The Whitefish are Late – Report by Jim Vashro, FWP
By angelamontana

Posted: August 8, 2013

Man, those lake whitefish are killing me!

Last year, I predicted we might get a bite based on mild spring weather. Then a very cold and rainy June washed me out. Not learning my lesson, this spring I once again said the weather was mild enough that we might get a whitefish bite.

Well, the whitefish are late. As Mac Man’s report pointed out, some whitefish are showing up. I heard of one good catch somewhere along the East shore. I’m hearing of whitefish under the Polson Bridge. A friend caught a few off Big Arm and said boats are starting to show up there regularly. I saw some boats off Elmo a few days ago. So people are looking.

Those that have caught whitefish says the size is very good. One of the charter captains said he is seeing some perch in lake trout stomachs. And the manager of the Flathead Lake Salmon Hatchery south of Somers says he is seeing more small perch off the hatchery than he’s seen in many years.

The whitefish bite had better kick in soon, summer is growing short. Lake whitefish can still be caught in Echo Lake if someone wants to try it.

(Written by Jim Vashro, Regional Fisheries Manager – Montana FWP; Cover photo: wildlife.state.co.us)

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