Gunsight Lake in Flathead County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Flathead County in Montana is where Gunsight Lake sits. The bank is 6,444 feet above sea level. A pocket of water where every cast reaches cover. On size it sits at the modest end of our Flathead County list. You are 34 miles from Bigfork. Further out sit Lakeside (41 miles) and Somers (41 miles). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Gunsight Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Reported across Flathead County: rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass, brook trout and yellow perch. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Gunsight Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 58°F and January about 19°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Expect Gunsight Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Shelf Lake sits 3 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Gunsight Lake before loading the car.