make you God on the docks or a the fishiing cleaning station. A real man's man of sorts. I'm glad you do not suffer from that disorder.
You are a wealth of information and a great resource for this site. Keep up the good work. Thanks Again! D.D.
Wandering Sagebrush
Free Range Human
Yellowstone":ovgxful9 said:
John, this is not June, it is Junuary!
Yellowstone
New member
D.- Since coming to the lake in 1948, I have to say I have caught my share of fish. Over 30 years ago I proposed to the head folks at Yellowstone to go to barbless hooks and catch and release, but to allow one fish per person per day for consumption. This I felt was reasonable.
For many years I was the informal guide (no compensation) for small groups taking canoe trips into the arms. During these trips I attempted to install a sense of responsibility all participants should have when enjoying this wonderful natural resource. Now I didn't set up myself as a know-it-all with superior outdoor ethics but rather a common sense mentor.
I have witnessed the gradual decline in the fishing resource in Yellowstone Lake over the years. Man has contributed to this decline by ignorance and greed. Nature has also had its impact when the fires of 1988 (called now a 400 year fire) damaged some of the major spawning grounds for the cutthroat trout. Most of the tributaries into the lake ran gray for several years during the spring run off when the cutthroats spawn. The heavy ash content must have altered the PH in the water. Enormous amounts of nutrients poured into the lake, and the algae bloom became pronounced.
With the introduction of the lake trout into the lake (estimated to have occurred at the time of the fires), a new and most difficult variable was now in play. I hold the opinion that the damaged spawning runs reduced "the critical mass" of replacement cutthroats, too. Couple these and the stage was set for perhaps "the last stand" of the cutthroats.
The NPS has addressed this threat in two ways: commercially net the trout and allow for unlimited catch and keep. This brings in an ugly aspect where some fishermen are going for broke, and keeping records of their daily fishing prowess. Catching and killing large numbers of fish is not my idea of sport. Yet, by the circumstances the lake trout has introduced, past ethics are now passe.
So why not share the lure information? There is nothing to be gained by postponing the death sentence given to the lake trout. Besides, I don't believe that gill netting will do anything but slow down the lake trout numbers. All the lake trout I have seen are healthy and fat and in variable sizes, unlike the cutthroat trout which seem to be at their maximum size.
As the word gets out about the lake trout dilemma, more and more fisherman will make Yellowstone a destination. I'll be dead before the
final chapter is written on this story. But stories of greed will be common place, even though it is legal. The NPS has to walk a tight rope on this one. Some regulation on individual catches may have to be imposed, even though this is contrary to the goal of lake trout extinction in the lake.
John
For many years I was the informal guide (no compensation) for small groups taking canoe trips into the arms. During these trips I attempted to install a sense of responsibility all participants should have when enjoying this wonderful natural resource. Now I didn't set up myself as a know-it-all with superior outdoor ethics but rather a common sense mentor.
I have witnessed the gradual decline in the fishing resource in Yellowstone Lake over the years. Man has contributed to this decline by ignorance and greed. Nature has also had its impact when the fires of 1988 (called now a 400 year fire) damaged some of the major spawning grounds for the cutthroat trout. Most of the tributaries into the lake ran gray for several years during the spring run off when the cutthroats spawn. The heavy ash content must have altered the PH in the water. Enormous amounts of nutrients poured into the lake, and the algae bloom became pronounced.
With the introduction of the lake trout into the lake (estimated to have occurred at the time of the fires), a new and most difficult variable was now in play. I hold the opinion that the damaged spawning runs reduced "the critical mass" of replacement cutthroats, too. Couple these and the stage was set for perhaps "the last stand" of the cutthroats.
The NPS has addressed this threat in two ways: commercially net the trout and allow for unlimited catch and keep. This brings in an ugly aspect where some fishermen are going for broke, and keeping records of their daily fishing prowess. Catching and killing large numbers of fish is not my idea of sport. Yet, by the circumstances the lake trout has introduced, past ethics are now passe.
So why not share the lure information? There is nothing to be gained by postponing the death sentence given to the lake trout. Besides, I don't believe that gill netting will do anything but slow down the lake trout numbers. All the lake trout I have seen are healthy and fat and in variable sizes, unlike the cutthroat trout which seem to be at their maximum size.
As the word gets out about the lake trout dilemma, more and more fisherman will make Yellowstone a destination. I'll be dead before the
final chapter is written on this story. But stories of greed will be common place, even though it is legal. The NPS has to walk a tight rope on this one. Some regulation on individual catches may have to be imposed, even though this is contrary to the goal of lake trout extinction in the lake.
John
John,
No worries would only kill what I would eat. Limit your catch not catch your limit. We might kill a couple fish at the most. Hopefully I will see you next August as my wife and I have made plans to spend a couple weeks between Yellowstone and Jackson Lakes. Have a great weekend!
D.D.
No worries would only kill what I would eat. Limit your catch not catch your limit. We might kill a couple fish at the most. Hopefully I will see you next August as my wife and I have made plans to spend a couple weeks between Yellowstone and Jackson Lakes. Have a great weekend!
D.D.
