Rocky Mountain Family Fishing Destinations for 2016

Finding a fishing hole where kids can fish with success despite limited technique isn't always easy. Montana and Idaho manage a series of family-friendly fishing sites that can provide success while enhancing the family fishing experience as well.

Wyoming also features a number of lakes and streams that promise success for the kids. In all three states, scenic beauty, sightseeing opportunities and recreation options abound. What follows are some places where kids can catch their high-country limits and where the entire family can enjoy spending time in the outdoors.

MONTANA

A comprehensive list of Montana's Family Fishing Waters is available at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website under the "Fishing" tab.

Brown's Lake, near Ovando, is an exciting angling option for older youngsters, especially in April and May as big rainbow spawners cruise the shoreline. Fisheries biologist Ron Pierce said shore fishing at that time is good, but later, boats are better.

Trout up to double-digit weight feed on freshwater shrimp in this lake. Rainbows can be taken with fly or spinning gear. Orange scuds or small Mepps spinners work well. Bass, perch and sunfish also swim here, making for easy fishing for younger anglers. Fishing supplies are nearby at the Blackfoot Angler shop in Ovando.

The campground has a seven-day limit. Toilets, boat launch and camp trailer access are available. Marshy areas around the lake are excellent bird-watching areas. Brown's Lake is easily accessed off Highway 200 about 7 miles southeast of Ovando. Turn south on Road 112 for 4 miles.

Pierce also recommends Harpers Lake, located about 30 miles east of Bonner. Stocked frequently, it is easily shore-fished for stocker rainbows and perch. Younger kids should have success using bobber and bait. Large rainbows are also stocked here. Fee camping is available. There is a boat launch for non-motorized boats, a fishing platform and toilets. Boat rental is available in Seeley Lake at Seeley Sport Rentals. Nearby attractions

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include the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Glacier National Park. Missoula's Fort Missoula Museum details the area's history up through WWII. The ghost towns of Garnet and Marysville are nearby.

Three miles northeast of Kalispell is the idyllic Pine Grove Pond. From the intersection of Rose Crossing and Highway 2, drive west for about 1 mile and turn south at sign. Stocked repeatedly with rainbows and westslope cutthroat, the pond is open to all.

Kids 14 and under can keep one trout per day — all others are restricted to catch and release. Fisheries Biologist Kenneth Breidinger said large brood fish are also stocked here, making it possible for youngsters to connect with real trophies. Worms, corn or Power Bait will work best for youngsters here.

The location has a restroom, parking facilities and a fishing pier, but no campground. Follow the walking trail around the pond to see ospreys, bald eagles and other wildlife. Just outside Kalispell, Big Sky Waterpark and Northern Lights laser tag park offer loads of fun for the children.

In Custer National Forest, amongst a forest of aspen and pine, is Greenough Lake. Drive 12 miles southwest from historic Red Lodge on 212. Turn on Forest Road for 1 mile to this beautiful high lake in the shadow of the Beartooth Range. It is perfect for kids of all ages pursuing stocked rainbow trout. It requires an easy quarter-mile hike from the parking area.

Marshmallows, salmon eggs and worms are popular baits. A variety of wildlife, including grizzly bears, deer and elk inhabit the surrounding area. 18 camping sites are equipped with picnic tables and campfire rings. Vault toilets and potable water are provided. Reservations can be made at 1-877-444-6777.

Grizzly Peak Outdoors in Red Lodge carries outdoor gear and fishing tackle. Red Lodge hosts two annual rodeos and the Mountain Man Rendezvous each July and the Festival of Nations in early August.

Way up in isolated northeast Montana is Fort Peck Reservoir in the Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge near Glasgow. Below the dam is the Fort Peck Kid's Pond on the Lewis and Clark Trail. This large pond restricts fishing to 14 years and younger for a wide variety of warmwater fish. Fishing is usually easy for most youngsters with bait and bobber, but spinning gear may be more appropriate for older youth wanting to cast lures for bass or pike.

There are several camp areas, from a nicely maintained campground with water, power, showers, and play areas (reservations required) to primitive camp spots next to the lake. Be sure to visit the fish hatchery and Fort Peck Interpretive Center and Museum to meet Peck's Rex, a full-sized model of the Tyrannosaurus Rex discovered southeast of Fort Peck.

Along the Way

The incredibly scenic Beartooth Highway transits the rugged Beartooth Mountains from Red Lodge to Cooke City. Yellowstone National Park's northeast entrance is 55 miles from the campground via the Beartooth Highway.

IDAHO

A good starting point when planning an Idaho family-fishing excursion is to check the Idaho Fish and Game website, where the agency has included information on family-oriented options under the site's "Fishing" tab.

Up in the Panhandle Region, 10 miles south of Sandpoint, is scenic 58-acre Round Lake and Round Lake State Park (fee required). Fisheries Biologist Rob Ryan tells me it is a nice kid's lake with stocker rainbow, bass, sunfish and perch, all of which make for good fishing with bobber and worms. Casting lures for bass might be more interesting for older kids.

There is a swimming beach and hiking trail. Camping, toilets, showers, canoe and paddleboat rental and boat ramps (electric power only) are available. For camping reservations call 1-866-634-3246. Ryan also advised Elsie Lake near Osburn is a great kid's site. It sits in a beautiful wooded area surrounded by steep mountains. Take Big Creek Road, which becomes rough and rocky demanding a high-clearance vehicle (4-wd suggested) off of I-90 south to the top of the mountain.

