Kootenai River

Kootenai River

By Terry Hellekson

The Kootenai River is located in the extreme northwest corner of Montana. The river begins in the Kootenai(ay) National Park in British Columbia flowing south down into Montana. When it reaches Libby the river then turns west and enters Idaho, and then it loops north where it flows into Kootenai(ay) Lake, British Columbia. The water then leaves the lake and again flows south where it joins the Columbia River.

My first visit to the Kootenai River was when I was 10 years old and my father and I floated it from Eureka down to Libby, taking every bit of 3 days to cover a distance of about 65 miles. For several years this became an annual summer ritual that lasted for well over a decade. After I left home and eventually got married my visits to the river became fewer and fewer, but the memories did linger. The Kootenai yielded my first cutthroat trout and bull trout, both taken on a large black Woolly Worm. I am not sure who coined the axiom, "the last best place," when making reference to this region, but it certainly fits. It is off the beaten tourist routes and relatively undeveloped, its forested mountains and pristine waters provide solace to the souls of residents and visitors alike. Nobody is ever in a hurry and my father and I always agreed that one day this would be the ideal place to retire. And although my father never lived to see the day, I finally found my way to Libby in March 1997.

Earlier I had learned of Libby Dam being built on the Kootenai in the 1970s and was apprehensive about what I might find when I got there. I had also learned about how a superior tailwater fishery had been developed. I have always been attracted to such waters, so this was an experience that I was looking forward to.

The Libby Dam Project was authorized by Congress in 1950. The project, located 17 miles up river from Libby was a combined cooperation between Canada and the United States for water resource development pertaining to the Columbia River Basin. The project's interest was relevant to issues concerning flood control, power regeneration, recreation and other various water uses. On both the Canadian and the U. S. sides, relocation of towns, roads and railroads were required during this massive project. On August 24, 1975 President Gerald Ford and the Canadian Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, the Honorable Donald S. McDonald dedicated the Libby Dam. Master of Ceremonies was the TV (Rawhide) and screen actor John McIntire who had earlier become a northwest Montana resident. Several notable people were guest speakers at this festival event including then Governor of Montana, the Honorable Thomas Judge.

Rising over 57.5 feet above the top of the dam is the Treaty Tower commemorating the Canadian and the United States treaty. On the face of this tower is a sculpture that depicts man harnessing natural forces on the Kootenai River by Sculptor Albert Wein. Today the Treaty Tower and Visitor Center is open from Late May through September. The massive straight gravity structure holds back Lake Koocanusa. Lake Koocanusa received its name in a contest to name the Libby Dam reservoir. Alice Beers, from Rexford, Montana, combined the first three letters from KOOtenai River, and the first three letters of CANada and USA. Pronounced: KŎŎCĂNŪSĂ or phonetically Coocanoosa. The lake is about 90 miles long with 40 miles in the United States and the remainder extending above the Canadian border.

The Kootenai River is now separated by the Libby Dam in which Lake Koocanusa was formed on one side and the Kootenai River flows are now regulated on the other side by the dam. Along the 50 some miles of the Kootenai River flow in northwest Montana are the China Rapids and the famous Kootenai Falls. Below the falls is a gorge with plenty of whitewater action. As it flows down into Idaho only small riffles are evidenced with the Idaho border being the lowest point of river elevation.

Since the water is fed from Libby Dam, the water also tends to be quite cool throughout the summer. The river is very broad and deep with fast moving currents and many riffles that suggest a clean ambiance and is environmentally conducive to insect life/fauna and flora including some great fly-fishing. The river sports Yellowstone cutthroat, rainbow trout, mountain whitefish and Kokanee, all reaching good sizes. The Kootenai River started gaining more attention in August 1997 when the state record rainbow trout was caught near Libby Dam—an enormous fish that was 38 inches long and weighed 33 pounds and 6 ounces. The Kootenai River also holds the state record for mountain whitefish at more than five pounds, which was also caught just below Libby Dam in 1987.

The flood control presents variable flows for the Kootenai River and can change in a matter of minutes. So the spring and summer wading angler needs to be alert for changes. The Kootenai River boasts many boat ramps with ample parking and recreational and camping sites along its forested banks. It also claims considerable wildlife such as deer, bear, mountain lions, lynx, moose, wild turkeys, grouse, ospreys and eagles. It even sports a wild bird sanctuary just below the dam that herons and large flocks of waterfowl and various other birds frequent.

Fishing the Kootenai River can be an intimidating experience for some fly fishers. Because of the river's size, it often makes determining where to start no simple chore. The river's characteristics also make wade fishing exceptionally difficult during spring and summer run off periods when the US Army Corps of Engineers can be releasing more than 24,000 cfs of water from the dam. Ideally, wade fishing is at its best when the release from the dam is at 12,000 cfs and lower. As the guides will tell you, the Kootenai River is one of those rivers that float fishing is really the best way to go, particularly during the summer when the flow is high.

