Ice Fishing: Elephant Lake

About a fifteen minute drive from Beaver Creek lies Elephant Lake. If you want to know how the name was chosen, it's pretty easy to figure this out when you look at the outline of the lake on a map. If Rorshach tests aren't your thing, I'll give you a hint: the elephant trunk is the south end of the lake.

This beautiful, little lake is 340 acres and is stocked by ADFG with rainbow trout, arctic char, coho (kokanee), and steelhead. I've fished this lake in the summer many times, but I've never ice fished there. That changed last week.

My original plan was to fish it alone, but after talking with a couple of buddies of mine, we put together a nice little crew. With kids, dogs, and snowmobiles in tow, this would be a great day, fish or no fish.

How was it? Well, we did catch and release a couple of fish. Here's Boo with his son Oliver and a nice Elephant Lake rainbow trout. An 18" arctic char was also caught, but it was released before I could capture the moment on my iPhone.

Was I disappointed with the fishing? No, not at all. It's been better for me by boat, but getting outside with friends made it a worthwhile day.   

Elephant Lake wasn't the only place I ice fished last week. I decided to go to an old favorite, Sport Lake. I met up with my neighbors, Rusty, Evelyn, and everyone's favorite beagle, Lilly, and it was an afternoon of non stop rainbow trout/kokanee action. As Evelyn says, "I like to catch, not fish" and Sport Lake is perfect for that.

Here's Lilly letting me know that there's fish down this hole.

The portable ice fishing house was set up on this day just in case it got too cold. With temperatures in the mid 20's, it was barely used.

My guide/coach Lilly letting me know I was jigging all wrong....

All in all, in a couple of hours we probably released 60 rainbow trout and kokanee. Nothing larger than 12", but still, not a bad way to spend a winter day.



Beaver Creek Cabins & Guide Service