Whether you're fly-fishing, baitcasting, or spin fishing, your chances of catching stocker rainbows or brook trout are excellent. Several streams in the area also offer good fishing. There is a gravel boat ramp for electric-powered boats only. Swimming and hiking are popular.

Fishing supplies are available in nearby Wallace or Kellogg. There are a variety of interesting museums and historic tours in Wallace. Golf courses, hiking, biking and summer festivals also provide entertainment. Idaho Sportfishing Program Coordinator Martin Koenig recommended Warm Lake as a top youth fishing site. Warm Lake is a pristine 649-acre deep natural lake popular for camping and hiking. It is heavily stocked with trout. Kids of all ages should have success here using bait, lures or flies.

The campground provides tables, fire rings with grill, toilets, water and trash collection. The area is renowned for wildlife viewing, especially moose. Nearby Cascade has all supplies needed and a variety of family recreation opportunities. Golf, hiking, water skiing and biking are just some of the activities.

Over in the Southeast Region are a couple of sites recommended by Regional Fisheries Biologist Arnie Brimmer. Located about 8 miles north of Malad, Devil Creek Reservoir is visible from I-15. Heavily stocked, this 142-acre reservoir provides some of the best rainbow, kokanee and bass fishing in the region, either by boat or from shore around the dam. Fishermen use traditional baits or troll successfully. Older kids may wish to use lures or flies to attract bass and kokanee.

There is a concrete boat launch and a developed campground. Recreation opportunities are limited here, but Malad City has a swimming pool and bowling alley.

For more varied recreation opportunities, Brimmer suggests the Bannock Reservoir in Pocatello as an excellent kids' fishing opportunity. The reservoir is stocked with rainbow and kokanee. Arnie noted that nightcrawlers, Power Bait and spinners are the recipe for success. The reservoir is part of a city park, which has basketball and volleyball courts, soccer grounds and playgrounds. Pocatello has a complete recreation program to include golf courses, disc golf, an aquatic complex and a zoo with a special grizzly bear exhibit.

Along the Way

Golf, mountain biking and the Bonner County History Museum, which chronicles the region from the Ice Age through modern time, can be found in the Sandpoint area.

WYOMING

While Wyoming does not manage waters specifically as Family Friendly options, there are several good spots for those seeking kid-friendly sites. Near Saratoga, the North Platte and Encampment rivers provide excellent fishing for older kids. For the adventurous, the Encampment Wilderness is traversed by a 16-mile trail beside the Encampment River from the Colorado border to the town of Encampment. This makes a fun 2- to 3-day trek with good trout fishing all the way.

The Platte River is full of nice brown trout that like flies and lures. Wildlife thrives throughout the Medicine Bow National Forest. Camping sites are abundant along the road, which follows the river. Saratoga has a swimming pool and thermal hot springs. There is also a private campground there.

Midway between Cheyenne and Laramie is Curt Gowdy State Park. Granite Springs and Crystal reservoirs yield excellent fishing for kids dunking worms for perch and trout. Older kids may wish to troll or cast lures for trout and kokanee. Boat docks and camping areas are available, and a new visitor center provides entertainment. There are lots of outdoor activities available in the Park. Visit Cheyenne and Laramie for great Cowboy State attractions and museums.

Just south of Lander are Frye and Worthen Meadows reservoirs. Kids should have an easy time catching stocked rainbow and brook trout using worms or other bait in both. Frye Lake is about 15 miles out of Lander. Follow the paved Sinks Canyon road to Louis Lake Road 131 up to the lake. The camp road there is unmaintained, rocky, and rough. One mile past Frye, turn on to the rough gravel road to the Worthen Meadows Campground where there is potable water, toilets, tables, cooking grates and boat ramp.

On the way in you passed the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River in Sink's Canyon State Park (fee area). The river there disappears underground then re-surfaces a quarter mile farther down. Tour the visitor center and view some monster trout in the viewing pool. Two ghost towns — Atlantic City and South Pass City — are down the road past the lakes.Outside Buffalo, Wyo., are two lakes that offer a good chance for success. Twenty miles west on Highway 16 in Bighorn National Forest is Hack Reservoir. Youngsters should do well casting bait, spinners or flies for rainbow, brown and brook trout. There is a picnic site there and national forest camping along the access road.

Healy Reservoir, just northeast of Buffalo on highway 16, is perfect for youngerw kids. This is especially true in the spring, when yellow perch are the target. Older kids will probably enjoy throwing jigs, spoons or poppers for bass and big tiger muskies. Be sure to visit Buffalo's Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum and the petrified forest education area located east of Buffalo.

Along the Way

Take time to visit the Museum of the American West in Lander. Established in 1998, the outdoor/indoor museum complex focuses on American Indian and Western history.

BE PREPARED

Trekking into the backcountry requires attention to detail. Extra clothing is always a bonus — warm, cool and wet weather are common to the high country. Extra food and water is also a good idea. Don't forget bug spray, sunscreen and bear spray when in the wilderness. A first aid kit is always important as well.

Camping gear should be inspected and tested before leaving home. What camping comfort items are important? When traveling the back country, pertinent maps are essential. For success, a kid's fishing gear can be simple or sophisticated — the fun is in the catching. And lastly, don't forget the camera for those important family moments!