Lake Turgulse in Carbon County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  This water sits in Carbon County, Montana. It stands 10,167 feet above sea level. Around 65 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. On our Carbon County list it sits near the top for size. Start from Red Lodge, 25 miles down the road. Absarokee is 29 miles and Columbus 41 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Turgulse

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Carbon County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, brook trout, sauger and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The near bank of Lake Turgulse is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 48°F and January about 15°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early June. The season between ice runs from about early June to late October. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan any trip to Lake Turgulse around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Brent Lake, 0.4 miles away. Where Lake Turgulse is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.