Link Lake in Lincoln County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Link Lake lies within the bounds of Lincoln County, Montana. This is mixed forest ground. At 16 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Eureka at 23 miles is the nearest place to stop. Whitefish is 27 miles away, with Columbia Falls at 33 miles. Close by you have: Chain Lakes sits 0.9 miles out, Red Meadow Lake 1 mile away, Hay Lake sits 3.3 miles out, Huntsberger Lake 5.2 miles away and Bruin Lake sits 5.2 miles out. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Link Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Lincoln County include rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, brook trout, northern pike and largemouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Link Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 55°F and January at 15°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on Link Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Chain Lakes is 0.9 miles distant. For Link Lake in particular, ask before you travel.