************

***********
GET HOOKED ON OUR SPONSORS:

Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes,
MFW& Parks,
Polson Business Community, Sportsman's Warehouse-Missoula

Bob Ward and Sons-Missoula,
Polson Bay Grocery,
Polson Outdoors Inc.,
 Polson Chamber of Commerce, 
KERR/KQ92, Community Banks-Polson,
   Gull Printing-Polson,
Snappy Sports Center-Kalispell,  
 Zimmer Tackle-Pablo,
 Lake County Leader-Polson, KECI-Monty Turner, Montana Outdoor Radio Show,
KPAX Television

Thank you for your support.

BULL TROUT IDENTIFICATION
 

Check the dorsal fin-"No black"-put it back.
"No black" means no black spots.

Pale yellow spots on the back.
Red, pinkish, or orange spots on the side.
White leading edges on fins.
Tail only slightly forked.
Fish illustration by Joseph Tomelleri

Once common throughout the inland Northwest, bull trout now
live in reduced numbers in five western states and two Canadian provinces.
They have been reduced by damage to their stream habitats, competition
from introduced exotic species like brook trout and lake trout, and poaching.
Bull trout are now listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.
They are extinct in California.  Montana is the bull trout's stronghold in the
U.S., but even here, they are considered a "species of special concern," and
they face a chance of extinction in most streams where they still live.

Montanans have made saving the bull trout a high priority and a measure of
our ability to be a good steward of our sensitive natural resources.  You can
get involved in this effort by contacting the Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks
at Helena, Kalispell, or Missoula offices, or the Confederated Salish and
Kootenai Tribes Natural Resources Department at Polson.  One of the best
ways you can help is by knowing how to identify bull trout.  Bull trout can be
separated from brook, lake, and brown, trout by a few characteristics listed.

You can help save the bull trout by identifying and carefully releasing each
one you catch.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE-online bull trout identification test and
education program-http://www.fwp.state.mt.us./bulltroutid



Lake Trout

Numerous light spots, none red, pinkish,  or orange on dorsal fin and tail.
Tail deeply forked.
White leading edges often present on fins.

Be especially careful of smaller fish.  It is very easy to misidentify a small
bull trout for a small lake trout.  If you begin to catch several bull trout in an area,
it would be a good idea to move your boat to a different location.  It is illegal to target or harvest bull trout in Flathead Lake.