We are blessed to have the Columbia River Basin redband trout, a subspecies of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. They are Montana’s only native rainbow trout and represent the furthest inland penetration of redband trout in the Columbia River Basin. The species only differs from steelhead in that steelhead is anadromous, that is they migrate to the ocean. They are known for their excellent fighting ability and they match any steelhead or silver salmon I have caught on the West Coast. These fish are prolific leapers and when taken on a fly I have had them jump more than a dozen times before being brought to the shore. Their aerial acrobatics are geared to throw your hook, and I can more than attest to that. It soon becomes obvious that no hatchery trucks pollute this river—these are wild trout.

The best rainbow trout fishing on the Kootenai River is found above Kootenai Falls. The states fisheries biologists, based on their surveys, feel that the fish become progressively fewer and smaller as one goes down river from the dam. There are two main reasons that create this: (1) A protected spawning ground has been established and the first 3 miles below the dam (dam to the confluence with the Fisher River) is closed from the 1st of March through May each year. All fish caught between 13 and 24 inches must be released. This stretch is often referred to as Trophy Water. (2) Small fish, mainly Kokanee, get caught up in the flow of water that goes through the turbines of Libby Dam. The fish below feast on fancy fish burger which causes their growth rate to be accelerated.

The trophy rainbow trout of the Kootenai River—those worth mounting—will generally be located in the 3 mile stretch below Libby Dam. Trophy hunting in this river reminds me somewhat of steelhead fishing on the west coast, you just need to exercise long hours of patience until that day comes when you nail a fish. Large wet flies and streamers are your best choice. I have witnessed some very large trout chase schools of Kokanee fry right up to the shore line and I often wonder how they keep from beaching themselves. My Kokanee Fry and Kokanee Minnow patterns are the ones that I gravitate to first for this type of fishing, but other flies will work also, as long as you fish them with confidence. I use weight on my flies and use either a sink tip or full sinking line.

Due to its location in the northwest corner of Montana, the Kootenai River does not receive an excessive amount of fishing pressure. The sheer size of the river also intimidates many anglers who do not float fish. As a result, fishing pressure on the Kootenai River is not excessive. However, even though there is relatively low fishing pressure, the rainbow trout in the Kootenai River are quite selective feeders due to the abundance of food available to them.

The Kootenai River is basically a year around fishery, that is, if you don't mind spending part of your time cleaning ice off your guides. Aside from the trophy water section being closed in the early part of the year, the remainder of the river is open.

It has been written that anglers go through 3 phases. When starting out, they try and see how many fish they can catch in a given day. Then when they are totally content that they have satisfied their passion for larger numbers, they challenge their skills by pursuing the largest fish possible. This can often involve traversing the most grueling terrain possible in any attempt to reach those waters that others choose to bypass. After some time, all of this becomes a revelation where one realizes they are not having as much enjoyment any more. One soon recognizes it is not how many fish are caught or their record breaking size that matters, it is the solitude and convergence with the environment along with the anticipation that brings one that faithful prized moment.

Today I have evolved into the later. I look at fly-fishing with a viewpoint that I am just fortunate to have put all of these past approaches far behind me and I am now able to find full enjoyment each time I am on the water. My tool of choice is a 3-weight rod that is capable of throwing a weight forward 4 line. For the Kootenai I find that the fish are really not all that leader shy, and I use leaders from 9 to 12 feet long.

Each season on the river is just a bit different than those that have passed. Aside from the variances in the weather and variable water levels in any given month, my wife Patricia and I spend more than 120 days fishing together each season. We have elected not to try and invest in a boat since that would entail some means of shuttling the car and trailer back and forth and neither of us want to volunteer for that job—we would rather spend our time fishing.

The Kootenai is the second largest river, after the Clark's Fork, in Montana. It is not uncommon to see someone from out of state pull up to the river for the first time and approach it as they would one of the smaller rivers. Stereotypical thinking has them wading out into the river as far as they can and then demonstrating their long distance casting skills. I really don’t think that it is my place to inform them that they possibly waded right past dozens of fish. A good majority of the fish I have taken were from 3 to 20 feet from the shoreline. These fish are fat and lazy and prefer to feed off to the side of the swifter current. Here the water is cool and very well oxygenated after being released from the dam.

RIVER FLOW: For those of you interested in visiting the Kootenai River, here is a link for the daily report on river flows: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/uv?12301933

FISHING LICENSE: Should you be planning a trip to Montana, you can now obtain your fishing license online. This link can save you time and give you more time on the water: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/license/default.html