Heather Lake in Park County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Park County, Montana, this is Heather Lake. The surface lies 9,170 feet up. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. For supplies, Bozeman is 19 miles out. Four Corners is 21 miles away, with Big Sky at 23 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout. Access points are few, so the middle stretches see little traffic.

• Where to Fish on Heather Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Park County include rainbow trout, brook trout and california golden trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Heather Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 53°F, the coldest about 17°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice-out usually falls in late May, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about late May and return around early November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Anyone fishing Heather Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Emerald Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat Heather Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.