North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine September 2018 | Page 58

BREAKDOWN
THE LOWER
KOOTENAI
RIVER
Runs through Canada,
Montana and Idaho
By Dillon Given
The Kootenai River is a 485-mile river that
runs from its headwaters in the Kootenay
Ranges of the Canadian Rockies to the
Columbia River. Mainly fed by glaciers and
snowmelt, the Kootenai falls over 6,600 feet in
elevation from start to finish. In the states, the
Kootenai River flows out of Lake Koocanusa
near Libby, Montana. The flow of the river in
Montana and Idaho is entirely regulated by
the Libby Dam, and the electricity generated
from the dam is managed by the Bonneville
Power Administration. The river level changes
frequently due to electricity demands. So, it is
always a great idea to check the flows online
before hitting the river.
Listed as a blue-ribbon trout stream, the river is
home to several different species of gamefish
like; rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brown trout,
bull trout, mountain whitefish, burbot, and
sturgeon. Brown trout are definitely a rarity in
this river system. However, there are reports of
the occasional brownie being caught. The river
is estimated to hold roughly 2,000 fish per mile,
the tough part is finding what they want to eat.
Although the average trout will range from 10
58
Kootenai River
to 15-inches, there are once-in-a-lifetime hogs
that roam the river. The Montana state record
rainbow trout came out of this river near the
David Thompson Bridge in 1997. The rainbow
weighed in at 33.1 pounds and measured 38.62
inches long.
There are several accessible boat launches in
Idaho available to the public, but only a handful
that reside in “fishy” water. The relatively new
Leonia boat launch off Leonia Road is by far the
most popular shoreline to drop in a drift boat.
Beware though, you are not technically in Idaho
until you pass under the Leonia Bridge. As you
float down the river, the next available boat
launch is at Twin Rivers Resort where the Moyie
River dumps into the Kootenai. From Leonia to
Twin Rivers, the float is just under 11 river miles.
The Twin Rivers launch is private property, but
the owner is nice enough to open it up to the
public. Simply pay your small cash fee at the
resort office to park your rig down by the river.
Once you have passed Twin Rivers, the next
launch is the Bonners Ferry Search and Rescue
launch just off Riverside Street. I see this launch
as more of a take out spot than a put in spot.