Cup Lake Fishing near Bigfork, Montana

• Overview

  This water sits in Flathead County, Montana. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. It covers about 13 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Bigfork at 21 miles is the nearest place to stop. Somers follows at 28 miles, then Lakeside at 29 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Cup Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Flathead County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass, brook trout and yellow perch. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Treat Cup Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 18°F and August at about 56°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid usually goes in early May, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Climate averages put the opening at about early May and the closing near mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. It sets the rhythm of the year at Cup Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Spruce Lake at 2.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Cup Lake before loading the car.