Angler drowns in North Fork

A 67-year-old man from Colorado who was visiting family in Whitefish drowned Tuesday while fishing in the North Fork Flathead River.

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said the man was wearing waders and fishing with a relative near the river’s confluence with Camas Creek when the two got separated by a bend in the river.

“The local guy went to look for the other guy who was just downstream and could not find him,” Curry said.

The man left the area to call for help at about 1:45 p.m.

Shortly after rescuers arrived, they were able to locate the missing man’s body submerged in the river about 100 yards downstream from Camas Creek. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“It’s not clear how long he was missing before he was reported missing,” Curry said.

Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and North Valley Search and Rescue personnel responded.

The cause of death is pending further investigation and the man’s identity is being withheld pending notification of relatives.