Fishing at Little Lake, Missoula County, Montana

• Overview

  Little Lake is one of the Missoula County listings for Montana. Around the bank it is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 16 acres — small enough to read in one session. Bonner-West Riverside at 12 miles is the nearest place to stop. After that come East Missoula at 12 miles and Missoula at 13 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Little Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Missoula County include rainbow trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Little Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put August near 56°F and December near 19°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early May. Ice clears near early May and comes back about mid November in a typical year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Plan any trip to Little Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Glacier Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Little Lake locally before you travel.