Bigfork man found dead in Flathead Lake

Bigfork Eagle

The Lake County Sheriff's Department recovered the body of a 70-year-old Bigfork man presumed drowned in Flathead Lake near Polson on Tuesday, August 19.

Larry E. "Ty" Beardsley reportedly jumped into the lake from a boat about two and half miles north of "The Narrows" at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, August 15. Beardlsey never surfaced and others on the boat called 9-1-1.

The Narrows are a string of islands on the south end of Flathead Lake that separate Polson Bay from the main part of the lake.

Deep water in the area made diving by local crews impossible, and a side-scan sonar unit brought in from Idaho to help with the search. The body was recovered at a depth of 251 feet.

New technology in Lake County allows officials to pinpoint the location of the 9-1-1 call, but as of early this week, the body had not been recovered.