Fishing Burnt Gulch Lake in Park County, Montana

• Overview

  Look for Burnt Gulch Lake in the Park County part of Montana. This is mixed forest ground. Surface area runs to about 11 acres — small enough to read in one session. For a base, Livingston sits 35 miles out. Beyond it, Absarokee at 39 miles and Big Timber at 42 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Burnt Gulch Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Park County: rainbow trout, brook trout, california golden trout, brown trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Burnt Gulch Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 13°F in January to roughly 50°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early June. In an average year the thaw lands around early June and the freeze near early November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Anyone fishing Burnt Gulch Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Lake Columbine is 1.8 miles distant. Check the position on Burnt Gulch Lake before loading the car.