Lion Lake in Deer Lodge County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Montana, Lion Lake falls inside Deer Lodge County. It sits at 7,874 feet above sea level. Small enough that any disturbance crosses the whole surface. On size it sits at the modest end of our Deer Lodge County list. The closest town, Anaconda, is 19 miles away. For a city, Boise is 220 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lion Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Deer Lodge County: rainbow trout, brook trout and Arctic grayling. The county list is broader than any single water. On Lion Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 51°F and December near 17°F on the long-run figures. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late May. The season between ice runs from about late May to early November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That is the shape of the year on Lion Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Page Lake, 1.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Lion Lake in particular, ask before you travel.