The head may be a slate or olive-grey color. Though some channel cats prefer murky water, you’ll often find channel catfish in clear water. The barbels on its chin will also be white. You can find brown bullhead in the northeastern United States and Canada. The anal fin has 19 to 25 rays. You will see public or private land. And of course, where you go fishing. It’s not uncommon to find them stocked in ponds in which you have to pay to fish. The native fist is the Westslope cutthroat trout, and they are completely unique to the Flathead River. The river starts in Canada and flows along the west edge of Glacier National Park. Grab your fishing pole, tackle and bait, and head to one of the many rivers, lakes, creeks Montana has to offer. The rainbow trout population is self-sustaining now and is considered wild. They have rounded anal fins with 19 to 23 spines. Some cutthroat trout can also be found near the inlet at Whitefish Lake. Time of year. There are over 25 fish species found in the Flathead River-Lake ecosystem, 10 species are native and 15 have been introduced. Some blue catfish can reach weights of 100 pounds to 150 pounds. All rights reserved. The plan seeks to increase and protect native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout to at least Their weight rarely exceeds 40 pounds. For instance, mudcat is also a name for flathead catfish. They also thrive in fast-moving clean waters, though. The Flathead River and the Swan River (known also as the Bigfork River where it enters the lake) are the lake's major tributaries. Your email address will not be published. I was looking forward to a day trip on the lower Flathead River last week. The barbels around their mouths are usually black or brown and yellow. The river is part of the Columbia River drainage basin, as the Clark Fork is a tributary of the Pend Oreille River, a Columbia River tributary. Even a blue that weighs 100 pounds will be rare. Kalispell Tourism; Kalispell Hotels; Kalispell Bed and Breakfast; Kalispell Vacation Rentals; Kalispell Vacation Packages; ... Traveler type. The South Fork is formed from the junction of Danaher Creek and Young’s Creek and runs for 45 miles due north, fed by dozens of small tributaries, where it exits the wilderness near Spotted Bear Ranger Station. It was dammed in 1930 by Kerr Dam at its outlet on Polson Bay, and the lake level was raised by 10 feet (3.0 m). When they can be obtained alive (often from a commercial fisherman or caught on hook and line), carp of 6 to 12 inches long make great baits for drift-pile flatheads. Along the ventral side of the color fades, and the belly is usually whitish silver. Fly selections: This is easy. White catfish fries up well, but it can also be baked. Muddy, polluted, and dark waters can all be home to yellow bullhead. Lake trout up to five pounds eat lots of Mysis shrimp and can be delicious fried, baked, barbecued, or smoked. … The great Flathead fish fiasco ... but lake trout were a new kind of threat, devouring young bull trout and outcompeting adults. The taste is actually quite pleasant but you may need to trim some yellow fatty meat. Whatever catfish species is the one you’re in the market for, it’s good to know how to tell them apart. We guide our fly fishing float trips on the Flathead River above Flathead Lake. The Whitefish River is not destined to become the next destination river for fishing. The flesh is firm and white and slightly sweet. The Big Three are the catfish species most anglers go looking for when they’re fishing. Smaller fish like perch, bluegill, and goldfish make great bait. They have long mouths barbels for the fish’s size. They’re also in parts of Asia. The Flathead River is a beautiful free-stone river that drains Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. [7] It is one of the cleanest lakes in the populated world for its size and type. The trick to finding them is to cut the river down to size, fishing obvious holes and pools behind rocks, fishing around the numerous forks in the river, and along bank cover, such as downed trees. Hiding in the deep water next to banks, in the many riffles and runs or along waist deep boulder gardens the fish of the Flathead River love to eat dry flies. The belly is a pale white. The South Fork of the Flathead River is home to native Westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout. Like other types of catfish, they have four pairs of barbels around their mouths. Your email address will not be published. There are areas on the river at lower river stages that cannot be traversed by boat. They rarely reach more than 20 inches in length. There are also some rainbow trout, lake trout, and whitefish in the rivers. Copyright 2016 - Bigfork Anglers | All Rights Reserved | Jason Lanier MT Outfitter #8509, Flathead River Fly Fishing Patterns & Hatch Guide, October Fly Fishng Report | Bigfork Montana. The South Fork of the Flathead River is one of the few places in the Lower 48 where it is legal to target bull trout. You can easily catch them at night by fishing near the bottom. The Flathead river is home to some of the most unique fish around. I had received reports a week earlier that the smallies were biting, and I wanted to get in some of the action. Like Nevada, Illinois and, California into the bank, forming undercuts to! Is now our state fish of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and.! Where the largest blue catfish will be fishing to see if it is best to from... And Canada some blue catfish are often found in streams and rivers, but it is bad out there for... They are one of the Flathead River near Glacier Park is a threatened species and can be delicious fried baked. 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