Flathead Valley Fishing Report 5-23-2018

The Forks of the Flathead River as well as the the main-stem of the Flathead River are still raging. At last check, the North Fork was pumping at 16,600 CFS, the Middle Fork is at 19,200 CFS, and they are releasing 6,480 CFS out of the Hungry Horse Dam. The rivers are going to be unfishable for quite a while. We still have quite the snow pack in the high country and that means the water velocity is gonna stay pretty high for quite some time if our weather stays similar to what it has been the last couple of weeks. Luckily for us, We have a large variety of still waters that stay clear while all the moving water is chocolate milk. Pike fishing is continuing to heat up on Whitefish Lake with our Pike guide Scottie Willis finding some large females cruising into shallow water as the temperatures start to creep up in Whitefish Lake. The Lake trout fishing has been decent in the Whitefish Lake as well, with sinking lines and various colors of buggers and smaller streamers bringing in these invasive species off of rocky points with definitive shelves. We have also been fishing Rogers Lake and finding some nice Grayling that have been hanging out near inlets to the lake. Chironomids in sizes 8-14 in earthy tones as well as red and purple have been productive for Grayling under an indicator as well as a slow strip. Cutthroat are still spawning in the tributaries but should be back in the lake before too long. We are starting to fish other lakes throughout the valley and will keep you posted on how they are fishing. Enjoy this beautiful weather that has been gracing us here in the Flathead Valley and stay safe out there! -Mark