Montana fish ID please

[Quillback]

My buddy Ken spent 3 weeks in Montana fly fishing this summer (lucky dog).  He caught this fish and he is curious as to what it is.  I think it is a Mountain Whitefish, but the ones I caught in Washington were always bright silver, so maybe it is another species, maybe a pike minnow?

As far as the fishing, Ken says it was great, he fished off the beaten path a little, he found plenty of bank access and not a lot of fishermen either.  He is a fly fisherman and he found the best scenario was fishing hoppers right up next to undercut banks.

[FishnDave]

Yes, a Northern Pike Minnow (or Pikeminnow?) seems correct.  Very cool!  Don't see many of those!

In comparison, Whitefish have very small mouths.

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Quillback said:

My buddy Ken spent 3 weeks in Montana fly fishing this summer (lucky dog).  He caught this fish and he is curious as to what it is.  I think it is a Mountain Whitefish, but the ones I caught in Washington were always bright silver, so maybe it is another species, maybe a pike minnow?

As far as the fishing, Ken says it was great, he fished off the beaten path a little, he found plenty of bank access and not a lot of fishermen either.  He is a fly fisherman and he found the best scenario was fishing hoppers right up next to undercut banks.

               Yes Pikeminnow. Very cool catch!

[tjm]

the whitefish would have an adipose fin like other salmonids

[fshndoug]

snook lol

[Gavin]

Jealous Again! 

[kjackson]

AKA squawfish, but definitely pikeminnow.  Catch one of those in the Columbia River in the summer, and you can get paid for fishing. I disremember the total, but fishermen have earned a lot of money catching them-- I kinda recall one guy getting something like $55,000, which isn't bad for a couple of months work...