Fishing at Little Arch Lake, Carbon County, Montana

• Overview

  Carbon County, Montana, is where Little Arch Lake sits. It sits at 10,075 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 7 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Montana listings. Red Lodge is the closest town at 23 miles. It is 73 miles to Billings, the nearest city. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Little Arch Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Carbon County include rainbow trout, brook trout and sauger. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Take Little Arch Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 51°F and January about 18°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late May. The lid tends to go about late May and return around early November. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. The season on Little Arch Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Lower Arch Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Little Arch Lake if anything is unclear.