Burnt Lake in Flathead County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Burnt Lake in Flathead County, Montana. Everything around it is mixed forest. Small at around 3 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Our Flathead County list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Whitefish, is 23 miles away. Lethbridge is the closest city, 114 miles away. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Burnt Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Flathead County cover rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and largemouth bass. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Burnt Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 19°F and August at about 61°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. The lid tends to go about early April and return around late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It holds true on Burnt Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Smokey Lake, 0.5 miles away. For Burnt Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.