Fish Lake in Ravalli County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Fish Lake in the Ravalli County part of Montana. Elevation runs to 7,372 feet. Surface area runs to about 8 acres — small enough to read in one session. For supplies, Hamilton is 26 miles out. Stevensville lies 39 miles off, Anaconda another 39 miles. What else is close: 0.7 miles out stands Faith Lake, Hope Lake sits 1 mile out, 1.2 miles out stands Charity Lake, Shadow Lake sits 1.9 miles out and 3 miles out stands Lake Abundance. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Fish Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. 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. Species logged across Ravalli County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 18°F and July at about 54°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid May. In an average year the thaw lands around mid May and the freeze near mid November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on Fish Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Faith Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at Fish Lake are worth checking on the day.