Fishing at Upper Bear Lake, Ravalli County, Montana

• Overview

  Set in Ravalli County, Montana, this is Upper Bear Lake. Elevation runs to 6,818 feet. Surface area runs to about 17 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Hamilton, is 18 miles distant. It is 176 miles to Spokane, the nearest city. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Upper Bear Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Ravalli County records list rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and brook trout among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Upper Bear Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 55°F at the top of summer and 17°F at the bottom of winter. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On Upper Bear Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Coquina Lake is 0.7 miles distant. Nothing on Upper Bear Lake should be assumed from this page alone.