Baldy Lake in Beaverhead County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Baldy Lake in Beaverhead County, Montana. The surroundings are pine and birch. The water covers some 28 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Head to Anaconda, 40 miles away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Boise, 199 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Baldy Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Beaverhead County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout and Arctic grayling. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Baldy Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 53°F on average, December about 18°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid May until roughly mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Anyone fishing Baldy Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Elbow Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Baldy Lake if anything is unclear.