Fishing at Big Grizzly Lake, Ravalli County, Montana

• Overview

  Big Grizzly Lake lies in Ravalli County, in Montana. Beyond the shoreline you have lake country bush. Surface area is around 37 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Size puts it in the front rank of our Ravalli County list. The closest town, Hamilton, is 21 miles away. Spokane sits 178 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Big Grizzly Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Big Grizzly Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 55°F and December reads 17°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid usually goes in mid May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at mid November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan around that when you fish Big Grizzly Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Little Grizzly Lake is 0.3 miles distant. Signs at Big Grizzly Lake carry more weight than any list.