Fishing Jewell Lake in Lake County, Montana

• Overview

  Within Lake County, Montana, you have Jewell Lake. It stands 6,818 feet above sea level. At roughly 4 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. On size it sits at the modest end of our Lake County list. For a base, Ronan sits 16 miles out. Spokane sits 168 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Jewell Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Lake County names rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and largemouth bass. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Jewell Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 16°F to 54°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid May. Averages place the thaw at mid May and the freeze at early November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Jewell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Lagoon Lake, 0.2 miles out. Nothing on Jewell Lake should be assumed from this page alone.