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

• Overview

  Lake Como belongs to Ravalli County, Montana. The bank gives way to lake country bush. It measures some 912 acres, and wind has room to build across it. The perimeter runs near 7.0 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Of the waters listed here in Ravalli County, this is the largest. 14 miles away sits Hamilton, the nearest town. The big place round here is Spokane, 186 miles distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lake Como

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. County-wide records name rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout, brown trout and sockeye salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Lake Como the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 21°F to 59°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Lake Como fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Kramis Pond, 1.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Lake Como if anything is unclear.