Goat Mountain Lakes in Granite County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Goat Mountain Lakes sits within Granite County in Montana. It sits in lake country bush. Small at around 10 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. 16 miles away sits Deer Lodge, the nearest town. The big place round here is Billings, 222 miles distant. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish. The water is easy to walk round in a long session.

• Where to Fish on Goat Mountain Lakes

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Granite County cover rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Goat Mountain Lakes the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 18°F in December and 53°F in August. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid May. Ice usually gives way near mid May, and forms again about early November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Goat Mountain Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Thompson Lake at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Goat Mountain Lakes as something to verify.