Inez Lake, Missoula County: Boats pulling, taking off with, and landing water skiers will travel in general counterclockwise direction. More restrictive noise standards are in effect for Flathead Lake (Flathead and Lake Counties), Echo Lake (Flathead County) and Swan Lake (Lake County) because of population density and heavy recreational use. PWC which must maintain a minimum operating speed to remain upright and maneuver in the water may travel at that minimum operating speed following the most direct route through the nowake zone to and from shore. Boats pulling, taking off with, and landing water skiers will travel in general counterclockwise direction. Elsina Lake, Missoula County: Manually powered or electric motors only. You need to be observant of clouds and wind. Boats equipped with toilets or porta-potties must dispose of waste properly. be painted on or attached to each side of the bow of the vessel; be vertical block letters at least 3 inches in height; be a color contrasting with the background color of the boat; be as high above the water line as practical and still be visible; contain a space or hyphen separating the "MT" from the number/letter suffix. Cibid Lake, Cibid Lake is in the Thompson Chain of Lakes, Lincoln County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed, Clark Fork River & Tributaries (Headwaters to Kelly Island FAS/Grass Valley Ditch Diversion), Deer Lodge, Granite, Missoula, Powell Counties: Closed to all motorized watercraft from the headwaters to Kelly Island (Spurgin Road) Fishing Access Site boat ramp and the Grass Valley Ditch Diversion. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks maintains . Cochrane Reservoir, Cascade County: Closed to all boating, sailing, floating, swimming, personal watercraft use, and waterfowl hunting. Between the dam and 300' downstream and the reservoir between the dam and the boat barrier. [View map of Restrictions (PDF)], Blackfoot River, Missoula, Powell Counties: Closed to all motorized watercraft from the headwaters to the confluence with the Clark Fork River. Stand-up personal watercraft and personal watercraft towing a waterskier must travel at the minimum speed necessary to operate when leaving from or returning to a dock or shore. This is a pretty big deal for people who are not members of CSKT, as the Flathead Reservation hunting, fishing and recreation fees have increased significantly.. A combined total of 20 for one or more species of flathead (excluding dusky flathead) If the operator is 12 or younger, the observer must be at least 18. on Flathead Lake in Woods Bay, MT. The give-way vessel on the left must slow down and permit the privileged vessel to pass. Bag limit. 5. . They always tell me they don't have clear water like this in the Midwest or on the East Coast.". This is done through the County Treasurer's Office. The boat owner will receive one permanent registration decal as proof of payment of fees in lieu of tax. Exception: (1) Motorized watercraft of 20 hp or less are permitted from the headwaters to the confluence with the Clark Fork River from October 1 to January 31. Enjoy the days on the beautiful lawn which borders two hundred feet of Flathead Lake. Boaters are responsible for any damage caused by their wake. And this brings us to a Lake Flathead fish story. In the evenings northern pike are landed in the northern part of Flathead. If unavoidable travel at no wake speed or at the minimum speed necessary to maintain upstream progress. "Big Arm is clean and safe and convenient, it's one of the nicest facilities on the southwest end of the lake. Closed to all boating, sailing, floating, swimming, personal watercraft use, and waterfowl hunting. The fishing on Flathead Lake is jointly controlled by the Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks service and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (the Flathead Reservation is located just northeast of Flathead Lake) under the Flathead Lake and Fisheries Co-Management Plan. Klamath Lake 7. For the smart Flathead Lake newcomer with a trailer boat in tow, the spectacular scenery is part of the adventure, but the statistics always get in the way of the view. Boats will be allowed into the marina when the lake level is 2891.5 feet (1.5 feet below full pool) or above. Boats may not be left unattended while moored or attached to a public boat dock. (Example: MT 1234 AB or MT 1234 - AB). Phone (877) 256-3252 or (406) 622-4015. The Flathead and Swan rivers, both of which run through Bigfork, feed fresh water into Flathead Lake year-round. Browns Lake, Powell County: Closed to all boats from April 1 to July 15, that portion of lake as marked or posted. Loon Lake - Lower Thompson Lake. Do not operate a motorboat within 200 feet of a tow-float or buoy displaying a red flag with a white slash indicating a "diver down" except by use of sailor oar. (. (2) Motorized watercraft of 20hp or less are permitted from June 16 to September 30. The certificate of number must be carried on board the boat and be available for inspection whenever the boat is in operation. The following lakes located with the Thompson Chain of Lakes in Lincoln county: Crystal Lake - Horseshoe Lake. Closed to motorboats over 10 horsepower Henry Reservoir, Toole County: Closed to all motorboats, Hidden Lake, Missoula County: Manually powered or electric motors only. Children 12 years or younger may not operate a motorboat or a personal watercraft powered by a motor rated at more than 10 horsepower unless accompanied by someone 18 years of age or older. The Bigfork Summer Playhouse is celebrating 50 years of providing live theater productions. With clear water surrounded by pine forests and mountains, Flathead Lake shows why it's part of Montana's big sky country. For more information, visit https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/goathaunt.htm Smith Mountain Lake is a 20,600-acre impoundment located near Roanoke in Bedford and Franklin counties. Fishing: Popular with locals for large rainbow trout and kokanee. Above the lake, the Flathead River flows through the upper Flathead Valley, home to such popular towns as Whitefish and Kalispell. The catch and release restrictions are important to comply with. Fresno Reservoir, Hill County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed in the area around the Fresno boat club docks, public boat ramp area, swimming, and beach area as buoyed and signed. At least one exhaust duct must be installed so as to extend to the lower portion of the bilge. +l^PrgXdgcZr1'[v8B(bAr~;5-?