Heinrich Lake in Ravalli County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Heinrich Lake in Ravalli County, Montana. The bank is 7,251 feet above sea level. About 6 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is a small entry by Ravalli County standards. Start from Hamilton, 13 miles down the road. For a city, Spokane is 170 miles off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Heinrich Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Ravalli County cover rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Heinrich Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 55°F and December about 17°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Anyone fishing Heinrich Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Lockwood Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Check the position at Heinrich Lake before loading the car.