G E N E R A L INFORMATION While there are many opportunities to take off on your own and enjoy fishing in the Flathead Valley, many STANDARD FISHING SEASON... CONSERVE NATIVE FISH of our visitors prefer to go with an expert. A profes- FISHING YEAR 'ROUND OPPORTUNITIES Native Westslope Cutthroat and Bull Trout have sional guide can make your fishing more enjoyable, more productive and safer. Streams open the third Saturday in May through declined in distribution and abundance. It is illegal November 30. Some streams have extended white- to fish for or keep Bull Trout except in Swan Lake or fish and catch-and-release fishing for trout from with a Bull Trout catch card. Catch and release or low limits required for Cutthroat in most streams and December through the third Saturday in May. some lakes. Check the Montana fishing regulations For more information on the area Lakes are open the entire year, with some excep- for a species identification guide. and a list of member guides: tions. Be sure to check the regulations for the par- ticular lake you'll be fishing. CATCH & RELEASE Flathead Convention A great fish deserves to be caught more than once! & Visitor Bureau LICENSES AND REGULATIONS 15 Depot Park Fishing licenses are available at most sporting goods While it's wonderful to eat fresh trout caught only Kalispell, MT 59901 stores, marinas and some convenience stores. All moments earlier, we ask you to help preserve Mon- 800-543-3105 nonresidents 15 years and older must have a fishing tana's fishing opportunities and wildlife by following license. (A license is not needed for fishing within regulations and keeping only those fish that you will www.montanasflatheadvalley.com Glacier National Park). No nonresident under the eat. Tips for successful release of fish: age of 15 may fish in Montana without having first 1. Use artificial lures to reduce wounding obtained a fishing license unless the nonresident of fish. For more information on fishing, child is in the company of an adult in possession 2. Use single, barbless hooks. regulations, species lists, stocking of a valid fishing license. The limit of fish for the 3. Play the fish rapidly - not to exhaustion. lists, and information sources in nonresident child and accompanying adult must not 4. Keep the fish in the water as much as possible. Northwest Montana, contact: exceed the limit for one adult. A nonresident of any 5. Hold the fish horizontally with both hands. age may purchase a nonresident fishing license and 6. Do not squeeze the fish or its gills. be entitled to take a legal limit of fish. 7. If deeply hooked, cut the line and leave Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks the hook. 490 North Meridian Road For information on fishing: 8. Hold the fish upright facing upstream until it Kalispell, MT 59901 can swim. (406) 752-5501 9. Release the fish in quiet water where it Glacier National Park was hooked. www.fwp.mt.gov 406-888-7800 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL FISHING For area maps, Forest Service Flathead Indian Reservation Lake Trout: Troll T-50 flatfish with steel line or Fly fish the Flathead Wild & Scenic campgrounds and river float maps, contact: 406-675-2700 downriggers; jig with white or chartreuse jigs tipped River System. Troll the depths of the largest with fish meat. natural lake west of the Mississippi. Explore SAFETY FIRST Flathead National Forest Westslope Cutthroat: Use flies such as Adams, the hidden quarries for Largemouth Bass. In Montana our weather and the conditions on our Stimulator, Royal Wulff, Elkhair Caddis, Hares Ear 650 Wolfpack Way, lakes and steams can change quickly. A safe river or Black Ant. Live bait: worms, salmon eggs or Kalispell, MT 59901 Adventure to scenic high mountain lakes. one day can be very dangerous the next. And, great grasshoppers. (406) 758-5204 Challenge the unknown for Northern Pike, fishing is more likely if you're in the right spot. Ask Rainbow Trout: Use flies (above) or small silver www.fs.fed.us/r1/flathead Mountain Whitefish or Perch. at the local sporting goods stores, ranger stations spinner and lures, worms, salmon eggs, corn or and Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Forest maps and a map grasshoppers. Montana’s Flathead Valley provides a of the three forks of the Flathead River are available Kokanee: Troll Cowbells with florescent red spin- wide range of enjoyment for any from the U.S. Forest Service at most ranger stations. ners or lures on lead core line or jig small red lures Produced with Accommodations Tax Funds. angler, whether it’s your first time or jigs. Printed