Lone Lake in Park County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Park County, Montana, is where Lone Lake sits. What surrounds it is pine and birch. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. Our Park County list holds plenty of bigger water. Supplies mean a trip to Red Lodge, 33 miles off. After that come Absarokee at 39 miles and Columbus at 51 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lone Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. 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. Records held for Park County cover rainbow trout, brook trout, california golden trout and brown trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Lone Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 53°F and January at 15°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Once it clears, about mid May, the fishing comes on quickly. In an average year the thaw lands around mid May and the freeze near early November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Lone Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Mud Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Confirm before you fish Lone Lake.