Jerry Smalley's fall fishing report

So many fish, so little time…

Lake whitefish. I saw some porpoising in sloughs in the Flathead River below Old Steel Bridge over a week ago, so they should be between Kalispell and Columbia Falls now.

And I’ve heard a few sporadic reports of a “few” fish being caught.

With so few spots available for jigging, especially with the high water, I’d pay attention to anglers who say they are finding “a few.”

I’m guessing “a few” might mean “a plenty.” They just don’t want you sitting in their hotspot.

Second week in November is traditionally the hot week for lake whitefish in the Flathead River.

Cutthroat trout. Anglers with boats are finding some nice cutties in the river.

Rainbow trout. Lower lakes on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation have been fishing well. Apparently the eastside missed our October monsoon season.

Another option is bait-fishing from shore at Foy Lake. Fishing reports from the past several years show now’s the time.

Bass. Traditional bassing hotspots like the lower Flathead River and Echo Lake are still giving up bass for anglers willing to fish SLOW! No, even SLOWER!

Try soft baits and live bait.

The Mo. Headhunters Fly Shop reports we’re entering the “spey season” on the Mo. In other words, swinging streamers, often with two-handed fly rods.

Noted fly fishing celebrity Simon Gawesworth has been in Craig.

If you want to learn to spey cast, get a copy of Gawesworth’s DVD Modern Spey Casting.

My spey casting is still wanting, but the video greatly helped me to improve my roll casting.

Perch. Small hook + inch of worm + small splitshot + bobber = bucketful of tasty perch.

Jerry Smalley’s Fishful Thinking column appears weekly in the Hungry Horse News.