According to Jim Vashro, Region 1 fish biologist for Montana FWP “Well, I’m baffled. There are what appear to be perch balls in a number of areas around Flathead. Charter captains are catching lake trout with perch in their stomachs. I’m getting reports of anglers catching 2-5 whitefish in a morning in Big Arm Bay (the bite usually starts there first). I heard one report of 25+ whitefish from there but I haven’t heard that verified.
I fished Woods Bay Point last Saturday and this morning (Friday). I’m seeing lots of what look like perch and at the right depths but I can’t find a lake whitefish. I’m getting the same story from guys on the delta. I eventually went deeper for lakers, had a number of fish come in to look at my jigs, no bumps. People are catching lakers eating mysis shrimp, maybe that’s where the whitefish are?”
