| |
Fly-In Fishing Destinations: 12 Fishing Resorts That Are Sure To Satisfy Your Appetite
by Carrie Miner
Gallatin River Lodge
Ardent anglers can tie a fly and set down for a spell at the Gallatin Airport [BZN] in Bozeman, Montana — just a ten minute ride from The Gallatin River Lodge, a year-round lodge dedicated to the sport of fly-fishing.
When journalist Tom Brokaw said "If fishing is a religion, fly fishing is high church," he might as well have been talking about the fishing at Gallatin River Lodge.
Located near the Yellowstone and Madison rivers, this famous fly fishing destination provides access to 350-acres of unspoiled riparian habitat.
In addition to fishing more than 70 miles of the Gallatin, Madison and Yellowstone rivers, anglers can take guided trips to many of the nearby spring creeks, stream and still waters which offer a diverse catch, including whitefish and rainbow, brown, cutthroat and cuttbow trout. Float and wade fishing are both popular and the lodge's guides are geared to assist all skill levels.
At the end of the day, you'll find casual comfort in your private suites and in the main lodge's great room, lounge and dining room.
The patios overlook the property's stocked trout pond, the valley and the Bridger Mountains in the distance. Wildlife watchers might catch a glimpse of herons, eagles, whitetail deer, beaver and foxes.
The menu complements all of this natural beauty with four-star dining at The Gallatin River Grill with such menu selections as loin of lamb, bison medallions and roasted pheasant. Top it all off with an award-winning vintage and you'll see what all of the fuss is about.
Elkins Resort on Priest Lake
For a lake fishing excursion in the Idaho panhandle, set down on the gravel runway at Priest Lake USFS Airport [67S] and head over to Elkins Resort on Priest Lake.
Acclaimed as the "Northwest's finest log cabin vacation resort", this fishing destination offers a rustic retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Founded by the Elkins family as a summer fishing camp in 1932, this resort on Priest Lake in Reeder Bay caters to families with a wide range of outdoor activities including sky skiing, mountain biking, hiking, huckleberry and wild mushroom picking, water skiing, jet skiing, beach volleyball, canoeing, kayaking, boating and fishing.
Nestled in the Selkirk Mountains just 30 miles south of the Canadian border, Priest Lake also provides a prime opportunity to net trophy sized mackinaw (lake trout), which have been pulled out of the waters weighing up to 57 pounds.
Idaho State Parks and Recreation Department suggests trolling along the east side of Cavanaugh Bay and off the end of Pinto Point, bank fishing along the east side of Cavanaugh Bay and near East Lakeshore Road, and deep trolling off Kalispell and Bartoo Islands.
Back at the lodge, you can relax in style in one of the resort's 30 log and cedar cabins, all of which are situated by the lakefront or creekside.
In addition to providing many options for casting a line, the 30-acre property also features more than 2,500-feet of sandy beaches, a mercantile, a marina and an award-winning restaurant serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner.
At the end of the day, sit back and enjoy one of the chef's Pacific Rim specialties such as macadamia nut chicken with coconut lime ginger hoisin sauce, blackened opah with orange garlic teriyaki and soft-shelled crabs with Chinese mustard soy sauce.
And as the sun sets over the horizon, you can listen to live music, sip on a world-famous huckleberry daiquiri and plan the next day's adventure.
|
|
|
|
