The spawn is on

Rainbow trout spawn at Georgetown Lake

The rainbows and cutts are on the spawn all over Montana Right now.  One of the most fascinating places to watch this is at Georgetown Lake.  Here, thousands of large rainbows spawn on the east shore, in Emily Spring, and in the tributaries like Stewart Mill Creek.  There are so many trout that other animals key in, especially eagles.  If you want a local taste of what a salmon spawn in Alaska is like, head up to G-town and bring a camera!

Rainbow trout spawning swarm in Emily Spring

As of last week, there was still a lot of ice on the lake

Autumn is about more than just brown trout...

Giant Georgetown Lake brook trout

I absolutely love brown trout!  I live in a part of Montana which is lousy with tons of huge, angry browns and fall is like the Superbowl of brown trout fishing.  However, it's always good to remember that there are some other great fall spawners worth pursuing as well.

Georgetown Lake, Silver Bow Creek, and the Big Hole River all hold larger-than-average sized brook trout.  The monster male shown above was over 20" long!  I bet folks back east didn't know they could get that big.  Our brook trout here in SW Montana (especially in Georgetown Lake) rival those found in Labrador, Newfoundland.

Other fall species to chase in Montana are:

• Kokanee salmon (landlocked sockeye) - great fun and good food
• Lake Trout moving out of Flathead Lake (yes, in the fall you can catch them on streamers in shallow water and the Flathead River)
• Bull Trout (only in the South Fork of the Flathead!!)
• Pike seem extra feisty in the fall and are easy to spot in the Lower Clark Fork and Bitterroot
• There is even a strain of fall spawning rainbow in the Upper Missouri (above all the dams)

For all of these fish, you'll want to throw streamers.  Check out the streamer factory on my dining room table.  Priorities.

Red Boat Mark's dining room table

It's fall, get out there!!