Clearwater Lake, Montana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Clearwater Lake is one of the Missoula County waters in Montana. It stands 4,793 feet above sea level. Roughly 104 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With about 1.6 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Size puts it in the front rank of our Missoula County list. 15 miles away sits Seeley Lake, the nearest town. Ronan lies 27 miles off, Pablo another 30 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Clearwater Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, northern pike and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Clearwater Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 20°F in December and 58°F in August. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. Averages suggest open water from about late April through to roughly mid November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. That is the shape of the year on Clearwater Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Pierce Lake, 3.1 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Clearwater Lake for certain.