Need advice taking family fishing on vacation.

[lakevet]

Need advice/tips on fishing on vacation next week in Montana. Going to be in Red Lodge, Yellowstone, Ennis and Little Big Horn areas. Want kids (age 7 to 13 yrs) to catch some trout from shore with spinning rods. Line test, types of tactics, lures, flies (dare I say bait?)etc. Plan on hitting local sporting goods shops. Any advice which ones in those areas? Will be tent camping. Any suggestions on state parks camping areas? Don't want trophies, just want to catch a few and have fun. If we can eat some better yet. Kids very experienced with spinning rods, not into fly fishing yet. Want it as fun as possible. Any spots in eastern Montana we could hit on the way back?

Thanks!

lakevet

[Wallydog]

Lake,

I'm a little too far west to tell you the "where" part, but the how is fairly simple.

1. split shot 18" above small hook tipped with, salmon egg, worm, corn, powerbait, etc. drifted through a hole or riffle.

2. good old Mepps, roostertail cast across stream and a steady retrieve.

3. Fly type bobber 24" or more above a weighted nymph (hare's ear, zug bug, etc)

4. make certain you keep tabs on the regs specific to the waters you'll be fishin', sometimes regulations specific to a river, stream or creek are posted at obvious parking areas.

Have a great time.

WD

[lakevet]

Appreciate the help Wallydog,

Will visit and talk to local sporting goods place, not chain store for local details and buy some specifics from them. Just want to have rods rigged with right spinning line and a few basics. What pound test and type of mono should I spool kids reels with 4#,6#, or 8#? Thinking trilene XL low vis green. Any need for fluorocarbon leaders?

thanks, lakevet

[Jackpine Rob]

Wally's advice is right on. If you check out my post from a week or so back up in the Fishing Reports, you'll see I did the same thing as you're talking about.

My reels were spooled with 4 and 6 lb Berkeley Sensation. Primary lure was a 0 Mepps, but truth be told, the worms on a hook with a splitshot were screamingly effective. I pinched down all of my barbs - I was fishing for fun and sport, and didn't notice any problem with landing fish. My casting rod for the Mepps was an 8' 2 piece Daiwa crappie rod, which had the whip factor to really fling the light Mepps out there, with a Shimano spooled with 4 lb test.

Watch the regs real close. Montana has many water-specific regulations, and I had the booklet in my daypack and referred to it several times.

[lakevet]

Thanks!

7 yr old will get 6# and the rest 4#. Living in Minnesota land of 10,000 lakes and getting close to the same number of fishing regs I assumed that I would need to watch regs closely out there.

lakevet

[SportFishin']

Just an FYI check on where you plan on Tent Camping many camp grounds have been closed to tents and are Hard Side only because of all the recent Grizzly Bear activity this summer. Red Lodge area should be OK! There is a great camp ground south of Red Lodge off of Lake Side Road they fill early in the day on weekends. Rock Creek has some nice browns in it north of Red Lodge the creek is to skinny & small fish up in the Mtns.

If your up for a 1800 ft climb & a little adventure head up to Glacier Lake south of red lodge at lake side road & turn left after you cross the bridge onto gravel about 4-5 miles of rough road to the trail head.

[lakevet]

Thanks SportFishin',

Been Alaska fishing with 12 gauge handy all the time. Used to black bears here in MN, had them in camp and climbing up my tree when on stand. Griz is different. Will follow local recommendations and pepper spray instead of shotgun. Our risk of meeting a drunk driver is way greater than having a bear problem!!!!

lakevet