Elizabeth Lake Fishing in Glacier County, Montana

• Overview

  Elizabeth Lake is listed under Glacier County, Montana. The bank is 4,892 feet above sea level. The water covers some 208 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Shoreline length is close to 3.4 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Few waters listed in Glacier County are bigger. The nearest place of any size is Cardston, 29 miles away. Lethbridge is the closest city, 70 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Elizabeth Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Glacier County include brook trout, northern pike and longnose sucker. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Elizabeth Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 16°F to 54°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid May. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at mid November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Elizabeth Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Otatso Lake at 2.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Elizabeth Lake.