Chain Lakes, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Lincoln County, Montana, this is Chain Lakes. The bank gives way to rolling bush. At roughly 21 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Eureka is the closest town at 23 miles. Whitefish lies 27 miles off, Columbia Falls another 33 miles. If this one is busy: Link Lake 0.9 miles away, Red Meadow Lake roughly 1.4 miles, Hay Lake 3.7 miles away, Huntsberger Lake roughly 5.2 miles and Bruin Lake 5.5 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Chain Lakes

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Lincoln County records list rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and brook trout among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Read Chain Lakes for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical August readings run about 55°F; by January the average is down near 15°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on Chain Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Link Lake, 0.9 miles away. Where Chain Lakes is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.