Lick Lake Fishing Guide, Missoula County, Montana

• Overview

  You will find Lick Lake in Missoula County, Montana. The bank is 5,994 feet above sea level. At 18 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Seeley Lake lies 17 miles from the water. Ronan follows at 28 miles, then Pablo at 31 miles. Not far off: Koessler Lake at 1.1 miles, Doctor Lake sits 1.9 miles out, Upper Holland Lake at 2.9 miles, Clearwater Lake sits 3.2 miles out and Sapphire Lake at 3.4 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lick Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. 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. Reported across Missoula County: rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, northern pike and sockeye salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Lick Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 56°F at the top of summer and 18°F at the bottom of winter. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early May until roughly mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan any trip to Lick Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. The nearest alternative is Koessler Lake, 1.1 miles out. Confirm access to Lick Lake locally before you travel.