Lake Susanne Fishing Guide, Carbon County, Montana

• Overview

  Lake Susanne falls in Carbon County, part of Montana. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. This is a pocket water of some 5 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Carbon County. For supplies, Red Lodge is 19 miles out. The big place round here is Billings, 71 miles distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lake Susanne

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Carbon County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout and sauger. The county list is broader than any single water. Treat Lake Susanne as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 13°F to 46°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Once it clears, about mid June, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate figures give an open season running mid June to late October. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Lake Susanne fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Elephant Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. The position on Lake Susanne is worth confirming on the day.