Fishing at Lake Ellen Wilson, Flathead County, Montana

• Overview

  Lake Ellen Wilson lies within the bounds of Flathead County, Montana. The surface lies 5,932 feet up. With some 211 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 2.6 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. On our Flathead County list it sits near the top for size. Nearest place of any size is Columbia Falls, 25 miles away. It is 87 miles to Lethbridge, the nearest city. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ellen Wilson

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Flathead County records list rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass, brook trout and yellow perch among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Lake Ellen Wilson fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 56°F; the cold one sits at 16°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early May. Open water usually runs from early May until about mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. On Lake Ellen Wilson that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Lincoln Lake, 1 mile out. Treat access at Lake Ellen Wilson as something to verify.