Fishing at Erratic Lake, Carbon County, Montana

• Overview

  Erratic Lake lies in Carbon County, Montana. It lies 10,118 feet above sea level. Small at around 13 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is high ground by Montana standards. The closest town, Red Lodge, is 23 miles distant. The nearest city of size is Billings, 76 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Erratic Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Carbon County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, sauger, walleye and channel catfish. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Erratic Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 49°F and January near 14°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice-out usually falls in early June, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages place the thaw at early June and the freeze at early November. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On Erratic Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Robble Lake, 0.3 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Erratic Lake for certain.