Picture Picasso Lake by Earl Radonski 2008 MOUNTAIN LAKES GUIDE ABSAROKA – BEARTOOTH & CRAZY MOUNTAINS Fellow Angler: This booklet is intended to pass on information collected over many years about the fishery of the Absaroka-Beartooth high country lakes. Since Pat Marcuson began surveying these lakes in 1967, many individuals have hefted a heavy pack and worked the high country for Fish, Wildlife and Parks. They have brought back the raw data and personal observations necessary to formulate management schemes for the 300+ lakes in this area containing fish. While the information presented here is not intended as a guide for hiking/camping or fishing techniques, it should help wilderness users to better plan their trips according to individual preferences and abilities. The lake fisheries in the Beartooths generally fall into two categories: self-sustaining and stocked. Self-sustaining lakes have enough spawning habitat to allow fish to restock themselves year after year. These often contain so many fish that while fishing can be fast, the average size will be small. Average sizes and numbers of fish present change very little from year to year in most of these lakes. Lakes without spawning potential must be planted regularly to sustain a fishery. Standard stocking in the Beartooths is 100 Yellowstone cutthroat fingerlings per acre every eight years. Special situations may call for different species, numbers, or frequency of plants. In the first few years after planting, many small fish will be found in a lake. With each passing year, fewer but larger fish will remain until all the fish age out and are gone, generally in 7-9 years. An angler can thus use the stocking history in this guide to predict what sizes and numbers of fish a given lake might currently contain. Every year Fish, Wildlife and Parks survey crew’s sample 30+ lakes out of the 300+ lakes containing fish. The results of the last netting found in this report can be informative if looked at in the context of the stocking cycle for each lake. While this data will not provide up-to-the- minute information for anglers, it is sufficient to allow a good guess about what may be present at any given time. Still, these wilderness waters can hold surprises. I would appreciate any information you gather while on your trip (such as species, numbers, and accurate lengths). Reply to me at: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks 2300 Lake Elmo Drive Billings, MT 59105 406-247-2940 Codes Used in This Guide Fish Species CT = Yellowstone cutthroat trout EB = Brook trout GR = Arctic grayling GT = Golden trout LL = Brown trout LT = Lake trout RB = Rainbow trout Hybrids are represented by RBXCT, CTXGT, etc. Abundance R = Rare C = Common A = Abundant Status SS = Self-sustaining ST = Stocked S+ = Stocked but with some natural reproduction Latitude/Longitude : These are taken at the middle of the lakes and are used for stocking