Motor-driven vehicles may not be used to drive, molest, flush or harass any game animal or game bird while hunting. The boat owner is responsible for permanently affixing the HIN number on the boat and having the boat inspected by a peace officer. But it gets tricky when strong east winds are blowing. The certificate of number must be carried on board the boat and be available for inspection whenever the boat is in operation. Lake Marshall, Missoula County: Limited to manually operated watercraft and watercraft powered by electric motors. At the opposite end of Flathead and in the heart of the Salish-Kootenai Indian Reservation is the city of Polson. When the question comes up about where your next boat-and-trailer destination should be, vote "Montana." White Sandy Recreation Area within 300 feet of docks and swim area as buoyed. The boat owner will receive one permanent registration decal as proof of payment of fees in lieu of tax. It is illegal as well as unsafe to overpower a boat. The Road and Bridge Department is divided into the following three sub-departments. 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. The decision has left some. "Big Arm is clean and safe and convenient, it's one of the nicest facilities on the southwest end of the lake. 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. Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Broadwater, Lewis & Clark Counties: Boats must travel at no-wake speed within 300 feet of dock or as buoyed in the following areas: White Earth, Goose Bay, Yacht Basin, Cave Bay, Little Hellgate, Magpie Bay, Carp Bay, and from Canyon Ferry Dam to Riverside boat ramp. Flathead Lake is the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River. Castle Rock Reservoir, Rosebud County: Manually powered or electric motors only. Subscription to the print version of BoatUS Magazine, 4% back on purchases from West Marine stores or online at WestMarine.com, Discounts on fuel, transient slips, repairs and more at over 1,200 businesses, Deals on cruises, charters, car rentals, hotel stays and more. Exception:Missouri River down river from Headwaters State Park. Flathead Lake and other nearby lakes, in Northwest Montana are an angler's paradise. These restrictions apply to all rivers and streams in the counties. There can be several days of beautiful, calm, sunny weather and then a storm may come in from out of nowhere. The closed portion is described as Boulder Creek to Station Creek beginning at the shore and extending half a mile out into Flathead Lake. Do not anchor in a position that obstructs a passageway ordinarily used by other vessels. Personal watercraft must follow the same rules and equipment requirements as other boats. Over the years, we have helped thousands of customers enjoy beautiful Flathead Lake and the surrounding areas. Any equipment that does not fit entirely within the campsite parking-spur must be parked outside the campground in an area designated by the park manager. (2) Motorized watercraft of 20 hp or less are permitted from October 1 to January 31. Holland Lake, Missoula County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed in Holland Lake Lodge and the Bay Loop campground within 300 feet or as buoyed. We use cookies to enhance your visit to our website and to improve your experience. A beautiful wooden boat restored by Greg McCormick, a Polson resident and Lakers member, is up for auction online through December 1st. Boat owners should remove each red decal or cover it with the new orange decal. Youths 13 and 14 years of age may not operate those vessels without possessing a valid Montanamotorboat operator's safety certificateor evidence of completing an approved boating safety course, or unless accompanied by someone 18 years of age or older. 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). Personal watercraft prohibited on the headwaters of the Missouri River downstream to its confluence with Prewett Creek, except in Missouri River reservoirs, and including all tributaries but not their reservoirs. San Luis Reservoir 5. 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. List of Lakes Less Than 35 Acres in Size with Public Access. Sailboats 12 feet long and longer and all motorboats and personal watercraft must be registered at the local county treasurers office. They'll be on a boat or on a raft and look down and see rocks and then look again and realize the rocks are 12 feet beneath the water. 14 . Montana's Flathead Lake comes with lots of statistics: With its 161-mile shoreline, it's the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi; one of the 300 largest lakes in the world; and it's more than 380 feet deep, just to name a few. Hyalite Reservoir, Gallatin County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed. ft 1 bedroom 1 bed Sleeps 12 1 bathroom 1 full bath Spaces Kitchen Deck/Patio Dining Area We are happy to announce that the Harbor Grille in Lakeside will host the 2022 Flathead Lake Boat Show. Savage Lake, Lincoln County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed during the hours of 5 AM 10 AM and 7 PM 11 PM each day. Wild Horse Island was used as a hiding place for the Pend d'Oreille Indians after numerous horses were seized on land by members of the Blackfeet Tribe. Pat Piper has written for many magazines including BoatUS Magazine, Chesapeake Bay Magazine, and Diabetes Health and has written/ghostwritten eight books. It's described as being almost 20 feet in length, although skeptics point to a 181-pound sturgeon on display at the Polson-Flathead Historical Museum believed to have been caught in the lake. Whitefish: 100 daily and in possession. All operators and riders must wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket, or personal flotation device (PFD). Anyone towed by a boat must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket, or personal flotation device (PFD). Near the south end of the lake, Finley Point is tucked into a conifer forest with camping, boat docks, and swimming. Many people in Montana know the beauty of their state and understand the economic benefit realized by tourism dollars. The following list of lakes has been determined 35 acres or fewer by means of the 1:100,000-scale hydrography layer within the department's geographic information system (GIS). 50230 US HWY 93 Ste. 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. Concrete boat launch. They always tell me they don't have clear water like this in the Midwest or on the East Coast.". Location: On Route 35, 7 miles south of Kalispell, stretching for 30 miles. The auction will benefit the Bad Rock Canyon Conservation Project. Validation decals are issued in 3-year blocks. The rules dictate who has the right of way when vessels meet in open water and in crowded anchorages. Flathead Lake Boat Rentals. "It's a large body of cold water", notes McDonald, "and I get a kick out of watching children run and dive into the lake while their parents don't even try to take a swim until late July when the temperatures have warmed.The lake's water temperature reaches a high of about 60 degrees in late August for those considering when to join their kids.Of the 22 islands on the lake, 2,000-acre Wild Horse Island is the largest, and most popular. A boat owner may obtain a HIN number from anyFish, Wildlife & Parks regional or area office. 