Courthouse Lake Fishing in Park County, Montana

• Overview

  Out in Park County, Montana, sits Courthouse Lake. The land about it is mixed forest. It measures about 25 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. On our Park County list it sits near the top for size. Red Lodge sits 35 miles from the bank. It is 84 miles to Billings, the nearest city. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Courthouse Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Park County records list rainbow trout, brook trout, california golden trout, brown trout and black-spotted cutthroat trout among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Courthouse Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 51°F, while January sits near 13°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Winter locks it down, and late May brings it back. The lid tends to go about late May and return around early November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Courthouse Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Spider Lake, 0.7 miles out. Nothing on Courthouse Lake should be assumed from this page alone.