purposes. Miles = total number of miles to the lake from the trailhead Trail ( ) = numbers of miles on an established trail Marcusons Code = Code number of lake by drainage e.g., Rock Creek #60, East Rosebud #5, etc. Crazy Mountain lake information can be found at the very end of this booklet. As this guide will be updated yearly, the typeface has been much reduced to keep costs down. I trust the information contained here will be worth the extra eye strain or price of a magnifying glass to the user. While this guide deals with mountain lakes, an angler would be wise not to overlook the many streams of the Beartooths. Special thanks to all Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Mountain Lake crews that have worked on the Mountain Lakes surveys. Also to Mike Vaughn for keeping this guide updated for the last 20 years. Enjoy and respect the high country. Good Fishing! Earl Radonski Fisheries Fieldworker LAKE NAME: ABANDONED LAKE COUNTY: 10 T: 9S R: 17E SEC: 26CC LAKE NAME: ALBINO LAKE COUNTY: 10 T: 9S R: 17E SEC: 25BC DRAINAGE: CLARKS FORK ELEV: 10100 ACREAGE: 10.5 DEPTH: 25 FT DRAINAGE: CLARKS FORK ELEV: 10000 ACREAGE: 39.2 DEPTH: 149FT ACCESS: TRAIL 614/620 FROM ISLAND LAKE ON HWY 212. THE LAKE IS 7 MILES NORTH & ACCESS: TRAIL #614/620 FROM ISLAND LAKE ON HWY 212 WILL TAKE YOU PAST FLAKE WEST OF ISLAND LAKE. ELEVATION CHANGE 600'. LAKE THEN NORTH BETWEEN MUTT AND JEFF LAKES AND ALONG EAST SIDE OF BECKER LAKE. TRAILHEAD MILES TRAIL ELEVATION UP ELEVATION DOWN TRAILHEAD MILES TRAIL ELEVATION UP ELEVATION DOWN ISLAND LAKE WYO 7 (5) +600 -0 ISLAND LAKE #614/ 6 (6) +500 -50 FISH PRESENT FISH PRESENT SPECIES 1:EB ABUNDANCE:A STATUS:SS SPECIES 1:CT ABUNDANCE:A STATUS:ST SPECIES 2: ABUNDANCE: STATUS: SPECIES 2: ABUNDANCE: STATUS: SPECIES 3: ABUNDANCE: STATUS: SPECIES 3: ABUNDANCE: STATUS: GILL NET DATA LAST GILL NET SET: 08/04/92 GILL NET DATA LAST GILL NET SET: 07/16/03 SPECIES 1: EB NO: 52 AVG. LENGTH: 8.5 SIZE RANGE: 5.9-13.3 SPECIES 1: CT NO: 8 AVG. LENGTH: 14.4 SIZE RANGE:13.3-15.5 SPECIES 2: NO: AVG. LENGTH: SIZE RANGE: SPECIES 2: CT'97 NO: 2 AVG. LENGTH: 10.5 SIZE RANGE: 9.6-12.0 SPECIES 3: EB'74 NO: 38 AVG. LENGTH: 8.2 SIZE RANGE: 6.1-11.1 SPECIES 3: CT'89 NO: 46 AVG. LENGTH: 12.7 SIZE RANGE: 6.3-16.1 PLANTING SCHEDULE PLANTING SCHEDULE SPECIES 1: YR LAST PLANT: NO: YR NEXT PLANT: NO: SPECIES 1: CT YR LAST PLANT: 03 NO: 7840 YR NEXT PLANT: 07 NO: 7840 SPECIES 2: YR LAST PLANT: NO: YR NEXT PLANT: NO: SPECIES 2: CT YR LAST PLANT: 99 NO: 7840 YR NEXT PLANT: NO: SPECIES 3: YR LAST PLANT: NO: YR NEXT PLANT: NO: SPECIES 3: CT YR LAST PLANT: 95 NO: 7840 YR NEXT PLANT: NO: MARCUSONS CODE: 243 MARCUSONS CODE: 245 COMMENTS: FISH MOVEMENT BETWEEN LAKES IN THE DRAINAGE IS EASY AS THE DROP COMMENTS: A POPULAR, STOCKED LAKE. NO SIGN OF THE '88 FIRE ALONG THE TRAIL OR BETWEEN LAKES IS SMALL. AT THE LAKE. OFTEN WINDY HERE. BETTER CAMPING AT BECKER LAKE IN WYOMING. FOUR YEAR STOCKING FREQUENCY AT 