A midsummer fishing update

Wow! What a summer! Despite our unseasonably hot temperatures and uncharacteristically low water levels, there's still some pretty awesome fishing available for this time of year in Northwest Montana.

And, so far, we've managed to avoid reduced fishing hours and stream closures in the Flathead Valley.

That's obviously not the case down around Missoula where hoot-owl restrictions on some rivers have driven high numbers of anglers to flock to cooler streams like Rock Creek.

To learn where the fish are biting locally, I contacted Chancy Jeschke at Snappy Sports Senter in Kalispell (406) 257-7525. The report below comes from Chancy and other sources:

Flathead Lake. Anglers are catching lake whitefish at the Flathead River delta and off Finley Point.

Other hotspots include Woods Bay Point and off West Side State Park.

Popular lures are Rattle Disasters, Rattle Snakeys, and Pete's Whitefish Slayer. Green leadhead jigs also work. No bait needed. Jigging on the bottom in 45-50 feet of water has provided the most action. Early morning best.

Anglers are also catching lake trout using the same rigs.

Trollers are picking up lakers on flashers, spoons, and deep-diving crankbaits.

Flathead River. Jeschke mentioned "good reports" out of the North Fork for cutthroat trout taking large dry flies like Chernobyl Ants. Stimulators, Humpys and hoppers are also catching trout. The Flathead South Fork, above Hungry Horse Reservoir, is fishing "good" on caddis patterns like the inimitable Elk Hair Caddis.

Little McGregor and Island Lakes. Serving up 8-10-inch perch.

Middle Thompson and Swan Lakes. Trollers are hooking up with some nice kokanee salmon. But you gotta get out of bed early.

Hubbart Reservoir. Showing some decent rainbow trout.

Noxon Reservoir. A fair drive from the Flathead Valley, but this impoundment of the Clark Fork River has been providing excellent fishing for bass and pike.