Hanson Lake near Whitefish: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  You will find Hanson Lake in Flathead County, Montana. It stands 3,097 feet above sea level. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Our Flathead County list holds plenty of bigger water. 7.3 miles away sits Whitefish, the nearest town. After that come Evergreen at 12 miles and Kalispell at 13 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hanson Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and largemouth bass. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Hanson Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 63°F, the coldest about 22°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about late November in an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hanson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. 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. Should this one be busy, Hanson-Doyle Lake is 0.7 miles off. Treat Hanson Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.