Fishing's great on Flathead Lake

Melita Island area fishing well for perch, mackinaw

BY DICK ZIMMER

MONTANA LIVING — f you haven’t already made plans for the weekend I have a fishing report that will expand your possibilities.

Last Saturday Casey Kopel and I caught 8 Lake trout near the shore south of Melita Island.  We did best with a wholefish setup in around a 50 foot depth.  I spent time in shallow weedier areas searching for perch but found none.  The fish we caught ranged in size from 7 to 16 lbs.

Yesterday 2/28/2018 I made a foray to Big Arm State Park.  No problem driving to the boat ramp.  In a 37 foot depth over heavy weed beds I had the best perch fishing thus far this winter.  
Using a tube jig with an inline smile series hook above made fishing in the weeds a little easier.  It was steady enough in the first two holes I drilled that it was near impossible to check around in other depths.  Three of the perch were right at 12”; genuine jumbo’s.  I used a combination of night crawler and maggot for best results.  

Here also if you go a little deeper 45 to 55 feet your chances at catching a bruiser lake trout are good.  Last year I had word of a 40 being caught here.  
Lake Mary Ronan’s kokanee fishing may not be as fast as in times past but they are running bigger with a lot of 12 inch fish and one fisherman told me he took a 17 incher.  Night fishing seems to be the way to go.  

Other than Turtle Lake for perch the other area bodies of water are quiet.  
Wear cleats as the lake is slippery. 
For more information call us at: 406-675-0068, my personal cell is 406-250-0241 or email at :  macman@ronan.net
Good Fishing 
Dick Zimmer
aka, The Macman





Adding a picture of my Grandsons and I fishing the Flathead around Thanksgiving.  We caught 61 perch.