Fly fishing for lake trout - Flathead Lake October 2018

Caught 3 fish I have never caught on a fly rode before: Lake trout, Superior whitefish, and a sucker! Overall had a blast fishing out on this huge lake. Lake trout are starting to come into the shallows, want to head back and see if I can break my own record again.

[@northwestadventure5087]

Looks like a beautiful day on the lake.

[@flyfishiowa]

I searched “fly fishing flathead catfish” and this came up- I LOVE your reactions! Hope you’re doing well, keep up the good fishing videos 👍🏼

[@Fishthe406]

Lol, not catfish, got a nice sucker tho.

[@DellaBay]

Quite the grab bag of fish, was not expecting to see a sucker. Definitely should get a bigger net for next time!

[@Fishthe406]

I was not expecting to hook into a sucker either, I must have been dragging that hook on the bottom and Yeah, I will be purchasing a bigger net for next week.

[@corykump9571]

Awesome! I'm trying to catch every species in Montana. I still haven't crossed off Laker, and I don't live far from Flathead.

[@Fishthe406]

You should make a special trip, I am going back on the 14th I think. This week I am going to try Lake McDonald before they close it off to boats.

[@corykump9571]

Do you think I would have luck from shore?

[@Fishthe406]

Cory Kump yes, but I would wait until the water gets colder. The two that I caught were in casting distance, but also at 30ft

[@crownofmainetaxidermy6387]

Head to east glacier. I was catching lakers at the bottom of running eagle falls in july

[@markrobirds7984]

Looked like Goose Bay off West Shore Campsite.

[@Fishthe406]

Yes sir. I never know what I’m doing when I use my fly rod here. I just hope I get lucky. I’ve been out there 4 times in the fall and only had luck the one time.

[@gavinmeyer8920]

Great fun. You just dragging full sink IV and drifting?

[@Fishthe406]

Yep thats it, but I was drifting really slowly. Basically my line was directly below me, or whenever I can feel the bottom. I was using a brown woolly bugger, but I would think an egg pattern would also attract them.

[@GoatsBows]

What where you using for a fly?

[@pashok23]

Nice video dude, any suggestion on bait from shore?

[@Fishthe406]

Depending where you are fishing. If you are near Poison you can potentially catch small mouth, perch, and maybe a Laker if you are lucky. During the fall you can throw a krocodile and hook into lakers on the shore line. I was fishing near Lakeside in this video.

[@gardinersoutdoordiaries2318]

Awesome Fish, I use a small float tube like you and have yet to catch a mac on the fly. Any spot recommendations for mid January on flathead?

[@Fishthe406]

2kGardiner17 I have heard Wayferers state park is a good place. I really want to try it myself. I think if you get lucky enough to be on the lake without wind, you would do pretty good. I’ve been on the lake with my float tube on a windy day and you are just constantly fighting the waves. No fun.

[@BryceHasquet]

Awesome video! I’ve been waiting for this one! This is one on my bucket list as well...wish I lived closer to flathead. How deep were you getting those lakers at in this video? I’ve heard they come as far in as 5 feet once they’re really going but don’t know too much about lakers. Nice pig!

[@Fishthe406]

The sonar said 30ft in depth and thats where my hook was at when I hooked both of those lake trout. When I found those whitefish, the sonar said 70ft, but they were swimming at 40ft and that is about where my line was when I hooked into them. We just got rain the other day and snow last night and I am hoping this cooler weather will bring more of them into the shallows.

[@BryceHasquet]

Fish the 406 gotcha, keep up the vids looking for that 15lber!

[@bamsberry1581]

@@Fishthe406 what kind of fly line did you use to get 40'? All the sinking line info I'm finding seems to be capped at 30'... just let it sink longer?

[@Fishthe406]

@@bamsberry1581 Hey Bamsberry, so I must be mistaken. I've been attempting to fish in deeper waters lately, however I don't think my line ever got down to 40ft, I know it can get down to 30ft because i get snags when I am moving too slow. When i was fishing for those whitefish I must have gotten lucky and caught a few that were swimming around 30ft. Ive let over 100ft of line out before and never hit bottom, I really don't think they sink passed 30 ft or so.

