Mitten Lake Fishing Guide, Pondera County, Montana

• Overview

  Within Pondera County, Montana, you have Mitten Lake. The bank is 4,741 feet above sea level. Around 185 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The bank runs about 2.7 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. South Browning sits 17 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Lethbridge, 97 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Mitten Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name rainbow trout, northern pike, yellow perch and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Mitten Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 61°F and January about 23°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Mitten Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Minnie White Horse Lake is 3.5 miles off. Rules at Mitten Lake are worth checking on the day.