Lake Whitefish

The lake whitefish is the largest of Montana's four whitefish species, commonly weighing 2 to 4 pounds with a state record of 10 pounds. It has a deep, flat-sided silvery body with an olive to light brown back and a small head with a protruding snout that overhangs the mouth — a feature that often causes older fish to develop a noticeable hump behind the head, earning them the nickname "humpback." A member of the salmon family, it can be identified by its adipose fin and subterminal mouth. Lake whitefish are schooling coldwater fish found mainly in the depths of clear, cold lakes across northwest and north-central Montana, particularly Flathead Lake, where they have only recently begun to attract serious sport fishing attention.