Heart Lake Fishing near Salmon, Montana

• Overview

  This water sits in Beaverhead County, Montana. The country here is lake country bush. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Beaverhead County standards. Salmon at 15 miles is the nearest place to stop. It is 171 miles to Boise, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Heart Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Beaverhead County records list rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Heart Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 53°F and December reads 19°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Ice-out usually falls in late May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around late May on average, with the water closing again about mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Heart Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Rock Island Lakes sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Heart Lake may have changed since it was mapped.