Fishing at Herrig Lake, Lincoln County, Montana

• Overview

  Within Lincoln County, Montana, you have Herrig Lake. Elevation runs to 6,030 feet. The water measures roughly 9 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. For a base, Eureka sits 21 miles out. Then Whitefish, 25 miles, and Columbia Falls, 32 miles. Also on the doorstep: Fish Lake within 3.2 miles, 3.5 miles out stands Bull Lake, Spring Lakes within 3.7 miles, 4.2 miles out stands Upper Whitefish Lake and Blue Lake within 5.5 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Herrig Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Lincoln County include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon and brook trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Herrig Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 57°F and January near 17°F on the long-run figures. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late April. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at mid November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Expect Herrig Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Fish Lake sits 3.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at Herrig Lake are worth checking on the day.