Echo Lake and Flathead Lake Today

[Quantoson]

Fished Flathead from 7am to 2pm.  Caught 9 Macs, 2 cutts and something I never thought was in there, a sturgeon, about 33 inches long.  I was pretty careful with it since it almost took my face off flopping around.  I put it back in the water ever so gently.  Biggest mac was 27".

Echo lake has about 15 to 18 inches of ice, pretty dry for the most part.  1 white fish and a couple of salmon.

[montanafishingr]

I knew they had sturgeon in there but my family and I have been fishing Flathead for close to 40 years and none of us have ever caught one. What a trophy. Congrats! Any picts of it? I know I would have had to snap a couple before I put him back.

[Quantoson]

Montanafishr, I did not even think about taking a picture,  I was standing in the rocks and was somewhat trying to avoid getting beat up by that fish.  The excitement was awesome when I saw what I had at the end of the line. 

After getting it back in the water, and calming my adrenaline shakes, I took out the regs to see what kind it was.  Fat chance, they all look the same to me.  But it hit a piece of sucker meat on a white 1/2 oz. lead head jig.  Heading back out there very early this morning again.

[montanafishingr]

"The excitement was awesome when I saw what I had at the end of the line."
I can imagine! What a day to remember. Picture or no picture you have one heck of a story to tell. I can picture it in my head.

[Neptune]

"The excitement was awesome when I saw what I had at the end of the line."
I can imagine! What a day to remember. Picture or no picture you have one heck of a story to tell. I can picture it in my head.

I can picture it too.....Big, Ugly, Suckerish fish on the end of Quantoson's line and him freeking out..."What the HellISTHAT!"...funniest looking Mack I've ever seen....

 

[Quantoson]

Neptune, you got it about right.  But when I saw the tail and thought in my mind for a split second "a fresh water shark?".   Another person at work told me to change brands of beer if I'm seeing sturgeons. 

You know how uncoordinated I am.  I was stumbling around, tripping over rocks, and then the thing does a complete nose stand to try to wack my face off.  It had to be funny.

[Neptune]

Neptune, you got it about right.  But when I saw the tail and thought in my mind for a split second "a fresh water shark?".   Another person at work told me to change brands of beer if I'm seeing sturgeons. 

You know how uncoordinated I am.  I was stumbling around, tripping over rocks, and then the thing does a complete nose stand to try to wack my face off.  It had to be funny.

Herb I so wish I was there....

[RobG]

I grew up over the hill on Swan Lake, and your catch is a bit of a surprise.  Many people believe the "Flathead Monster" is a white sturgeon.  The problem is that nobody (to my knowledge) has actually documented a sturgeon from the lake, so they aren't believed to be there.  What a shame you didn't photograph it! 

At any rate, you should give the MFWP a call and tell them you caught one.  I'd be interested in what they say.  Maybe there is more bucket biology going on (i.e. a recent illegal introduction), or maybe you'll be another part of the legend of the monster. 

If you get another one, take a photo, and a fin clip, dangit.   

rg

[montanafishingr]

I have to agree. I just did a bit of a search on the internet and can not find any proof that they exist in Flathead at all. You should contact FWP. I dont know that they would just take your word for it either but they should in my mind. You have fished enough to know what you caught. I know when I lived in the Bitteroot I called them and told them a friend of mine and myself saw a wolf up 8 mile road. They said we were wrong and it was a coyote. About 3 months later they admitted a wolf pack had moved in there. So you never know what they will find useful and whats not but it never hurts to make the call and make them do their job.

[Quantoson]

Yeah the guy that was fishing with me later that day also said I should have put it on a stringer and called the MFWP.  He is the one who took my picture holding the Mac.  We fish and pan gold together, so he knows that I can Identify a fish.  As for clipping a fin or putting it on a stringer, I don't think that would be legal but I guarantee that I will take a picture, if there is a next time.

[Neptune]

Yeah the guy that was fishing with me later that day also said I should have put it on a stringer and called the MFWP.  He is the one who took my picture holding the Mac.  We fish and pan gold together, so he knows that I can Identify a fish.  As for clipping a fin or putting it on a stringer, I don't think that would be legal but I guarantee that I will take a picture, if there is a next time.

I think the fin clip would be to give to FWP, so they could genetically ID the fish Herb....