Fishing at Margaret Lake, Flathead County, Montana

• Overview

  Out in Flathead County, Montana, sits Margaret Lake. The bank is 5,558 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 72 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Around 1.1 miles of margin, front to back. Start from Cardston, 33 miles down the road. The nearest city of size is Lethbridge, 73 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Margaret Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, largemouth bass, brook trout and yellow perch. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Work Margaret Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 54°F at the top of summer and 15°F at the bottom of winter. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Winter locks it down, and mid May brings it back. The season between ice runs from about mid May to early November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Margaret Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Ipasha Lake, 0.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Margaret Lake is worth confirming on the day.