Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is conducting an angler use survey this year on the Flathead River from the confluence of the North Fork and Middle Fork at Blankenship Bridge down to Flathead Lake.

The creel survey will describe daily and seasonal angler catch and harvest, angler numbers, gear preferences and target fish species. The information will assess how fishing and river use has changed since the last survey was conducted in 2002-2003.

FWP personnel will conduct interviews at fishing access points along the Flathead River from now through February 2016.

The interviews will be combined with flight surveys of the river to help biologists better understand fish population trends and changes in recreational river use over time.

Anglers are encouraged to participate in the voluntary survey to help FWP better understand the status and trends of use in the Flathead River fishery. For more information, contact Amber Steed at 751-4541 or asteed@mt.gov.