Fishing at Bunyan Lake, Missoula County, Montana

• Overview

  Bunyan Lake falls in Missoula County, part of Montana. The bank is 5,646 feet above sea level. About 9 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Missoula County standards. Seeley Lake lies 18 miles from the water. Ronan is 20 miles and Pablo 24 miles. Within a short drive: Meadow Lake 0.4 miles away, Skylark Lake 1.6 miles, Eagle Lake 2.2 miles away, Beanhole Lake 2.5 miles and Crystal Lake 2.6 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Bunyan Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Missoula County names rainbow trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Bunyan Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 58°F and December at 19°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. The season between ice runs from about early May to mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Bunyan Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Meadow Lake, 0.4 miles out. Confirm access to Bunyan Lake locally before you travel.