Montana Flathead Lake

[leeelmer]

Well my normal fishing holiday is not going to work out this year after all the regulation changes, as I am not going to drive 9 hours and not get to keep even one fish.
So we have decided to head down to Montana to Flathead Lake.
Campgrounds are cheep and looks to be good fishing.
I have done a pile of laker fishing up here but this will be my first trip down south.
Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks

[TROLLER]

Go to the Mackdays web site. It is the site for the annual tourny held at flathead and it gives lot's of good info not only on the spots but techniques used by locals. Also a good map of the lake itself. So. end is on the reservation so you need a license from the tribe.

Last time I looked the daily limit on lakers was 100 under 30 inches. You could only keep 2 over 34 inches.

[leeelmer]

Thanks for the info, lots of great things on that website

[guru fisher]

I wouldn’t even mess around call Dustin at Bagleys guide service. Went with him a couple times. Great guy, beautiful boat and always caught fish

[gr8tbigkid]

does anybody know what is deal with bringing the fish home across the border? what is the rules? allowed or not?

[guru fisher]

Just have your licenses and copies of the Regs with you. If you tell them be up front they probably won’t even check you or care.

[fordtruckin]

The nice thing about fishing on the Flathead Reservation is you only need is the South side Flathead lake stamp from the reservation which is or was $13. I don't know if they raised their prices this year. The State of Montana requires you to add the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass (AISPP) which is $15 for non residents. So for a season on the Reservation your out 18$.

Back to the fishing, are you bringing a boat or renting or fishing from shore? If you have a boat there is a local guy that makes his own lures which are killer on Whitefish. The lure is 1/4 ounce green Rattle Disaster. I can't remember the guys name but anyone up there will know who makes them. The significant other's family owns a cabin on Finley Point and we go out several times a year to hit the whitefish. It is not uncommon for us to hit 50 or 60 in 90 minutes. We haven't done much on the lake trout front and I've only caught 3 in 3 years.

Oh and remember in Montana whatever body of water you fish last is the body of water where your creel limit applies. So if you fish on the south side of Flathead where the limit is 100 lakers and then go somewhere else with a limit of 20, you could be in for some questioning.

[leeelmer]

I am bringing my own boat, just my 14 foot tin boat, as I cant bring the big one when I am towing behind my 5th wheel. I know it is not ideal for big water, but fished out of it lots, and I get off the lake when the wind comes up.
I fish up north lots with it when I tow it behind the trailer.
Boat rentals down there look brutal expensive so thats why I am bringing mine.
You can take a charter every day for cheeper than renting a boat

[guru fisher]

Good Luck with that. The amount of fuel and added headache my opinion hardly worth dragging your own boat down there. Plus you really need to be dialed in on that big lake for lakers.

[norcodh]

Triple tow is legal in Montana up 75ft I believe (all 3 units combined)

[leeelmer]

Truck burns no extra fuel with it behind. And a boat is about $700 USD per day to rent.
That buys alot of extra diesel fuel,
Fished for lakers my whole life up north, just going to be a experience learning a new lake.
Also Haul my boat alot further than that most years up north on way worse roads to fish.
75feet is the same as here so we are all good on that end.

[kouleerunner]

Originally Posted by leeelmer

75feet is the same as here so we are all good on that end.

Maximum length in Alberta is 66'. Sask is 75'.

Flathead is in my to do list! Let us know how it works out! Good luck!

[guru fisher]

Gonto Cold Lake way better