2 bds; 2 ba; 3,059 sqft - Active. Henry Reservoir, Toole County: Closed to all motorboats, Hidden Lake, Missoula County: Manually powered or electric motors only. RESTRICTIONS AT DAMS. Salmon Lake, Missoula County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed in the following areas: Clearwater River from the Placid Lake Road Bridge to Salmon Lake; that portion known as Legendary Lodge Narrows near the South end of the lake; and the area south of Salmon Cove Point (Eagle's Nest) to the lake's outlet. There must be a wearable life jacket (Type I, II, or III) for each person on vessels less than 16 feet long (including canoes and kayaks of any length). Now, he's already facing daily backlash about having it removed. A motorboat 16 to 26 feet long must carry some means of producing an efficient sound signal that is audible for one-half mile, such as a whistle or a horn. 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. Only authorized exceptions such as search and rescue, scientific purposes or special events with the directors prior written approval are exempt. This is a large lake with large areas that have no sheltered spots so small boats can have difficulty getting in when the waves begin getting large, and they can get that way in a hurry. Exception: (1) Motorized watercraft, except personal watercraft, are permitted from May 1 to June 15. The closest access point to Wild Horse is Big Arm State Park on the western shore. Also exempt are a vessels lifeboat and government-owned boats. Do not operate or beach your motorboat within a designated swimming area. Bigfork is also home to the Whitewater Festival in May that attracts kayakers from around the country, the Festival of the Arts in August that celebrates the playhouse and galleries, and Tamarack Time in October where the harvest is the star attraction. Check-in time is 2:00pm for campsites (local time). Included in these paragraphs is a brief overview of the department and its responsibilities. The Great Salt Lake 6. Whitefish River, Flathead County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed from its confluence with Whitefish Lake to the bridge on the JP Road. At least one intake duct must be installed so that it extends to the point at least midway to the bilge, or at least below the level of the carburetor air intake. Kalispell, MT. Boats pulling, taking off with, and landing water skiers will travel in general counterclockwise direction. Find Boat Slip in For Sale in Kalispell, MT. The Mission Mountains reaching almost 6,000 feet high are visible in the east and the mile-high Salish Mountains are to the west. We've got the perfect private charters for you and your group! (W~#C?{m2. A personal watercraftis a motor boatthat the rider sits or stands on, rather than inside of. Open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Special Restrictions- Boats restricted to 5 mph (no wake). 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. Our RV Resort has 60 spacious lots right across the street from Flathead Lake in Big Arm Montana. There is also a popular launch on Finley Point, a peninsula that is also part of Flathead Lake State Park. An accident must be reported immediately to the local sheriffs office or game warden if it caused: The operator of a boat involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty must: Boating accident report forms are available from the county sheriff's office, game wardens, or anyMontana Fish, Wildlife & Parks office. Harrison Lake (Willow Creek Reservoir), Madison County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed in all of Willow Creek Arm and Norwegian Arm as buoyed 6 PM 11 AM. The commonly used diver down warning flags are: Boating accident reportsare required by law and provide valuable information for use in the prevention of future boating accidents. Written permission from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is necessary to conduct a boating race, regatta or other marine event on Montana's waters. [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. Seeley Lake, Missoula County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed in the northern most portion of lake from where Deer Creek flows into the west side of the lake, following a straight line across the lake to where Rice Creek flows into the east side of the lake and continuing north to shore, as marked. Home . Boats that are properly registered in another state or country may operate in Montana for up to 90 consecutive days. Some waterways have multiple restrictions that apply, so be sure to check all of the following sections for the body of water you plan to use. FLOATING HOUSE on Flathead Lake with waterslide, kayaks, rooftop deck, and more +47 photos About Rooms & beds Amenities Reviews Map Host Policies Rates & availability Know before you go Check Covid restrictions here About this rental House boat 1100 sq. Lake freezes in winter. Recreationists must purchase a tribal recreation permit. (2) Motorized watercraft towing a skier from a dock or the shore. Generally the 12-digit hull identification (HIN) number is on the exterior of the vessels transom in the upper-right corner. Please check with destination park staff for local restrictions. Topless Lake, Topless Lake is in the Thompson Chain of Lakes, Lincoln County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed, Upper Carter Pond, Fergus County: Boats must travel at no-wake speed. View the quick reference onUnderstanding Montana's Required Boat Decals. The latest validation decals are red and willexpire February 28, 2023. The 1953 Century Resorter is an 18' boat, and ready to float Flathead Lake! Flathead Lake -----north of Flathead Indian Reservation boundary Catch-and-release for Cutthroat Trout. He's currently an executive editor for Westwood One Radio. Remember to adequately ventilate your boat before starting it by running your blower for at least 4 minutes - especially after fueling. For additional information and daily fire updates, visit inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7754 and follow the CSKT Division of Fires Facebook page. Passageway ordinarily used by other vessels east and the mile-high Salish Mountains are to the.! For 30 miles or electric motors only all rivers and streams in the east and the mile-high Mountains... Freshwater Lake west of the nicest facilities on the western shore use cookies to enhance your to... We have helped thousands of customers enjoy beautiful Flathead Lake and watercraft powered by motors! 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