[@RumWthRoads]

Is a Mac another Name for a lake trout?

[@Fishthe406]

Yes, Macs or mackinaw

[@TheIridescentFisherMan]

Can you explain sinking your fly?

[@Fishthe406]

Joshua Rin hey Joshua, don’t remember what fly I used, but it had a bead head and I was using full sink fly line. I think I have a full sink that sinks 3 - 4 inches per second. I know I can hit bottom at 30ft, but any farther than that I have no idea. There is a certain depth where the line will not go any farther down, unless you have some heavy weight on. Does that answer your question?

[@craigsolin1361]

Hey its almost October I am planning on trying at Wayfarers. Would love to learn from you!

[@Fishthe406]

Yeah, it is that time. I’ve never tried Wayfarers, but I’ll always assumed it would be better the west shore. You planning on hitting it up beginning of next month?

[@craigsolin1361]

@@Fishthe406 Yes. It seems like fall is coming a bit early. I may try Loon tomorrow. So many places and types of fish here.

[@Fishthe406]

Craig Solin good luck at Loon, that place is usually good for 3 to 4 nice fish. I do wanna hit up flathead lake, and lake McDonald for Lakers. I might bring a regular fishing pole and see how that works. I feel like my line isn’t getting down deep enough. Once the lakers come into the 30ft range then it’s game on. With the cold weather and rain we have been getting they should be coming closer to the shore line.

[@craigsolin1361]

@@Fishthe406 yea sometimes you have to go conventional. I was thinking spoons or jigs and using a kayak one of these days.

[@Fishthe406]

Did you try Wayfarers? I’m thinking about going tomorrow morning.

[@lelanahijaz6123]

Bandeng Fish😍

[@midwestmaniaoutdoorsjustin4105]

Cool video I just subscribed

[@Fishthe406]

Thank you for subscribing to my channel.

[@ugsisr]

Very nice Fish... We usually make sure we have the size net to handle the size of fish we are targeting, as Fish handling in Catch and Release is # 1... Also we don't fish for Spawning Fish... Good video... Tight Lines...

[@noahholland2975]

liked this video when he said "the deeper something"

[@Fishthe406]

Hahaha, yeah. I don’t think I like the deeper. It’s usually been wrong, but there has been a update.

[@huntzz21]

Hope you have a bigger net from now on. That little Barbie sized net is going to burn you really bad sooner than later. I wish I had your email I got some brookies yesterday in MT that would make your brain explode.

[@stephenshippos4604]

4:13...brung....brung....🙄

[@montanastrongremodelrenova1632]

They are invasive species buddy... for the guy who wanted to make the comment regarding spawning fish or are you in the "lets wipe out bull trout and cutthroats in favor of lake trout crowd on Flathead ' so dumb!

[@Fishthe406]

I had no idea certain individuals like the idea of wiping out bulls, and cuts for lakers.

[@montanastrongremodelrenova1632]

@@Fishthe406 Look into the revenue base for commercial fishing in the flathead area... The majority comes from the charter boats/outfitters chasing lake trout including events like mack days. The problem goes further than the lake trout its really the mysis shrimp that are the problem. The FWP thinks bulls are coexisting and still spawning in their historic range but their numbers haven't improved. Its the same for pike in the clarck fork and flathead drainage. There is no money being put into valid research to solve the problem of invasive species and when you grow up catching trout, their appeal dwindles in favor of more aggressive larger warm water/cold water species that can draw in larger crowds. Its a cluster F. What happens to the individuals who have literally built their lively hoods and family's livelihoods if the lake trout go. There aren't enough bulls, cutties and whities to sustain a trophy fishery...the mysis shrimp will flourish out of control if the lakers don't keep the in check. So its simple keep the lake trout, everyone wins... but the natives...

[@dagger281]

@@montanastrongremodelrenova1632 I saw a 20 lb pike in the Flathead 😕

[@uramag7]

@@montanastrongremodelrenova1632 flathead is the worst run lake in montana.. its a shadow of what it could be all so the old guys can troll for lakers... they should manage it like pendorielle