Hidden Lake Fishing Guide, Ravalli County, Montana

• Overview

  Hidden Lake is a Ravalli County water, in Montana. The bank gives way to mixed forest. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Nearest town is Stevensville, 11 miles off. Then Hamilton, 17 miles, and Lolo, 23 miles. Other water within reach: Glen Lake 1.6 miles away, Bear Lake at 2.7 miles, South Fork Lake 2.9 miles away, Big Creek Lakes at 2.9 miles and Pearl Lake 3 miles away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Hidden Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Public occurrence data for Ravalli County names rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Hidden Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put August at about 56°F and December near 19°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. From about early May to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hidden Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Glen Lake sits 1.6 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Hidden Lake may have changed since it was mapped.