Warmer weather had increased fish activity and the bite has been great. Expect slower fishing by the weekend as a cold front will be moving in. Fish will be spread out and close to structure. Downsize your bait presentation.

Ashley Lake
Salmon bite has been good. Look for schools using sonar and begin jigging with a Hali jig tipped with corn and maggots. Depth varies so work most of the water column from 15ft to 40ft down.

Bitterroot Lake
Troll for Rainbows using a Plug It lure in a purple pattern. Very effective when pulled at 1.5mph using planer boards or let out around 200yd behind the boat to avoid prop wash.

Church Slough
Pike fishing has been picking up. Reports say they are laying on top of weed beds. So, use shallow diving jerk baits. Use a longer pause and then short jerk. Reel in slack with long pause.Echo Lake
Good Bass and Pike near the dyke. Square bill crank baits work best. Reports of top water lures starting to work as well.

Fennon Slough
Panfish have been doing well. Try Pete’s Crappie Candy on a wild eye jig. Focus on weed beds or other structure for Perch. Crappie are suspended so keep lure above them.

Flathead Lake
Lake Trout fishing has been great this past week. Woods Bay area is popular so troll with a purple Plug It or red and white. Jig deep water with Zimmer’s Glo Grub and cut bait.

Flathead River
Water is back on the rise and a little dirty. Try darker colored bodies with a silver or gold spinner. Use PowerBait to get the scent into the water.

Lake Koocanusa
Very nice Rainbows south of Kootenai Bridge. Troll with a Plug It lure off to one side with planer boards. Salmon bite has been good, so jig a Swedish Pimple and a Rat Finke dropper.

Lake Mary Ronan
Great Perch fishing in front of Camp Tuffit in 17ft of water. Use Northland’s Forage Minnow and maggots. Also try a live leech on a 1/8oz jig.

Thompson Chain
Upper – Lots of Smaller Perch. A few reports of Bass in shallower water.
Middle – Good Perch fishing along the reeds by state park. Use leeches on a floating jig. Reports of good size Pike as well.
Lower – Pike have been hitting on Rapala jerk baits. Use a second pole to float a smelt on a pike rig.
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Pine Grove Pond
Orange colored PowerBait on a red and yellow Panther Martin was a hot combo this past week. Great spot to take the family.

Swan River
Look for large Pike laying on weed beds. Throw flashy spoons like Dardevle 5 of Diamonds. Colder weather means they will go below weeds. Try to flush them out with shallow or top water lures.