in the USA for free distribution. Fishing, like any sport, entails some risk. Always be Alternative accessible formats of or you’re an expert. aware of your own physical limits, practice caution, Largemouth Bass: Use a variety of plastic worms this document will be provided upon request. seek local advice, carry necessary survival gear and or grubs, spinner baits and crank baits. tell others where you're going and when you'll return. Yellow Perch: Use small chartreuse jig tipped with Printed on Recycled Paper fish meat or maggots. LAKES STREAMS FLATHEAD LAKE SOUTH FORK OF THE LT, LWF, YP Year-round FLATHEAD WCT, MWF There are a number of state parks and fishing access Late June-September sites as well as private marinas, all accessible from From Martin City, take FSR 38 to Spotted Bear (55 Highways 93 or 35. Somers, Woods Bay, Bigfork miles of maintained gravel road). Fishing is good in and Walstad accesses, and the five state parks have any water above the reservoir. Good floating below boat launches. There is a small fee at the state parks the Meadow Creek Gorge. A recommended float for day use or camping. Many are handicapped is from Harrison Creek to Spotted Bear. There are accessible. A tribal fishing permit is required for the special regulations for the area. Inquire at the Spotted southern half of Flathead Lake. Bear Ranger Station. S W A N L A K E N O R T H F O R K O F T H E KOK, RB, WCT, BT, NP, YP FLATHEAD W C T, M W F May-October Late June-September Drive southeast from Kalispell on the Swan Highway (83). Swan Lake has a good boat launch with a small From Columbia Falls, take the North Fork Road day use fee. Little shore fishing access. Ice fishing (FSR 486). There is good shore access and floating from Polebridge to Glacier Rim. Obtain a forest is not recommended. service float map at Glacier View Ranger Station LAKE MARY RONAN in Columbia Falls as there are some river hazards. RB, WCT, KOK, LMB, YP MAIN FLATHEAD RIVER Year-round WCT, MWF, RB, LWF, LT Drive south on Highway 93 from Kalispell to Dayton. Turn at the blinking light (there is a sign to Lake Mary Late June-October Ronan). Launch at the state park and several private There is good fishing and floating on the river from marinas. Boating and floating are good. Limited shore Columbia Falls to Kalispell. Shore and floater access access. Ice fishing is good. Take note of special is good at Teakettle (one mile east of Columbia Falls regulations for this lake. on Hwy 2), Presentine (6 miles north of Kalispell on Hwy 2 near Glacier Park International Airport), and Old Steel Bridge (one mile east of Kalispell on LITTLE BITTERROOT Fish Key: BT=Bull Trout; LWF=Lake Whitefish; KOK=Kokanee; LMB=Large Mouth Bass; MWF=Mountain Whitefish; NP=Northern Pike; RB=Rainbow Trout; WCT=Westslope Cutthroat; LT=Lake Trout (Mackinaw); YP=Yellow Perch; SF=Sunfish; EBT=Eastern Brook Trout Conrad Drive) accesses. LAKE K O K , R T May-August and January-March SWAN RIVER W C T, R B BEAVER/LITTLE BEAVER E C H O L A K E Drive west on Highway 2 toward Marion. Turn north Late June-September L M B , N P, Y P, S F on FSR 538 and drive six miles to the lake. Boat LAKES (FIVE LAKES) Drive south from Bigfork on Highway 83. Turn on launching can be difficult. The best access is the R B , K O K , W C T April-June and September-October FSR 888 to Salmon Prairie. Float from Salmon Prairie county ramp (not marked) in the northwest corner April-May and late December-March Take Hwy 83 five miles north and east of Bigfork. to Pt. Pleasant. This is an excellent, but difficult, of the lake. Good ice fishing. Limited shore access. Off Highway 93 six miles north of Whitefish turn Turn north on Echo Lake Road. Launch at county float (log jams) recommended only for experienced north onto Beaver Lake Rd. at milepost 135. Follow ramp at Echo Lake Marina. There is limited parking, floaters or with guides. There is poor stream access WHITEFISH LAKE signs to lake. Maintained gravel road. These lakes poor shore access. Echo Lake is one of the best and difficult wading. LT, LWF, WCT, NP have good floating, good shoreline access and ice lakes for largemouth bass. January-February and May-September fishing. Recommended for children and inexperi- THOMPSON RIVER Take Highway 93 north of Whitefish. Just past White- enced anglers. Carry-on boats only at most lakes. S M I T H L A K E R B , E B T fish Golf Course, turn north at lake access sign. The Y P, N P May-October state park and city beach have boat ramps, but there L I O N L A K E December-January and August-October Fifty miles west of Kalispell on Highway 2, turn is limited shore access.