Lockwood Lake in Missoula County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lockwood Lake is a Missoula County water, Montana side. The country round it is mixed forest from end to end. The water measures roughly 2 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is a small entry by Missoula County standards. Bonner-West Riverside is the closest place, 6.9 miles off. Spokane is the closest city, 180 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Lockwood Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for 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. On Lockwood Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 62°F, the coldest about 21°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Average temperatures cross freezing around early April in spring and again near late November in autumn. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Lockwood Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A carry of 0.9 miles from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. K. Ross Toole Fishing Access is the mapped fishing point, 0.9 miles out. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Bull Lake is 9.4 miles distant. Nothing on Lockwood Lake should be assumed from this page alone.