Golden Lake Fishing near Red Lodge, Montana

• Overview

  Golden Lake belongs to Carbon County, Montana. Everything around it is lake country bush. Surface area is around 60 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Size puts it in the front rank of our Carbon County list. The nearest place of any size is Red Lodge, 21 miles away. Further out sit Absarokee (35 miles) and Cody (43 miles). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Golden Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Carbon County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, sauger, walleye and channel catfish. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Golden Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 13°F to 47°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. After mid June the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near mid June and comes back about late October in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. At Golden Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. 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. Jasper Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Golden Lake before loading the car.