RogerJuntunen
New member
Flathead Lake also has a similar situation with lake trout and superior whitefish, which are not to be confused with native Montana whitefish. The story I got has the railroad guys transplanting these fish out of Lake Superior before the turn of the century. What is wrong with that, well simply the fact that these fish are choking out the native species. It seems many of the introduced species of anything leads to big problems-the tamarask on the Green River was brought in to stabilize the river banks- now its about the only tree left and takes all of the moisture so nothing else can grow there. Our Canoe club took some weed training from the county to try and get rid of purple loosestrife. This plant has wiped out islands on the Snake River of all native vegitation. Where did it come from? It was sold by nursuries and plant stores because it is pretty and the crazy thing is I hear they are still selling it. Were we sucessful in stopping this plant-NO- its worse than ever.
As I understand the situation at Yellowstone Lake, D.D, if you catch a Lake trout you are required to kill it. Any Lake trout We would catch would be properly cared for and eaten later.
As I understand the situation at Yellowstone Lake, D.D, if you catch a Lake trout you are required to kill it. Any Lake trout We would catch would be properly cared for and eaten later.
Yellowstone
New member
D.D. We are looking forward to meeting you and your wife in August.
As a lake, Yellowstone is in a class by itself. But the Tetons framing Jackson Lake are simply spectacular.
Roger, your understanding is correct. Lake trout caught must either be killed and thrown back in the lake or kept for consumption.
In conversations with fisherman who have fished for lake trout in other lakes, they often remark how oily the lakers are when cooked. That is not my experience at Yellowstone. Their flesh is red like a salmon and comparable to the cutthroat in flavor.
Our favorite method of cooking them is the old heavy duty tin foil system. Stuff the cavities with dried fruit, sunflower seeds, onions, etc., Wrap them in several layers of foil with ends sealed, and drop them on coals, in a skillet, or on a grill. Cook for ten minutes on one side and then on the other side. The trout will cook in their own juices, and once the package is opened, the backbone and ribs can be removed in one piece, leaving a real gourmet meal.
Using this method the skin will separate from the flesh, and once the goodies are eaten, the bones can be returned to the foil and crumpled up in a tidy package and disposed. Minimum mess and cleanup.
Edna like to make a sauce of mayo, ketchup, horse radish, and tobasco sauce to add to the trout. Mouth watering.
John
As a lake, Yellowstone is in a class by itself. But the Tetons framing Jackson Lake are simply spectacular.
Roger, your understanding is correct. Lake trout caught must either be killed and thrown back in the lake or kept for consumption.
In conversations with fisherman who have fished for lake trout in other lakes, they often remark how oily the lakers are when cooked. That is not my experience at Yellowstone. Their flesh is red like a salmon and comparable to the cutthroat in flavor.
Our favorite method of cooking them is the old heavy duty tin foil system. Stuff the cavities with dried fruit, sunflower seeds, onions, etc., Wrap them in several layers of foil with ends sealed, and drop them on coals, in a skillet, or on a grill. Cook for ten minutes on one side and then on the other side. The trout will cook in their own juices, and once the package is opened, the backbone and ribs can be removed in one piece, leaving a real gourmet meal.
Using this method the skin will separate from the flesh, and once the goodies are eaten, the bones can be returned to the foil and crumpled up in a tidy package and disposed. Minimum mess and cleanup.
Edna like to make a sauce of mayo, ketchup, horse radish, and tobasco sauce to add to the trout. Mouth watering.
John
Yellowstone":2r0kr36w said:
About 40 years ago I took a canoe trip with friends in which a power boat pulled us across Yellowstone lake, and then we lined the boats up a river to another lake where power boats were not allowed -- hot springs and mud pots on one side )maybe you know the name?). Caught many lake trout in that lake, cooked like you describe. One of my more memorable experiences.
Warren
Yellowstone
New member
Warren - You took your canoes up the three mile channel called the Lewis River which connects Lewis Lake to Shoshone Lake. Both those lakes have lake trout and German Brown trout which were introduced species.
Apparently, the two species can co-exist - the browns spawn in the fall in small streams coming into the lakes, but the lake trout, which also spawn in the fall, do so in lake water 40-60 feet deep.
Why these two lakes originally were without fish is a matter of conjecture. One theory is that the Lewis Falls below Lewis Lake prevented upstream movement. A species of cutthroat said to be different from the cutthroat in Yellowstone Lake exist in the Snake River drainage.
From time to time there are proposals to poison Lewis and Shoshone Lakes to remove the introduced species and return the lakes to their original, pristine condition sans trout.
A trip into Shoshone Lake is always a memorable one. I've forgotten how many trips I made in the past. The hot pools and mud pots you mention are located at the south end of the lake and part of the Shoshone Lake geyser basin.
John
Apparently, the two species can co-exist - the browns spawn in the fall in small streams coming into the lakes, but the lake trout, which also spawn in the fall, do so in lake water 40-60 feet deep.
Why these two lakes originally were without fish is a matter of conjecture. One theory is that the Lewis Falls below Lewis Lake prevented upstream movement. A species of cutthroat said to be different from the cutthroat in Yellowstone Lake exist in the Snake River drainage.
From time to time there are proposals to poison Lewis and Shoshone Lakes to remove the introduced species and return the lakes to their original, pristine condition sans trout.
A trip into Shoshone Lake is always a memorable one. I've forgotten how many trips I made in the past. The hot pools and mud pots you mention are located at the south end of the lake and part of the Shoshone Lake geyser basin.
John