200/ACRE. CAMP SITES: NICE CAMPSITES BUT NO FIREWOOD. ABOVE TREELINE. CAMP SITES: SOME CAMPING BY OUTLET AND ON SW SIDE - VERY LITTLE FIREWOOD. YR. LAST GILLNETTED:: 1992 YR. LAST GILLNETTED:: 2003 SURVEY FROM: 2006 SURVEY TO: 2007 SURVEY FROM: 2009 SURVEY TO: 2010 PRIORITY: 1 PRIORITY: 2 LOCATION: 45.00963 -109.60265 LOCATION: 45.01484 -109.58103 SURVEY NOTES: SURVEY NOTES: ALL FISH NETTED APPEARED STUNTED EXCEPT ONE, BUT DIDN'T HAVE BIG HEADS. '96 SOME REPRODUCTION MAY BE OCCURRING. EB STOCKED 1940. '89 & '03 - FISH LOOKED FAT BEANO SHERIDAN FOUND SMALL BROOKIES. COULDN'T GET TO THE WEST END OF GOLDEN AND HEALTHY. CT STOCKED 1959, 1987. THIS AREA HAS BECOME A 'DESTINATION' TYPE LAKE FROM HERE DUE TO STEEP LOOSE SHALE. AREA. HEAVY USE. BEANO SHERIDAN REPORTS LOTS OF PEOPLE AND 12-14" FISH, 8/96. WHILE THERE IS NO TRAIL DIRECTLY TO THE LAKE, THE AREA IS POPULAR, AND THERE IS 90% ICE COVER AT '97 SAMPLING. CT'81 - 8.1" & 14.8". HOOK & LINE SAMPLING IN '03. EVIDENCE OF FISHERMEN. LAKE NAME: ALP LAKE COUNTY: 10 T: 9S R: 17E SEC: 8DA LAKE NAME: ALPINE LAKE COUNTY: 49 T: 4S R: 11E SEC: 30 DRAINAGE: CLARKS FORK ELEV: 9760 ACREAGE: 2.8 DEPTH: 25 FT DRAINAGE: BOULDER ELEV: 8680 ACREAGE: 10.5 DEPTH: 20 FT ACCESS: TRAILS FROM THE BEARTOOTH BUTTE AREA ON HWY 212 SERVE THE AREA. THE ACCESS: STAY ON NORTH SIDE OF '3 CREEKS' & GO STRAIGHT UP MOUNTAIN THEN FOLLOW LAKE IS NE OF GREEN LAKE. CONTOUR AROUND TO THE WEST. SOME GAME TRAILS ARE A MILD HELP. TOUGH ACCESS!! TRAILHEAD MILES TRAIL ELEVATION UP ELEVATION DOWN TRAILHEAD MILES TRAIL ELEVATION UP ELEVATION DOWN CLAY BUTTE 14 (9) +1,100 -1,100 WEST BOULDER #4 9.5 (7.75) +2,800 -0 BEARTOOTH LAKE 16 11 FISH PRESENT FISH PRESENT SPECIES 1: CT ABUNDANCE: C STATUS: SS SPECIES 1:CT ABUNDANCE:A STATUS:S+ SPECIES 2:EB ABUNDANCE:C STATUS:SS SPECIES 2: ABUNDANCE: STATUS: SPECIES 3: ABUNDANCE: STATUS: SPECIES 3: ABUNDANCE: STATUS: GILL NET DATA LAST GILL NET SET: 08/09/06 GILL NET DATA LAST GILL NET SET: 07/20/04 SPECIES 1: CT NO: 10 AVG. LENGTH: 11.8 SIZE RANGE: 8.5-14.5 SPECIES 1: CT NO: 8 AVG. LENGTH: 11.7 SIZE RANGE:10.5-12.8 SPECIES 2: EB NO: 25 AVG. LENGTH: 7.0 SIZE RANGE: 6.0-8.0 SPECIES 2: CT95 NO: 32 AVG. LENGTH: 10.8 SIZE RANGE: 7.2-14.0 SPECIES 3: NO: AVG. LENGTH: SIZE RANGE: SPECIES 3: CT'88 NO: 17 AVG. LENGTH: 12.0 SIZE RANGE: 11.0-13.1 PLANTING SCHEDULE PLANTING SCHEDULE SPECIES 1: CT YR LAST PLANT: 87 NO: 311 YR NEXT PLANT: 95 NO: CANC SPECIES 1: CT YR LAST PLANT: 05 NO: 525 YR NEXT PLANT: 13 NO: 525 SPECIES 2: CT YR LAST PLANT: 79 NO: 319 YR NEXT PLANT: NO: SPECIES 2: CT YR LAST PLANT: 97 NO: 525 YR NEXT PLANT: NO: SPECIES 3: YR LAST PLANT: NO: YR NEXT PLANT: NO: SPECIES 3: CT YR LAST PLANT: 89 NO: 1050 YR NEXT PLANT: NO: MARCUSONS CODE: 200 MARCUSONS CODE: 83 COMMENTS: THE LAKE IS FULL OF BROOKIES. MANY FISH SEEN CRUISING AND RISING. COMMENTS: Y'CT WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL SO LAKE WAS TO DIE OUT. STOCKED WITH CT EASY TO CATCH.