Flathead Lake
Whitefish bite is full swing!!! All reports are saying 50 to 60′ water seem to be best depth to look for them. North end try Sommers Bay, Hatchery Bay, Caroline Pt, Delta, Woods Bay and West Shore Sate Park area to Painted Rocks. Fish up on north running smaller in size 1 to 3lbs.
South End try Skiddo Bay, Yellow Bay to Blue Bay, Finley point, Narrows, Rollins area, Shelter And Cedar Island, Elmo Bay, Big arm and near Walstad.
Fish on south average bigger 2 to 5lbs this year.
JT Tackle disco perch have been great. Zimmer Rattle Dzastors are working well also. Mr.Riley jigs and Bone Collector jigs along with Pete’s Whitefish slayer are all doing well. Sizes are 3/8 up to 3/4 Oz all usually green color variation to match the perch hatch. Bring a good rubber coated net, a large cooler with lots of cold ice the whitefish get soft very quickly be sure to ice them down well.
Lake trout will be mixed in with the whitefish try casting or jigging large tube baits or swimbaits in same depth ranges. Trolling try 120 to 150′ not to far off from the whitefish spots. Big flatfish trolled slow on bottom work well.
Smallmouth bass action also going good on the lake, try ned rigs, swimbaits, tubejigs casting along boulder or deep points. Dock fishing can also be good for them.
Flathead river and forks
North fork fishing well, try small spinners and spoons. Gold or white colors, flys hoppers, ants, humpys or purple haze. Main steam lower end between prestine and old steel producing little bigger fish.
Swan lake
South and north end lake producing good pike very early mornings or late evenings. Troll shoreline with small spoons or flicker shad for rainbows.
Middle Thompson and lower Thompson
Producing good salmon early mornings. Troll small dodgers with pink or orange hoochies. Middle fish are up to 20″ this year.
McGregor lake still producing good number of lake trout jigging 120 to 150′ water small glo grubs from zimmer working well. Try shorlines for smallmouth bass.
Flathead River Sloughs
Early mornings casting big jerkbaits or swim baits producing nice pike. Late evenings crappie bite picks up in Fennon and Church. Good largemouth action in those 2 also.
Crystal lake
Early mornings been good for smaller salmon few nice perch.
Lower Stillwater
Good pike action 2 to 5lb fish, look for bigger perch up on west end 15 to 20′ water.
Noxon Reservoir
Bass action has been very good lots of nice smallmouth and large mouth. Walleye bite has been picking up very well also. Try 20 to 30 water near Vermilion and down toward the dam off the Islands and deeper points.
All your high mountain lakes usually fish very well this time of year. Try small spoons and spinners or small dry flys work well.
If your wanting to travel a bit try Holter Reservoir for the giant slamon up to 6lbs. Trolling near the dam has been productive.
Lake Francis
Walleye bite has been good with fish in that 16 to 22″ range. There good water in it this year so fishing has been productive.
Get out and enjoy our last month of summer!!
Tight lines from Chancy’s Fish Camp!!
Montana's outdoor week, in your inbox at 7am Friday.