~u There are several commercial outfitters that offer float trips. Flathead Lake State Park maintains six parks around Flathead Lake, some of which have excellent swimming in summer. display the name and telephone number of the individual or nonprofit organization that placed it; be maintained or removed by the individual or nonprofit organization when dictated by changing water conditions or seasonal changes; be placed only to signal a hazard in the waterway; they may not be used to mark swim areas, safe channels, speed limits or water skiing cources; be located on state waterways; they are not allowed on navigable waters with federal jurisdiction. Homemade boats or boats manufactured before 1972 that require registration must first have a hull identification number. The Road and Bridge Department is divided into the following three sub-departments. Gartside Reservoir, Richland County: Manually powered or electric motors only. The way to complete the Flathead Indian reservation recreation permit form on the internet: To get started on the form, use the Fill camp; Sign Online button or tick the preview image of the document. Missouri River, Contact the Bureau of Land Management for seasonal boating restrictions on the "wild and scenic" portion of river from Fort Benton to James Kipp Recreation Area (Fred Robinson Bridge). . Closed to all public access below ordinary high-water mark from the dam to the east end of Ryan Island. Only authorized exceptions such as search and rescue craft are exempt. Our RV Resort has 60 spacious lots right across the street from Flathead Lake in Big Arm Montana. Are motor boats allowed on Flathead Lake? Motorized watercraft towing a skier from or to a dock or the shore, except that watercraft must travel the most direct route through the no-wake zone. Closed to all public access below ordinary high-water mark from the south side of West Rosebud Creek from the powerhouse to the USGS concrete weir. The commission is proposing to establish a seasonal boat closure from March 1. The following closures and public use restrictions are in effect for reasons of public health, safety or protection of property. Whitefish, Montana, US is the #1 House in Whitefish, United States "There's lots of parking, a good ramp, and it's one of the closest ramps to Wild Horse. Sheriffs, peace officers, and U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement officers also have authority to enforce these provisions. Hooked On Montana provides guided fishing charters and boat tours on Flathead Lake, Montana. Those include the Flathead Conservation District, Flathead River Commission, Flathead Basin Commission, Fish Wildlife and Parks, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the National Park. Fishing. . Harpers Lake, Missoula County: Limited to manually operated watercraft and watercraft powered by electric motors. This brings us to an even larger fish story: According to popular legend, there's the Flathead Monster, with more than 79 reported sightings since first being seen in 1889. Boat owners should prepare their vessel for launching before parking at the boat ramp, should launch the vessel quickly, and move the tow vehicle so that others may use the area. There are a number of boat ramps near Polson. Flathead (all species except dusky flathead) Common name/s. The largest lake is Flathead Lake, which covers approximately 123,000 acres with 62,000 acres located within the Flathead Indian Reservation boundary. View Our Charters Lake Tours Like to explore expansive Flathead Lake and Wild Horse Island on a leisurely, scenic boat tour? The explosive vapors are heavier than air and accumulate in the bottom of the boat without proper venting, creating an extremely hazardous condition. At normal pool, Rend Lake has a surface area of 20,633 acres, a maximum depth of 35 feet, and a mean depth of 10 feet. Included in these paragraphs is a brief overview of the department and its responsibilities. Closed to boating, sailing, floating, swimming, personal watercraft use, and waterfowl hunting. Letters of application must be sent at least 30 days prior to the scheduled event. a green light on the starboard (right) side of the boat, a red light on the port (left) side of the boat, a white light that is visible in all directions (usually located on the stern and higher than the red and green lights). Operating a vessel in a manner which may endanger the personal health or damage the property of any person is considered negligent operation. Morrell Lake, Missoula County: Closed to all motorboats, Myron Lake, Myron Lake is in the Thompson Chain of Lakes., Lincoln County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed, Park Lake, Jefferson County: Closed to all motorboats, Pelican Point Fishing Access Ponds, Cascade County: Closed to all motorboats. Johnson Reservoir, Dawson County: Manually powered or electric motors only, Lake Alva, Missoula County: Boats must travel at no wake speed, Lake Dinah, Missoula County: Closed to all motorboats, Lake Elmo, Yellowstone County: Manually powered or electric motors only. If the personal watercraft is equipped with a lanyard-type cord that shuts off the engine if the operator falls off the craft, the lanyard must be attached to the operator's wrist or PFD. The rock flathead is another species found in Victorian waters, but it is less commonly encountered by recreational anglers. Features concrete boat ramp and a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier. 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