Now until 12 pmLake trout
The bite peaks at 78.
Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.
Right now · best window
Lake trout range 40–52°
From the north
Sunrise 8:12 am
No rain expected
NWS hourly forecast
Measured, last 3 hours
Full
Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Montana Western District regulations for these waters.
No water reading here right now. Lake trout bite in 40–52° water, best near 48°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 30–200 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Western District: 20 lake trout a day, 40 in possession.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Western District
Season here: Sep–Jun. More on lake trout
No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Western District: yellow perch are not on the standard limit chart, so there is no daily or possession limit.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Montana Western District
Season here: Mar–Jun, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on yellow perch
Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works
We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Montana FWP has the state’s fishing pages.
Licenses and rules: Montana FWP · fish-consumption advisories
The largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi in the lower 48 — nearly 200 square miles of cold, clear water below the Mission and Swan ranges. A premier lake trout (mackinaw) fishery worked by deep trolling and jigging, with yellow perch and lake whitefish for lighter tackle. Native bull trout are fully protected.
North of the Flathead Reservation line: 100 lake trout a day, only 1 over 36", and fish from 30 to 36" must be released; no perch limit, but only 10 a day over 10"; cutthroat released. The south half of the lake needs a tribal permit and follows tribal rules.
The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Flathead Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
Flathead Lake is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Lake Trout, Yellow Perch. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Flathead Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.
Flathead Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. North of the Flathead Reservation line: 100 lake trout a day, only 1 over 36", and fish from 30 to 36" must be released; no perch limit, but only 10 a day over 10"; cutthroat released. The south half of the lake needs a tribal permit and follows tribal rules.
state agency regulations apply at Flathead Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.
No. Flathead Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.
Press / anywhere to search. Towns list the closest spots.
