The Wolves of Fort Peck

 I haven’t really included much fishing into my writings, not because it’s not as adventurous as big game and hunting. It’s just not as easy to tell a story about a fishing trip; however, there is one fishing adventure, worthy of a post. 

This is an adventure that has taken place annually for the past five years or so. Imagine a remote backcountry winter adventure. This trip takes place during the deepest, coldest part of winter in the middle of Montana. Many times the temperatures plummet into negative double digits,  not including the arctic winter winds that the lake is known for. 

It’s the kind of trip that requires a lot of self-awareness, preparation, and survival skills, being that when we leave the truck at the parking lot, we most likely won’t see the parking lot for another five days. 

Everything is harder on the ice-covered lake, and it comes with plenty of danger being so remote, frigid, and at times on sketchy ice.

We drag tents, propane, food, extra clothing, all our ice fishing gear behind our ATVs with plans to sleep and fish for days…the only time we quit fishing is to sleep, and typically we even drop a line in while we sleep. 

The first couple trips to Fort Peck, the fishing we did was more diverse, catching walleye, crappie, and pike. It was enjoyable and great table fare. We used tip ups, dead sticks, and jigging rods primarily. But now, one species has taken the spotlight, and we spend all of our time fishing for that one fish…the wolf of Fort Peck, the Lake Trout. 

A solid rod, big jigs, a vexilar sonar with a strong battery, and you’re in business. The excitement that comes when a giant red mark floats off the bottom on your sonar racing towards your lure. The thrill of a laker chasing your lure up the water columns has been one of the most adrenaline-filled highs in all my fishing adventures. 

Hunting for lake trout structure, bouncing from hole to hole looking for where an pack of wolves are currently hunting Cisco, and then finding them, hooking them, and feeling their heavy weight on the end of your line has definitely become an addiction. 

So, most of these pictures that are attached all look about the same to the reader; however, they are not to the fishermen that created the memories. These pictures are the product of hundreds of hours staring at a sonar, in hopes of a red mark. Tight lines!

My first Peck laker that started the addiction