It's time to seek Flathead Lake's tasty whitefish

Last week I had the privilege of going fishing with Jim Vashro.

Many people know Jim because he was the Region 1 fisheries manager and fish biologist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for 39 years. He retired in 2013 but didn't disappear from the public scene.

Jim is active with Flathead Wildlife Inc., serving as its president. When the Montana native isn't busy with the group, family or alerting the public of the ills of "bucket biologists" Jim is probably fishing or hunting.

We became acquaintances shortly after I moved here and went to work with the Daily Inter Lake. I believe Jim wanted me to publish a Flathead Wildlife meeting notice, but he also recognized we shared similar thoughts about the outdoors.

Jim has tried to take me fishing before. There were invitations to hit the ice on Ashley Lake for kokanee, but work commitments and my broken arm scuttled those plans.

But nearly two weeks ago, Jim emailed me with another invitation. This time the target was lake whitefish and the location was Flathead Lake. Weather conditions were a major consideration because a stiff wind on the lake makes jigging for the tasty fish a less than desirable prospect.

We eventually settled on Wednesday. I had completed my work responsibilities the day before and I hadn't taken a full day off in nearly a month so it was time for some R&R.

There was still some wind, but it was manageable and we launched his 17-foot Lund at about 7:30 a.m.

JIM KNOWS more about the fisheries in Northwest Montana than anyone, but he also knows several fellow anglers who keep close tabs on what the fish are doing in the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River in the lower 48 states.

Word was the whitefish were moving north, following young schools of perch.

I was eager to go because catching fish is fun and I had read about the tasty flesh of whitefish. I made a few meager attempts at catching them in the Flathead River, but never achieved success.

Jim was a patient teacher as he instructed me on the habits of the fish and how to catch them by jigging small perch-like lures among a school of fish. I wasn't a frequent jigger, but fortunately for me I had jigged for walleye in Quebec many years ago so the concept wasn't foreign.

After motoring out from the boat launch at West Shore State Park, we anchored just a bit south of Goose Island. Jim wanted to be in water between 30 and 50 feet deep. Catching them in deeper water is possible, but more difficult.

The fish finder indicated our quarry was below us and soon the fish were hitting our lures. Jim caught the first, then I picked up the second.

They were nice, fat, healthy fish, ranging between 1 1/2 and 3 pounds! They fought well on our lightweight rods and I felt good when the fish slid into the landing net. More than one whitefish has wriggled free from the hook when a net isn't used to complete the catch.

JIM SAID whitefish showed up in Flathead Lake more than a century ago from the Midwest on trains with rail cars loaded with fish. Anglers from the region who had moved here thought the fish would do well and they have.

I didn't keep track of how quickly we boated five fish and released two more, but it couldn't have been more than a half hour. Jim said the fishing could be better, but it was plenty good for me.

Fishing is often an all-or-nothing proposition in lakes, periods of down time punctuated by a catching frenzy when the fish are found.

A good friend of Jim's arrived soon after we started to jig. He operated a fishing charter and his boat was full of young anglers seeking some fun and enough fish for a meal or two.

We watched as they jigged their lures haphazardly. The approach wasn't working, but before long, they refined their technique and "our" school of fish had moved under their boat. They began to catch a few fish and it was good to see.

We decided to move south to check a few other spots and for some sight-seeing with a few history lessons.

The lake's "Painted Rocks" on cliffs which reach 100 feet or so above the water's edge were one major feature. As the boat drifted near shore, it was easy to see Native American pictographs depicting bison and tally marks that may have indicated animals harvested in the area.

We motored further south, checking out some islands while Jim pointed out where some celebrities lived and where he thought we might find some more whitefish.

But the later in the morning it got, the less the fish bit, definitely not an unusual occurrence in fishing.

AT OUR last anchor point, Jim pulled out a large cutting board. He quickly and deftly filleted the fish while explaining the secrets of having a good meal.

A good, very sharp fillet knife is very important. I had read about the importance of removing the pin bones from the fillet, but Jim also showed me how to trim the reddish fat off the fillet.

"Whitefish are not fishy tasting, but getting that fat off just makes it so much better, particularly if you are going to freeze the fish before eating them," Jim said. "I'll do these fish, but next time, it's up to you because now you know exactly what to do."

Jim graciously gave me the fish he caught to go with the ones I had. The five fish ended up providing two excellent meals for myself, my landlords and their son and his wife, and for my good friend and co-worker Jeremy's family.

We cooked the fish in light oil in an electric frypan and in a cast iron pan. We tried a few different recipes, too, but it was all delicious!

There are a few options for those seeking to catch some whitefish. For the do-it-yourselfer who has a boat with a fish finder, stop into Kalispell's FWP Region 1 office and grab a pamphlet titled "Flathead Lake Fishing Guide."

Jim was responsible for much of the content in that pamphlet, which offers tips on fishing for lake trout and whitefish, where and when to seek the fish and tackle that is required.

If you don't have a boat or the proper equipment, there are a number of fishing charter operations you can hire to put you on the fish.

But no matter how you go, a good harvest of whitefish will result in a delicious fish dinner as well as an experience you'll never forget.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.