Bear Lake Fishing Guide, Ravalli County, Montana

• Overview

  Bear Lake is one of the Ravalli County listings for Montana. The surface lies 6,575 feet up. At 14 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The town to know is Stevensville, 13 miles out. Hamilton lies 16 miles off, Lolo another 26 miles. Also on the doorstep: South Fork Lake at 1.3 miles, Bryan Lake (1.7 miles), Pearl Lake at 1.9 miles, Garnet Lake (2.4 miles) and Two Lakes at 2.7 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Ravalli County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Work Bear Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 55°F and December near 18°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. The season between ice runs from about mid May to mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Bear Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Should this one be busy, South Fork Lake is 1.3 miles off. Treat Bear Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.