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I'm taking an overnight fishing trip this weekend over to the West Yellowstone area. I have never fished anywhere around there, but have always thought the Henry's Lake area looked nice. The park's website says fishing is slow there at the moment though. Island Park Reservoir sounds a little better.
Which would you suggest if camping and bank fishing? I'm more of a warm water guy, but I'll fish for trout too. All tips or suggestions for access and camp sites appreciated.
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Welcome to BFT. I don't have any current experience up there to share. Bank fishing either one will be hard. Henry's does have boats you can rent. If you rent one, be aware that the wind comes up at about noon. You want to be off of the lake then, because the wind there causes huge unbelievable waves.
Hopefully someone that has fished up there lately will add to this.
Good luck!
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I also have not been there recently, but from what I know about the 2 lakes, I'd think the IP would be the better of the 2 for what you want to do. IP will have more shade, less wind, and my guess is better bank yanking.
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You can fish off the South West bank of Henry's (no parking fees) and sometimes catch some nice fish. This time of year you may have a tough time getting out past the moss though in the shallows. If you feel adventurous you can walk along the cliffs on the South bank and find a spot to climb down and get into the fish there as well. As far as Island Park is concerned you can fish off the rocks near the Mill Creek camp ground and typically catch some decent fish especially when it is low like it is, just watch out for stumps.
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What's the best way to access Island Park Res? It's hard to tell from mapquest which roads are two tracks and which are improved or paved? I also don't see Mill Creek Campground, but is it obvious once I'm there?
My wife will be with me, and while she likes to fish, she also like a chair, so I'm not sure she'll go for cliff jumping (unless I do it and catch fish...)
I appreciate all the information. I need to be over there Sunday morning so I'm trying to take advantage of the drive and get some fishing on new water in!
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By the way, welcome to BFT. Hope to see some reports from you when you get back.
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To get to Mill Creek you turn West off the highway onto Yale Kilgore road, go across Mcrae's bridge and when the road splits you want to hang to the left twice as the road will immediately split again. You will travel about a mile or so and there will be a numbered road on your left just before entering an area with cabins. Follow that road and it will take you right down to a boat ramp. Park there and walk south along the resevoir down to the rocks and you can sit on the rocks and fish. My new favorite bait combo is a night crawler and marshmallow, it has been working out in the main resevoir from a boat. I have found that the mini multi colored marshmallows from walmart work best. You can also get to the resevoir by taking the Buttermilk loop road and following it to the ramp in that area, there are some decent bank fishing areas there but there is also heavy boat traffic on the weekends as it is close to the summer home areas. You can also access it via the road to the dam from the highway, I have not been down in that area recently so I am not sure how the fishing would be there.
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Your information was spot on and thank you.
We got a late start so by the time we found a campsite (Buttermilk) it was late, so we just fished there in the evening. As you warned, tons of boat traffic and while there were 1-2" fish all over the place, did not get any action on bait or lures.
The next morning we got up and went down by the damn. It was great till about 0830, then a little rain shut it off, and the bright sun that followed killed all bite. Absolutely nothing after it warmed up.
Too bad it's a long drive from Boise as I could see fishing that again.
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