Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) Region 1 has confirmed the presence of non-native brown trout in Ashley Lake, located within the upper Flathead drainage north of the Flathead Indian Reservation.
The Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) and FWP are asking anglers to help prevent Brown Trout from becoming established and spreading throughout the Flathead drainage.
Brown trout are a non-native predatory fish that can compete with and prey upon native fish species. Early detection is critical to preventing their establishment in the Flathead drainage
If you catch a Brown Trout upstream of SKQ Dam, please do not release it. Instead, report your catch and turn the fish in to either the CSKT Fisheries Program or FWP Region 1. The location where the fish was caught is critical for tracking and monitoring the spread of this non-native species.
It is illegal to transport live fish from one body of water to another in Montana or within the Flathead Indian Reservation.
Brown Trout can be turned in at either of the following locations:
CSKT Fisheries Program
408 6th Avenue East
Polson, MT 59860
(406) 883-2888
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks – Region 1
490 North Meridian Road
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406) 752-5501
For more information, contact Craig Barfoot, CSKT Fisheries Program Manager, at (406) 883-2888.
—CSKT—
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