Hemlock Lake Fishing Guide, Missoula County, Montana

• Overview

  In Montana, Hemlock Lake falls inside Missoula County. The bank gives way to rolling bush. It measures about 31 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The town to know is Ronan, 14 miles out. It is 163 miles to Lethbridge, the nearest city. Also within reach: Conko Lake within 0.4 miles, North Hemlock Lake lies 1.2 miles on, Spider Lake within 2 miles, Loco Lake lies 3.1 miles on and Notlimah Lake within 3.2 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Hemlock Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, northern pike and sockeye salmon. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Hemlock Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 56°F in August and bottoms out near 18°F in December. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Hemlock Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Conko Lake, 0.4 miles out. None of that is settled for Hemlock Lake in what we hold.