Yellowstone Lake cuts (fish NOT politics)

[What Map]

Yellowstone Lake is now opening up with the general season in YNP. The general season begins the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and extents until the first Sunday of November.

Mrs. What Map and I were not able to make the first day of the season, but we have made it down there twice since then. Yellowstone Lake was ice-free by the beginning of the season. We thought the fishing might be better with the early start, but where we fish, it was about the same as always: one or two fish per hour. But the cutthroats are spectacular, as usual. Enjoy the pictures:

 

[Tkaldahl2000]

Those are some awesome fish. Congrats.

 

[Big Sky]

Those are some great cutty's! So what was the lure of choice?

 

[Hunting Wife]

Beauties for sure! Looks like a great day. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Foxtrot1]

Beautiful fish!

 

[RobG]

No Lakers?

 

[fishing4sanity]

Those are some great looking fish, congrats!

 

[Gr8bawana]

Nice!

 

[mtmiller]

Wow, great fish.

 

[rmyoung1]

Glad to see the cuts in Yellowstone Lake!!!

 

[Southern Elk]

Beautiful fish. How do you fish for them?

 

[jnagel32]

Beautiful fish! I'd love to fish the Yellowstone and catch some cutthroats!

 

[hansontyrel]

Those, smoked to perfection, makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

 

[Ben Lamb]

Slab cutties! Nice work, Shannon.

 

[noharleyyet]

Beautiful fish. Aesthetically my favorite.

 

[mountainhawks]

Looks like a hell of a day of fishing!

 

[What Map]

Big Sky, Southern Elk and jnagel, I have fished Yellowstone Lake for over 35 years. I started from shore at the Sand Point picnic area, which is still a solid place to fish from shore. We used to catch a dozen or more cutthroats per hour on Jakes Spin-a-lure in gold with red dots. It is still the go-to lure to start.
As the number of cuts decreased because of lake trout predation, the catch rate dropped to around a fish or two per hour, but the size of the cuts increased. Like most lakes, anglers in boats have an advantage. And one of the best ways to explore Yellowstone Lake is from a boat. You can rent a boat from Bridge Bay marina. You can also hire guided fishing trips from the marina too. There is also a large boat tour for a few dozen people that goes out every few hours all day long: The Yellowstone Queen.
We take our own small Lund (60 hp) down and put in at Bridge Bay. We troll with leaded line. We start with Jakes spin-a-lures and then try Kamloopers, Thomas Cyclones and Little Cleos. Other spoons and spinners also work from time to time.
This year I am also trying out some jigs that Big Sky suggested. They are tied by Trev Johnson of Kit's Tackle. I purchased some non-lead jig heads for him to use. Lead is banned in Yellowstone Lake except for use in fishing line and down-riggers.
This past week the wind was too strong to put our boat in the water. I fished from the shore at Gull Point. I hooked a fish each 2-3 hours on the average. It was very slow fishing, but I did manage to land a cut and a laker on Kit’s jigs. I included some pics of the fish and the jigs.
RobG, the number of lakers we catch has dropped the past few years. As many of you know, YNP has aggressively gill-netted and killed a few hundred thousand lakers each year for the past few years. They are well over 100,000 so far this year. Hopefully, the reduction in lake trout will improve the survival of the native cutthroats. You must release all the cuts you catch and kill all the lakers you get your hand on. Our trolling technique produces a lake trout our two each day.

 

[RobG]

Thanks Map, glad to hear the lakers are getting reduced and hope the cutthroat can come back strong.

 

[Southern Elk]

Thanks for the info!

 

[2ski]

If you want to fish for lakers, the way that works for me on Flathead is to troll that same leaded line out 10 colors(yeah its a lot) in 50-70 feet of water. I like to use green spoons. In at least 1/2-3/4oz. I've tried lighter spoons, but I don't get the hook sets with them as I do the heavier spoons. I think there is a tendency for the macks to slap at it at first and if its a light spoon, you think you have a bite, but they just kind of moved it.