Im 96% positive that the fish u caught is a squawfish i caught hundreds of those last summer and they all looked like that

Looks like a squaw fish

Lake Whitefish

its 100% squaw fish!!!!!!

Thanks ,guys -- although I was hoping it was a trout. Funny thing is, I went to the same spot in the evening again. After 2.5 hours, I swear I caught the same fish again! So I let it go again. Guess I will see it the third time. :-)

OK, I googled a littled on squawfish and saw some pictures, yes, it is a squawfish (pikeminnow). Following is from Wikipedia, note the part about how the great state of Washington has placed bounty on squawfish!!!! --- OK, I will go there tomorrow morning. If I saw this SOB the third time, I won't let it go this time, I'll take it in for some money. :-)

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The northern squawfish, pikeminnow, or Columbia River dace, Ptychocheilus oregonensis, is a large member of the minnow family, Cyprinidae. The American Fisheries Society officially changed the name northern squawfish to pikeminnow. Females reach sexual maturity at about six years, males in three to five. They can live longer than 15 years, reaching over 24 inches and eight pounds. A mature female can lay 30,000 eggs annually. Squawfish are voracious predators, and in the Columbia River and Snake River salmon smolt comprise a large part of their diet. While historically squawfish have not been of interest commercially nor to sport anglers, Washington and Oregon state fisheries agencies and the Bonneville Power Administration have placed a bounty (reward) on them in order to reduce predation on scarce salmon stocks. A sport fishery has developed based on that bounty. Pikeminnow are native to the Columbia River. Their population has flourished with the development of the Columbia River Hydro-power System. The reservoirs have provided excellent habitat for pikeminnows and given them an advantage over depressed salmon and steelhead populations.

Thanks ,guys -- although I was hoping it was a trout. Funny thing is, I went to the same spot in the evening again. After 2.5 hours, I swear I caught the same fish again! So I let it go again. Guess I will see it the third time. :-)

its a nasty @ss squawfish they are everywhere

What up nephew!,..That's a PJ fish bassfanatic,...LOL,..LOL

Squawfish. You wont be hurting anyones feelings and will be helping the lake if you kill that fish. Bonk it, slice it open and let the crawdads have at it. Those squaws suck up baby salmon and trout in that lake....And they aren't native...

"And they aren't native..."


Dude, they are native. Undesirable, yes. Non-native, no.

Yeah, the bounty only works if you caught the fish in the columbia or snake river. We used to do the bounty deal when I went to wsu. You have to sign up the day that you fish though, you just cant take the fish to the check station. They have a few check stations that I know of in and around clarkston. You have to fill out a form and then the mail a check to you. I saw one guy bring in 65 squaws one day. At 4 dollars a fish that is pretty good day.

i've caught several of those. I guess i'll finish them off and throw them back in next time.

Just a word up from a Montana Fisherman, Yellowstone does require all lakers to be destroyed. They are very hard on the native cutteys. As you all know a lake trout will eat anything that does not a lake trout first.

wassup uncle brownbomber damn right that's a pj fish lol!!!!!